Application Part 4 NarrativeABAG Priority Development Area (PDA) ApplicationCounty of Sonoma: The Springs, Sonoma Valley, Urban Service AreaDecember 2011Existing Conditions.
“The Springs” communities of Boyes Hot Springs,Fetters Hot Springs, El Verano, and Agua Caliente are historical turn of thecentury hot springs resort communities initially connected to Santa Rosa andthe Bay Area by railroad. “The Springs” communities are now a contiguousurbanized area located along the Scenic Highway 12 Corridor immediatelynorthwest of the City of Sonoma. The core of these communities are servedby public sewer and water, and contain a mixture of residential, office, retailand recreation uses. The proposed PDA boundary encompasses portions of the Sonoma Valley Urban Service Area that have the greatest potential forinfill growth, and also portions of The Springs Redevelopment Area boundary. The area within the proposed PDA boundary is approximately 1,300 acresand contains 4,875 housing units.“The Springs” area is ethnically diverse and located within a redevelopmentarea in the heart of the Sonoma Valley wine grape production area. Jobopportunities in the area surrounding the proposed PDA include retail andservice sector jobs in the City of Sonoma, and agricultural and winery related jobs in the Sonoma Valley. Reports from the US Census Local EmploymentDynamics website indicate that in 2009 residents that lived within thisproposed PDA were employed at 3,876 jobs primarily outside of the proposedPDA area. The PDA area itself contained 742 jobs, 159 of which were held byPDA residents.
Area Vision & Place Type.
The place type that best describes this area isRural Corridor. The vision for the area is to: 1) make The Springs a morecomplete community with a mix of residential and non-residential infilldevelopment; 2) provide more bike/pedestrian paths and transitopportunities to link The Springs residential areas to non-residential areasand the City of Sonoma for job opportunities. The area has infill potential forup to an additional 1,200 units through the Year 2035. With the 2% jobgrowth rate forecasted by the Sonoma County Economic Development Boardreports, the area could gain another 500 jobs.
Implementation.
In the past five years plans, programs or activities in thisarea have included:
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Amendment of The Springs Redevelopment Plan
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Construction of Highway 12 improvements to provide bike lanes andsidewalks
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Construction of an 80 unit affordable housing project
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Planning for segments of the Central Sonoma Valley Trail ProjectImplementing this vision will also require further construction of bike lanesand pedestrian paths. The County is in the process of reviewing andadopting a Complete Neighborhood Overlay Zone to be used in areas such as The Springs to identify opportunities and constraints, and creation of a planfor future infill development and improvements that result in moresustainable, less auto-dependent communities. The ability to access programs and funding opportunities at the regional,state, and federal levels will help Sonoma County implement these goals forits Urban Service Area communities that are designated PriorityDevelopment Areas.
Community Participation/Relevant Planning Processes.
Communityinvolvement in The Springs Area has recently resulted in the preparation of The Springs Redevelopment Area Strategic Action Plan (http://www.sonoma-county.org/cdc/rd_sv_strategicplan.htm). The action plan is intended toprioritize redevelopment activities associated with the recently updatedRedevelopment Plan for this area (http://www.sonoma-county.org/cdc/rd_sv_redevelopment_plan.htm). The Springs area hasdeveloped over the last several decades in accordance with the NorthSonoma Valley Specific Plan and the South Sonoma Valley Area One SpecificPlan and Highway 12 Design Guidelines. The Springs Area is an MTCidentified “Community of Concern”. Additionally, the Sonoma County Transportation Authority has recently prepared a Community Based Transportation Plan that involved substantial community involvement(http://www.sctainfo.org/reports/The_Springs_Community_Based_Transportation_Plan/DRAFT_The%20Springs%20CBTP%20060310.pdf ). The General Plan Land Use Element calls for updating of the North SonomaValley and South Sonoma Valley Area One area plans. The development orupdate of these plans will include community outreach and participation. This area also is suitable for rezoning to the Complete Neighborhood OverlayZone. The Sonoma County General Plan 2020, adopted in 2008, involvedseveral years of community meetings conducted before a Citizen’s AdvisoryCommittee. This process resulted in the retention of the County’s existinggrowth policies calling for new development to occur in a compact,sustainable manner within Urban Service Area boundaries where publicsewer and water exist. Sonoma County General Plan Land Use Elementgoals align with ABAG’s FOCUS program to promote planning for “completecommunities” that have a variety of homes, jobs, shops, services andamenities; that encourage accessibility by walking, biking, taking transit, andreducing commute times; and that improve social and economic equity.
Smart Growth Potential.
The Springs area would benefit from planningefforts and neighborhood improvement projects to make a more “complete”
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