In the middle of the Covid crisis, political unrest and economic uncertainty, the County of Sonoma is seeking to bypass voters and flout open-space protections to push forward a new luxury resort and major event center at 3890 Old Redwood Highway in the heart of the key voter-protected Windsor-Larkfield-Santa Rosa Community Separator greenbelt.
County planners want to allow construction of a luxury resort subdivision of a dozen Wine Country party houses and a warehouse-sized event building. The plan is for a hundred events serving a total of 10,000 people per year open daily for drinking, dining, weddings and music until 10pm on open, undeveloped land next to a youth summer camp.
Even worse, the luxury resort is to be located in the Tubb’s fire burn zone at the foot of Fountaingrove, putting more people in harm’s way. The project will exacerbate the housing crisis and will compete with local businesses.
Strangely, county planners have determined that there will be no significant environmental impacts from the intensified commercial use of the property to Piner Creek, a large pond home to yellow legged frogs and giant salamanders, or to the old oaks that dot the property.
The luxury project is also on the outside edge of the voter-approved Santa Rosa Urban Growth Boundary where urban development has twice been determined by voters to end.
A public hearing by the Board of Zoning Adjustments is set for 1pm on July 9 for a vote on the environmental review and the project. The luxury resort and event center violates critical community separator protections, the General Plan and Zoning Code and overrides the will of the voters. It shouldn’t be reviewed or approved at a time of crisis when voters countywide are facing life and death issues.
Teri Shore
Regional Director, North Bay
Greenbelt Alliance
