South Santa Rosa Specific Plan

The South Santa Rosa Specific Plan is a comprehensive development project led by the City of Santa Rosa to guide the future land use, transportation, and infrastructure of a 1,900-acre area in southern Santa Rosa, California. The project focuses on creating a sustainable framework for circulation, community health, and equity, with a primary objective of identifying necessary improvements to serve residents and workers in the region. The current phase involves the preparation of a programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to assess direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Key regulatory requirements include extensive biological resource assessments and mitigation measures for special-status species, such as the burrowing owl, overseen by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The project also mandates strict compliance with tribal consultation laws under AB 52 and SB 18 to protect cultural resources, as guided by the Native American Heritage Commission. Additionally, the project incorporates multimodal transportation planning and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis in collaboration with Caltrans. The City of Santa Rosa, represented by Senior Planner Conor McKay, serves as the lead agency responsible for overall compliance and the final acceptance of environmental mitigation measures.