The following parks and trails are closed due to flooding or storm-related safety issues: Guerneville River Park, Sunset Beach River Park, Forestville River Access, the trail between Lake Benoist and Lake Wilson at Riverfront Regional Park, the South Ridge Trail between Vista Point and Canyon Trail at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, Tolay Lake Causeway Trail, and Ragle Ranch back country trails.

A month after Sonoma County was hit by a storm that caused historical floods, the Curbside Flood Debris Collection Program established in response to that disaster will come to an end.

View a list of our current and upcoming job opportunities, including:

- Eligibility Specialist I - English and Bilingual (English/Spanish) (closes 4/3/19)

- Lifeguard - Extra-Help (continuous)

- Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner - Extra-Help (continuous)

Could a new dog, cat or bunny companion bring you happiness and joy? Maybe one of our Pets of the Week is the right match for you?

Staff Reports for FY2019-20 Consolidated Homeless Services Funding are now available for review. These are only recommendations and will be considered by the Home Sonoma County Leadership Council on March 22, 2019. 

Staff Recommendations for FY2019-20 Homeless Services Funding 

Could a new dog, cat or bunny companion bring you happiness and joy? Maybe one of our Pets of the Week is the right match for you?

The Local Assistance Center (LAC) in Guerneville, established to help residents impacted by the winter storms and floods in the Russian River area last week, will close on Saturday March 9, 2019.

United Airlines launched service Friday to Denver, a route sought for nearly a decade by Sonoma County residents, tourists and business travelers desiring flights to a major international hub with convenient connections to destinations across the country and around the world.

Notice is hereby given that the Sonoma County Community Development Commission ("CDC") intends to consider approval of a Disposition, Development and Funding Agreement ("DDA") with MidPen Housing Corporation and Urbanmix Development, LLC for the development and improvement of the 6.78-acre Roseland Village Neighborhood Center pursuant to the Roseland Specific Plan. The CDC will hold a public hearing on March 12, 2019 at 8:30 am in the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chambers located at 575 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa, CA, 95403.

The County of Sonoma is coordinating curbside debris collection to begin March 11 to assist Russian River communities with the significant amount of waste created by the flood disaster.

Due to the County's flood recovery efforts, the Board of Supervisor item for consideration of the proposed Onsite Waste Treatment Systems (OWTS) Manual has been postponed to May 21, 2019. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Background: In order to meet State mandated regulations, the County of Sonoma is updating our OWTS Manual. This Manual outlines County regulations and standards for septic systems.
More Information about the Update of the OWTS Manual

This proclamation of a Local Health Emergency by a Sonoma County Health Officer was issued due to major winter storm events which resulted in major flooding in parts of Sonoma County. California Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency with respect to the same storms on February 28, 2019.

Permit Sonoma will accept site nominations for rezoning for higher-density housing until the end of March 2019.

Could a new dog, cat or bunny companion bring you happiness and joy? Maybe one of our Pets of the Week is the right match for you?

Sonoma County crews and partner agencies have conducted evaluations and have determined it is safe to allow residents back into evacuation areas along the Russian River. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office have sent notifications lifting evacuation orders. Please be aware that roads will still have some debris. Use caution when entering these areas. If you see road crews, please make way for them to get through to keep clearing debris.

In the wake of this week’s severe storms and subsequent flooding along the Russian River, Governor Newsom has declared a State of Emergency to allow for state funds and resources to help our local community respond to and recover from the impacts of flooding, mudslides, and damage to critical infrastructure.

The Russian River reached a crest of 45.4 feet late Wednesday night, just short of the projected peak of 46 feet. The river has started to recede and is expected drop to below flood stage of 32 feet early Friday morning. Preliminary estimates indicate as many as 3,000 structures have been damaged during the flood.

Due to the 2019 Winter Storms and Flooding, Permit Sonoma staff must perform emergency safety assessments of affected properties on Friday, March 1, 2019. There will be no regular inspections scheduled or performed. There will also be no cube service at the Permit Center for the following disciplines: Code Enforcement, Engineering, Fire Prevention, Plan Check, Well & Septic. Please note that inspections and cube service may be affected the week of Monday, March 4th as well. More Information

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declared a Local Emergency Tuesday in the midst of powerful winter storms that have battered the County with heavy rains that caused the Russian River to overflow its banks, and forcing the evacuation of thousands residents from the lower river area.

