my childhood bedroom faces this canyon. I lived on futura for 24 years I was there before Skyhawk was built and this was my sanctuary looking at the beautiful mountains. Please stop! We don't need wall to wall housing! What made Santa Rosa beautiful and unique was the fact we still had SOMETHING open spaces! As a young adult there is a serious lack of affordable housing here, we do not need more unaffordable housing we need our natural beauty!
A
Angela Josey
11 years ago
Greed ignorance and apathy are not okay
G
Gus Greenstein
· petition starter
11 years ago
The canyon is my sanctuary. It has always been.
It's where I dreamed up my college essays, mentally prepared for races, thought about relationships...where I came to terms with my parents' separation. The backdrop - and setting - for a great majority of so many of my most cherished memories. And I know (knew, even before seeing these incredible comments) that it serves the same purpose for many others.
Surrounded by my neighborhood friends, at age 10, I read an open letter I had written to the project developer before the Santa Rosa City Council, speaking out on behalf of the children and animals that would feel the canyon's loss. I'm now 22, at the tail end of a year spent collecting the stories of communities ravaged by large-scale infrastructure projects around the world. And I can tell you plainly: in those years, my perspective has not changed. It has only strengthened.
With such a clear choice at hand, and with public opinion so lopsided, this is a great opportunity to test the values of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County - and to what degree those of local government align with those of the people they are paid to represent. Compliance with the law aside (the City and County have already demonstrated, multiple times, that they don't value that much), much of that means being honest about who this project will benefit, who it will hurt, and how much on each side.
Beneficiaries? The multi-millionaire developer? Check. Future homeowners? Come. On. Those in any position to purchase one of these homes (est. $850 thousand to $1 million - probably a significant underestimate) are certainly in the position to choose among many, many other locations.
Losers? Hundreds of people who are, quite literally, spiritually connected to this place - and who have been for a long time? Yep.
Destruction of one of the last beautiful pieces of open space in this area for essentially zero public good? Further strain on local resources in a time of unprecedented env
K
Karen Mickleson
11 years ago
The county needs 35 more luxury homes like it needs a hole in the head. This is a political issue about individual vs community values, unlikely to be solved by action here, but it's worth a try.
N
Neeraj Ramakrishnan
11 years ago
the project occurring now is atrocious. It is wrong to decimate an environment like this that many of us have called home for years.
S
Sharon Baer
11 years ago
The city and county need to have accountability for the Williamson Act , environmental laws and reviews. Why were the neighbors not given early due process with notification of this project ? Shame on the city and county....
J
Jesse Ma
11 years ago
For affordable housing, NEVER for luxury homes
M
Mark Frey
11 years ago
Considering the drought and the lack of affordable housing in Santa Rosa, this hardly seems like a prudent course of action to carve up a scenic canyon for 35 luxury homes. What a waste of resources.
M
Marsha Dupre
11 years ago
Is this a cruel joke? We have hillside and ridgetop ordinances, protection of native species for fauna and flora and they're going to build HUGE, expensive housing onland that violates The Williamson Act?????? How does this happen? I know - sadly, I know. Marsha Vas Dupre, Ph.D.
A
Anonymous
11 years ago
I am for affordable housing, not huge mansions that gobble up what's left of a beautiful ag preserve.
P
Paul Meehan
11 years ago
I agree that what we need - if anything - is affordable housing. I am concerned at the impact of this development on our deteriorating water situation, as well as the apparent side-stepping of the Williamson Act.
L
Levi Gittleman
11 years ago
Featured
please don't do this. I've grown up roaming around these fields and having it torn apart so some more suburban houses can be built is ridiculous.
M
Matt walls
11 years ago
Please consider the long term benefits and value you will bring this community by stopping further development
W
Will Roach
11 years ago
We need AFFORDABLE HOUSING in Sonoma County, NOT MacMansions!
G
Greg Krickl
11 years ago
Don't do it!
L
Lance guidi
11 years ago
Featured
I remember the destruction when the original Skyhawk was being built which was tenfold to this, we got to stop this before it gets out of hand for our future kids and residents. We could have made this into a beautiful walking park with all the abundant wild flowers throughout the swaying grassy fields.
M
Mia Greenstein
11 years ago
Aside from the conservation issues, the city has admittedly ignored the legal process for approving the two streets that are required for this construction. The environmental review required for these homes must be conducted, before any more ground is turned. If we can't count on our city representation to follow legal procedures here, how can we trust them on a larger scale?
