More Urban Sprawl Measures Considered By Sonoma County Board

SANTA ROSA, CA - The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Tuesday will consider placing on the November ballot a measure that extends the protection of community separator land outside its cities to prevent urban sprawl.

The proposed ordinance also would allow designating additional community separators.

Sonoma County's voters approved an ordinance in 1996 to protect land adjacent to cities with an urban growth boundary for 20 years.

In 1998, voters also approved a community separator between Petaluma and Novato. The ordinances expire at the end of 2016 and 2018, respectively.

The Sonoma County Planning Commission in June recommended the Board of Supervisors place an ordinance on the November ballot to extend the protections for another 30 years.

There currently are 17,065 acres of land designated as community separators and an additional 17,738 acres are proposed in the County's General Plan.

The public hearing on the proposed ordinance is 2:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors chambers at 575 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa.

-Bay City News, image via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters/Flickr