Board of Supervisors approves project scope and next steps for proposed Sonoma County Government Center

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a project scope and next steps for construction of a 200,000-square-foot government center to be located on the current County campus site in Santa Rosa. The action steps, unanimously approved by the Board, call for a one-tower $308 million government center, which would house between 800 and 1,000 employees, as well as redevelopment space to include up to 1,000 housing units.

The modernization plan, which will replace a government center that was built in the 1950s and faces extensive ongoing maintenance and repair costs, calls for mixed-used development including affordable housing on a 9.3-acre portion of the county campus. The Board also directed staff to look for additional vacant office buildings that could house employees as a cost-saving measure given the current reduced market rates for commercial properties post-pandemic.

“The County Government Center was constructed in the middle of the last century and has problems with accessibility, functionality and operational effectiveness,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “On top of that, the cost of addressing major ongoing building system failures is increasing. This plan allows us to maximize taxpayer funds by consolidating administrative functions, upgrading and modernizing work environments while also providing much-needed affordable housing stock for Sonoma County residents in need.”

County officials originally looked at concentrating 1,700 employees at a new County government center but have since shifted to exploring more fiscally prudent and viable options. In February, the Board approved a lease with an option to purchase the former American AgCredit building at 400 Aviation Boulevard, which was constructed in 2015 and can accommodate approximately 400 employees who would otherwise be located at the County campus. 

Supervisors underscored on Tuesday how buying or leasing office space now is far more affordable than building new space. “Never has there been a better opportunity to pick up office space than now,” said Chair Rabbitt.

As part of the project, the County identified 9.3 acres within the County campus along Mendocino Avenue to assist in meeting its California Department of Housing and Community Development requirements for housing construction. Under the tentative plan approved, the area would be developed to accommodate up to 1,000 residential units for special needs populations, low- to-moderate income households and, possibly, County employees.

Rather than postponing to a later phase, as recommended by staff, the Board also voted on Tuesday to keep within the project scope space for a new Emergency Coordination Center.

The $308 million cost for the one-tower project is within the County’s current debt financing capacity of $314 million. If the project moves forward without significant delays, the government center could be open by the end of 2026, said Johannes Hoevertsz, director of the County’s Department of Public Infrastructure.

Next steps in the project include the development of a schematic design that is expected to present a viable project that is properly sized and financially feasible. County staff will return to the Board with a clear design direction and 3D graphic model of the proposed project, including costs, and any additional opportunities to lease or purchase existing vacant office buildings on Aviation Boulevard or elsewhere in Sonoma County. Additionally, environmental analysis toward an Environmental Impact Report will begin as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The full staff report from Tuesday’s Board item is available at:
https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6790058&GUID=B2D42E99-1258-4258-B52F-4EEA0720D87B

For more information about the Sonoma County Government Center modernization project, please contact the Department of Public Infrastructure at (707) 565-2550 or visit https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/spi. 

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Media Contact:
Dan Virkstis
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 565-3040