Community Separators Go to the Ballot!
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors decided to approve the community separator ballot measure and proposed additions of lands with the changes below, which will be finalized at the August 2 2016 supervisors meeting on the Consent Calendar (public hearing closed, no more public comment unless more changes are made).
Thanks to Teri Shore of Greenbelt alliance for this summary. Results:
Ballot Measure Sunset Date – 20 years (instead of 30)
Shorter term of voter protections supported by all five supervisors.
No other significant changes to the ballot measure language or general plan provisions!
Community Separator Lands
1st District – All Sonoma Valley Lands Included as Proposed – thanks to Sup. Gorin!
2nd District – Removal of parcels on Frates Road and large priority greenbelt wetlands south of Petaluma along Lakeville Highway– by Sup. Rabbitt
3rd District – No changes by Sup. Zane
4th District – Significant reduction in the Cloverdale-Healdsburg Community Separator by about 75 percent – by Sup. Gore
5th District – All Santa Rosa-Sebastopol area additions supported as proposed by Sup. Carrillo!
No affordable housing exemption proposed or added!
The old policy that allows commercial projects in community separators in exchange for open space protection or “public benefit” was finally removed for good! (Policy ORSC 1 c).
As already allowed, farmworker housing in community separators must follow current county code. No change here but clarification added due to last minute request by wine industry.
While we didn’t get everything that was proposed by the excellent staff at PRMD and approved by the Planning Commission, we are close to a significant win for our green spaces. We could not have done it without you!