K
Kathleen Aitchison
11 years ago
This project needs a environmental review for TODAYS issues May 2015.
A
Adrienne Borders
11 years ago
Construction should be kept out of preserves, Santa Rosa is special for its beautiful natural elements and (limited) ecological conservation, please don't take that away.
:((((((
my childhood bedroom faces this canyon. I lived on futura for 24 years I was there before Skyhawk was built and this was my sanctuary looking at the beautiful mountains. Please stop! We don't need wall to wall housing! What made Santa Rosa beautiful and unique was the fact we still had SOMETHING open spaces! As a young adult there is a serious lack of affordable housing here, we do not need more unaffordable housing we need our natural beauty!
Greed ignorance and apathy are not okay
The canyon is my sanctuary. It has always been. It's where I dreamed up my college essays, mentally prepared for races, thought about relationships...where I came to terms with my parents' separation. The backdrop - and setting - for a great majority of so many of my most cherished memories. And I know (knew, even before seeing these incredible comments) that it serves the same purpose for many others. Surrounded by my neighborhood friends, at age 10, I read an open letter I had written to the project developer before the Santa Rosa City Council, speaking out on behalf of the children and animals that would feel the canyon's loss. I'm now 22, at the tail end of a year spent collecting the stories of communities ravaged by large-scale infrastructure projects around the world. And I can tell you plainly: in those years, my perspective has not changed. It has only strengthened. With such a clear choice at hand, and with public opinion so lopsided, this is a great opportunity to test the values of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County - and to what degree those of local government align with those of the people they are paid to represent. Compliance with the law aside (the City and County have already demonstrated, multiple times, that they don't value that much), much of that means being honest about who this project will benefit, who it will hurt, and how much on each side. Beneficiaries? The multi-millionaire developer? Check. Future homeowners? Come. On. Those in any position to purchase one of these homes (est. $850 thousand to $1 million - probably a significant underestimate) are certainly in the position to choose among many, many other locations. Losers? Hundreds of people who are, quite literally, spiritually connected to this place - and who have been for a long time? Yep. Destruction of one of the last beautiful pieces of open space in this area for essentially zero public good? Further strain on local resources in a time of unprecedented env
The county needs 35 more luxury homes like it needs a hole in the head. This is a political issue about individual vs community values, unlikely to be solved by action here, but it's worth a try.
the project occurring now is atrocious. It is wrong to decimate an environment like this that many of us have called home for years.
The city and county need to have accountability for the Williamson Act , environmental laws and reviews. Why were the neighbors not given early due process with notification of this project ? Shame on the city and county....
For affordable housing, NEVER for luxury homes
Considering the drought and the lack of affordable housing in Santa Rosa, this hardly seems like a prudent course of action to carve up a scenic canyon for 35 luxury homes. What a waste of resources.
Is this a cruel joke? We have hillside and ridgetop ordinances, protection of native species for fauna and flora and they're going to build HUGE, expensive housing onland that violates The Williamson Act?????? How does this happen? I know - sadly, I know. Marsha Vas Dupre, Ph.D.
I am for affordable housing, not huge mansions that gobble up what's left of a beautiful ag preserve.
I agree that what we need - if anything - is affordable housing. I am concerned at the impact of this development on our deteriorating water situation, as well as the apparent side-stepping of the Williamson Act.
please don't do this. I've grown up roaming around these fields and having it torn apart so some more suburban houses can be built is ridiculous.
Please consider the long term benefits and value you will bring this community by stopping further development
We need AFFORDABLE HOUSING in Sonoma County, NOT MacMansions!
Don't do it!
I remember the destruction when the original Skyhawk was being built which was tenfold to this, we got to stop this before it gets out of hand for our future kids and residents. We could have made this into a beautiful walking park with all the abundant wild flowers throughout the swaying grassy fields.
Aside from the conservation issues, the city has admittedly ignored the legal process for approving the two streets that are required for this construction. The environmental review required for these homes must be conducted, before any more ground is turned. If we can't count on our city representation to follow legal procedures here, how can we trust them on a larger scale?
This project needs a environmental review for TODAYS issues May 2015.
Construction should be kept out of preserves, Santa Rosa is special for its beautiful natural elements and (limited) ecological conservation, please don't take that away.