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Article – Alerts |
Reprinted courtesy of West County Gazette, February 2004 Alert: Development Projects and Updates by Vesta Copestakes, Editor, West County Gazette “Woodstone” Development 11 units on .83 acres at the intersection of Mirabel Road and Trenton Road across from Speer’s Market. This proposed housing development will include 7 detached units, each with a Granny Unit above the garage and two attached affordable housing units, each containing 2 living quarters. This requires a change in zoning to R2. The development will face away from Mirabel Road with a sound barrier along Mirabel, attractive landscaping and an entrance on to Trenton Road. The current ditch along Mirabel Road will be replaced by a culvert system. The developer, Harvey Charnovsky, took his proposal to the Forestville Planning Association and will present it at the January 24th Town Meeting. Green Valley Creek Lot line adjustment/minor subdivision/general plan amendment/zoning change: I sent this request for a public hearing about a complicated series of lot line adjustment/minor subdivision/general plan amendment/zoning change for three parcels along Green Valley Creek at its headwaters near Harrison Grade off to Traci Tesconi of the County's Permit and Resource Management Department. Please support us by requesting a public hearing on this matter. Send an email to Mrs Traci Tesconi at ttesconi@sonoma-county.org requesting such a public hearing. Thanks, Zeno Swijtink Atascadero Creek and Green Valley Creek Watershed Council Sample Letter Traci Tesconi Permit and Resource Management Department County of Sonoma 2550 Ventura Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Dear Mrs. Tesconi, Thank you for referring application PLP03-0041 to us for commentary. This is a request for the owner, John Windham III, of Windham Vineyards, for a lot line adjustment/minor subdivision/general plan amendment/zoning change for three parcels along Green Valley Creek at its headwaters near Harrison Grade, one having a established lumber mill, to create 4 parcels. Since Green Valley Creek is the only consistently coho bearing creek in the Russian River watershed, this application needs detailed and public scrutiny. Now that the coho in the Russian River watershed has been listed under the endangered species act, the Green Valley Creek has become essential in the mandated coho recovery efforts of the Department of Fish and Game. The proposed change makes the parcels more homogeneous and increase their development potential. For instance, all gravel would be gathered on the newly created parcel C with a MR (Mineral Resource) zoning, while the changes may create a possibility for a vineyard in Lot 1, which has an existing pond added to it. Such changes in the economic forces along the upper reach of Green Valley Creek will likely have a negative impact on coho habitat and endanger the chances for coho recovery in the whole Russian River watershed. That is, we question the statement in the application that the application merely "is to rectify the inappropriate and inconsistent general land use and zoning policy construct currently applied to the property". These proposed changes would certainly increase the human impacts in this part of the Russian River watershed. We request that a public hearing be held about this application. General Plan Update The Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Sonoma County Plan Update will hold its regular monthly meeting of the full CAC on January 15. Topics for consideration include, as time allows, continued CAC consideration of Urban Service Boundaries (note: public comment has been closed on this consent calendar item), and two new items: Local Coastal Plan Interface with General Plan and Indicators. PRMD hearing Room, 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa. The CAC Circulation Subcommittee will hold a workshop in Penngrove, Saturday, January 24, at 11 am, to review preliminary traffic modeling results. Penngrove Ewlementary School, 365 Adobe Road, Penngrove. We encourage you to attend and participate in these upcoming meetings where there will be opportunities to participate in and learn more about the Update. Staff reports may be reviewed when available as follows:
Annual Report to the Community – Breakfast Forum, Wednesday, January 21. Check in at 7 am – program begins promptly at 7:30. at the Sonoma Double Tree Hotel, One Double Tree Drive, Rohnert Park - $20 per person with advance reservations ($25 at the door if available), $185 per table of ten. Reservations by January 16. Contact Sonoma County Economic Development Board at 565-7170. Please address your comments to: Vesta Copestakes. Back to Top Back to Issues & Updates Page |