The proclamation requests that California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaim a State of Emergency, waive regulations that could hinder response and recovery efforts, and make state disaster and assistance and relief programs available for damage caused by the 2019 winter storms and flooding. The proclamation is the first step in seeking support for the response efforts that are under way and the recovery efforts that will follow.

The latest prediction from the California Nevada River Forecast Center indicates the Russian River will reach minor flood stages of 32 feet at 7 pm tonight, and it is anticipated that it will peak at 11 pm tomorrow, February 27, at a crest of 46.1 feet at Guerneville. It is expected that the Russian River will recede below flood levels, at 32 feet, at 10 pm on Thursday, February 28th.

In response, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders to residents living near the Russian River floodway and its tributaries through the Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA), SoCoAlert and other social media tools. If you are planning to evacuate, we recommend you evacuate now to help clear the roads for emergency vehicles this evening.

 District Attorney Jill Ravitch today issued a warning to anyone targeting those affected by the recent flooding in Sonoma County, “California law protects people impacted by a state of emergency.  Looting is theft, which is always against the law.  However, during a time of emergency additional legal protections exist against price gouging on gas, food, housing, and other essential supplies.  I encourage anyone who has been the victim of price gouging, or who has information regarding potential price gouging, to immediately file a complaint by contacting local law enforcement or my office.  Be advised that any looting or price gouging related to this week’s flooding will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

The latest prediction from the California Nevada River Forecast Center indicates the Russian River will reach minor flood stages of 32 feet at 7 pm tonight, and it is anticipated that it will peak at 11 pm tomorrow, February 27, at a crest of 46.1 feet at Guerneville. It is expected that the Russian River will recede below flood levels, at 32 feet, at 10 pm on Thursday, February 28th.

In response, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders to residents living near the Russian River floodway and its tributaries through the Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA), SoCoAlert and other social media tools. If you are planning to evacuate, we recommend you evacuate now to help clear the roads for emergency vehicles this evening. 

In this issue of our e-newsletter we have:

• Increased Accessory Dwelling Unit Customer Service
• Expanded Support in Evaluating Rebuilding Construction Proposals
• Meet Planning Commissioner Ariel Kelley
• Cleaning Up Junkyards

Could a new dog, cat or bunny companion bring you happiness and joy? Maybe one of our Pets of the Week is the right match for you?

Michellene Ruiz and Faith Ndegwa have their sights set on achieving greatness. They enroll in advanced classes each summer, and during the school year are involved with clubs at their school, Roseland Collegiate Prep, that emphasize leadership and good study habits.

So it was no surprise to their parents when they chose to spend Saturday — a precious day off in their packed weekly schedule — at an engineering event for young women.

Ruiz and Ndegwa, both 15, were among about 120 students attending the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day hosted by Keysight Technologies in Santa Rosa.

The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (Commission) is requesting qualifications from firms to provide Environmental Services at the Roseland Village Neighborhood Center.

Fans of chef Matt Elias’ and Laine Ayre’s The Bodega food truck will be stoked to learn they’re now heading up one of the coast’s most destination-worthy cafes — Dillon Beach Coastal Kitchen.

Further south, Tony’s Seafood in Marshall is getting ready for their grand opening later this month. The 70 year-old restaurant is being resurrected by Hog Island Oyster owners John Finger and Terry Sawyer, who purchased it in 2017.

Health Action has partnered in the Sonoma Community Resilience Collaborative on a journey to restore healing and long-term resiliency in the aftermath of the October 2017 wildfires. 

The First 5 Sonoma County Commission and the Department of Health Services are planning to request approval of an ordinance amending Ordinance Number 5142 (establishing the Sonoma County Children and Families First Commission) as amended by Ordinance Numbers 5236, 5807, and 5881, to establish First 5 Sonoma County Commission as an independent public agency and establish Commission membership, terms, powers, and duties.

Explore how to make sustainable and low-carbon building choices in your rebuild or home improvements.

The tenth annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week will continue the tradition of celebrating the finest Sonoma County food.  From March 1-10, 2019, participating restaurants will present fantastic food at fantastic prices.  There are no tickets or passes required.  For more details, visit Sonoma County Restaurant Week.

On October 23, 2018, the Board directed staff to dispose of the Chanate property as surplus following California Government Code Section 54220.