EIR will study the impacts of building between 500 and 1,000 dwellings on campus
FEBRUARY 15, 20,22
Tracy Salcedo
Permit Sonoma is the Sonoma County’s planning agency. It has initiated the environmental review process to redevelop the Sonoma Developmental Center in Glen Ellen.
The Notice of Preparation (NOP), which describes the project and lists the issues to be examined in the environmental impact (EIR) report, is a key element of the specific plan that will guide the redevelopment of the 955-acre property. This scoping process involves soliciting comments from both regulatory agencies and the public.
The NOP, which was sourced from the California Environmental Quality Act database, also outlines the guidelines for submitting comments about the EIR’s scope. The public scoping meeting was scheduled for Thursday, February 17th, a week following the release of the NOPs. Written comments must also be submitted by March 25th.
What is in the NOP
The document includes a summary of the process to date and links to resources on the SDC Specific Plan website (sdcspecificplan.com), such as the enabling legislation. It also contains maps showing the location of the property and the area where development will occur. There is no site plan that indicates where development might occur on the property.
The Anticipated Development program is the heart of the EIR’s proposed scope. It focuses on the core campus of 180 acres and describes the types possible development.
The housing development program provides 450 to 1,000 housing units, including affordable and market-rate housing that meets the needs of the Sonoma County population and workforce. There are many housing options, including single-family, multifamily, missing middle and senior housing, as well co-housing, shelter for the homeless and shelter for unhoused.
The non-housing program includes office, research, development and other creative uses that are focused on sustainability and climate-focused businesses, organizations, and enterprises. There are many possible uses for this space: restaurants and cafes, hotels, event spaces, and community services like a museum, community center, or emergency command center. The NOP does no include job creation numbers or estimated square footage. These were part of prior plans.
The proposal calls for green space development on campus, including buffers to the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor (wildfire) and other buffers. It also highlights the potential for creating a new vehicle route linking Arnold Drive and Highway 12. It also identifies the potential for creating a new vehicular route connecting Arnold Drive to Highway 12.
The NOP also addresses 750 acres of open land surrounding the core campus. It requires the development of policies to regulate the retention and preservation these natural lands. These include Fern Lake and Camp Via as well as the historic Eldridge Cemetery.
The EIR must address the environmental impacts of the proposed development. These include aesthetics, air, biological resources and cultural resources, energy, hazards & hazardous substances, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards, hazards & materials, hydrology/waterquality, land use/planning as well as noise, population/housing, public services, transportation, tribal culture resources, utilities/service systems. [and] wildfire.
Background
The NOP was released to clarify the big question that was unanswered following the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Hearing on Jan. 25,: How many dwelling units would you build on the one-time home of persons with developmental disabilities, currently vacant since 2018?
Permit Sonoma proposed to develop 1,000 housing units in the campus and create 1000 jobs at the hearing. Arthur Dawson, chairperson of the North Sonoma Valley Municipal Advisory Council, (NSVMAC), spoke at the hearing. He submitted a letter representing the community, calling for a reduction of the number of dwellings from 450. He also cited the impacts on traffic, natural resources, and rural character of Glen Ellen. The petition supporting the NSVMAC letter was signed by more than 1,600 people, along with a number community groups and the City. It received the unanimous endorsement by the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission (February 8).
Numerous supervisors supported the EIR’s proposal of a housing range ranging from 450 to 700 units. This was proposed by Supervisor Susan Gorin. However, the board did no vote on Gorins numbers and it was not clear what would be examined in the environmental assessment report.
CEQA and EIR
Vicki Hill from Glen Ellens, a landuse planner, was able to present a primer about the EIR process at Glen Ellen Forums’ February 7 meeting. She serves on Permit Sonoma’s Planning Advisory Team and is a landuse planner. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires county planners and Dyett and Bhatia to assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposed SDC, and how they can be mitigated, guides the process. Hill explained that the idea is to prevent environmental damage and avoidable consequences by requiring projects to be modified and to allow the public and other agencies to review and comment.
The EIR must look at alternatives to the county planners’ primary proposal. It must also examine alternatives that not only meet the project objectives, but also reduce environmental impact. Hill said that the CEQA requires the EIR, in order to find an environmentally superior alternative that would have the least adverse environmental impact compared to the proposed project.
What’s next?
During the scoping period established by the NOP state and county agencies such as Sonoma County Regional Parks and CAL FIRE will review and comment the proposed project. The EIR can be viewed by members of the public and community organizations. Hill explained that stakeholder can offer alternatives, environmental issues, mitigation measures, and environmental thresholds for use in the EIR analysis. Comments can be made in writing by March 25, or at the virtual public scoping meeting on Thursday, February 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Hill explained that the administrative record begins with the release of the NOP. This is important because while comments made prior to this step can be ignored, EIR preparers need to consider scoping comments as part of the EIR process.
Hill explained that it is important to respond to the NOP, and to submit scoping comments. More than 45 people attended the Forum meeting. It doesn’t matter whether you have submitted environmental concerns earlier in this specific plan process. These comments must be resubmitted to the NOP.
Tips for making scoping remarks
Hill also offered tips for stakeholders who wish to submit comments on the scope and design of the EIR. Hill advised stakeholders to focus on the report’s specific aspects and not on whether or not you like the project. She gave examples of specific issues that should be addressed, including traffic impacts, wildlife, consistency with land-use policy, noise, and light.
Other issues stakeholders can address are: methodologies used in EIR analysis; study area boundary (the boundaries of an affected environment); environmental thresholds used for determining significance of impacts; mitigation steps; and informational sources that should also be consulted.
To download a PDF version of the NOP, visit https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2022020222. Brian Oh Comprehensive Planning Manager, PermitSonoma, 2550 Ventura Ave. Santa Rosa CA 95403 can be reached for written comments. [email protected]If you have any questions, please call Ohs at (707) 565-265-1931. For more information about the SDC Specific Plan visit sdcspecificplan.com.
