Eldridge For All - Save Our Space
Eldridge For All - Save Our SpaceEldridge For All - Save Our Space
Eldridge For All - Save Our Space
DGS moves ahead with RFP despite county delays
Why people protested at the SDC on June 6
Read about the June 6 protest in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/protest-in-glen-ellen-over-sdc-redevelopment/
June 7: Reasons for Protest
Seeing that 1) the Specific Plan Draft EIR (Environmental Impact Report) hasn’t been released (coming out sometime in late July); and 2) consequently, the public has not had an opportunity to provide input on it (two steps necessary to finalizing the SDC Specific Plan), it is truly shocking that on May 17 the CA Department of General Services (DGS) released its Request For Proposal (RFP). Why? Because DGS is now asking developers to prepare bids to purchase the 180-acre core campus with no concrete project description, no comprehensive site plan (which should have been part of the Notice of Preparation for the required environmental impact report per CEQA), no public comment on the Draft EIR, and no real guarantees that SDC open space will remain in the public trust or even open to the public.
What does this mean? It means developers are left to come up with their own plans with NO PUBLIC INPUT. The state’s Request for Proposals (RFP) outlines expectations from potential buyers and overlapping timelines that undermine Sonoma County’s specific planning process, which remains incomplete. This means public comment received so far by Sonoma County — all of our input into what was touted as a community-driven process — won’t be finalized and incorporated into plans before a developer is chosen by the state prior to adoption of the specific plan. The RFP does not specify how the ~750 acres of open space that surround the core, which elected officials and bureaucrats have always promised would be preserved as public parkland, will be dealt with. The fate of the SDC’s precious natural resources - and public access to those resources - remains in limbo.
In light of this total breakdown in the SDC Specific Plan process, a small group of community activists called for a peaceful Protest In Support of Stopping the Eldridge Disaster! (PISSED!). Having advocated for years to preserve SDC open space and protect the wildlife corridor from being undermined by overdevelopment of the core campus, organizers of the PISSED! Protest have 4 critical demands of County and State officials:
- Keep our lands in public hands. Transfer SDC open space to State and/or Regional Parks now!
- Regain public trust by honoring promises and respecting the local community’s wishes to have a real say in the process.
- Schedule a community meeting - no more ZOOM - between the local public, stakeholders, State and County officials. It’s high time we gather in person to discuss the particulars.
- Slow the process down. Redevelopment of the SDC is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We need to get this right!
Approximately 75 people attended the PISSED! Protest on Monday, June 6 at 12:30pm on the SDC campus at the main entrance to the SDC (intersection of Arnold Drive and Harney). Protesters gathered on the day DGS had invited interested developers to tour the SDC property.
HOT OFF THE PRESS. READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Tracy Salcedo has written an excellent article, Focus on the SDC: Open space and the public trust, explaining why the DGS Request For Proposal (RFP) constitutes a betrayal of the public trust and paves the way for all of the SDC land - core campus and open space - to forever be removed from public ownership. Christian Kallen further details problems with the RFP in his article, Sonoma Developmental Center up for sale. You'll find these two articles in the Kenwood Press (June 1, 2022). Read them!
BY THE WAY...
The official website for the SDC Specific Plan (www.sdcspecificplan.com) has a page where all official documents are supposed to be posted. According to the website, documents are routinely posted at the TOP of the Documents page in the order they are released to the public. Hence, the most recent docs can, in theory, be found at the top of page. HOWEVER, to date, the DGS RFP (May 17, 2022) has been buried at the very BOTTOM of the sdcspecificplan.com DOCUMENTS page as the last item in Background Documents, which date back to 2015. The RFP has been out for an entire two weeks. Hard to believe that burying it in such an unlikely location could be a simple mistake. Update: As of several days ago, the DGS RFP is now accessible on the sdcspecificplan.com HOME page.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Listen to THE FATE OF SDC RADIO SHOW: https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/archives.ksvy.org/KSVY_2022-06-03__16_00_01.mp3
a preferred plan is to be chosen in Jan., 2022
Alternatives to be published in Nov. with a Preferred Plan to be decided upon by sometime in Jan., 2022
During the the two months between release of Project Alternatives and settlement on a Preferred Plan, the public is encouraged to review the alternatives and provide comments to the County via the County website. If you care about the future of the SDC, now is the time to speak up!
see below for important questions to consider
To jump start your ideas, we have provided a list of suggestions below. Also, here are just a few, among many, questions to consider:
- The State requires housing on the site. Where will this housing go? What should the density be - low, moderate, high? HOW MANY NEW HOUSING UNITS CAN THE PLANNING SITE ACCOMODATE AND STILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING OPEN SPACE, THE SONOMA VALLEY WILDLIFE CORRIDOR, AND GLEN ELLEN?
- Which of the already existing buildings can realistically be repurposed?
- What types of commercial uses would you like to see?
- What types of public amenities do you envision?
- Other uses? The Board of Supervisors has expressed interest in institutional uses that also include housing.
- What is your greatest fear in relation to development of the SDC campus? Can you suggest ways to mitigate that fear?
IMPORTANT: READ DYETT AND BHATIA'S MARKET DEMAND ANALYSIS!!! (Chapter 9 of the Profile and Background Report; access by clicking on the SDC image above in the sidebar)
TO READ GLEN ELLEN FORUM SDC COMMITTEE ALTERNATIVES IDEAS, SCROLL DOWN TO THE PDF BELOW OR LOOK FOR IT ON OUR PUBLIC RECORD PAGE.
RESOURCES:
For a downloadable map of the core campus, SCROLL DOWN. Dyett and Bhatia's Profile and Background Report (September 2020) contains numerous maps as well.
If you'd like to learn more about residential density concepts, check out the link below to a very useful tool. This Residential Density Guide was published in Australia where the unit of land measurement is the hectare as opposed to the acre. Our focus should be on the number of units per acre, and this density issue will vary at different locations on the site. 1 hectare = about 2.5 acres. https://www.landcom.com.au/assets/Publications/Statement-of-Corporate-Intent/8477325cc1/Density-Guide-Book.pdf
Click on this image to access documents.
sdc alternatives priorities
Ideas for what SHOULD and what SHOULD NOT happen at SDC
SHOULD INCLUDE:
1. Provide more affordable housing than merely required by State law
2. Provide housing for disabled population
3. Provide some work force housing
4. Ensure that the size, scale, and density does not compromise the wildlife corridor and open space resources and preserves Glen Ellen's community character and quality of life
5. Provide limited commercial uses to serve the site and nearby community
6. Allow some smaller scale institutional uses like SEC and other non-profits
7. Reuse existing buildings to the maximum extent feasible, reducing demolition/construction impacts
8. Create a phased development approach to minimize impacts
9. Maintain the open feel of the property by clustering buildings and avoiding new fencing (similar to the Presidio)
10. Maintain the open spaces along Arnold Drive
11. Use architecture that fits in with the community and historic resources
Investigate potential relocation of Dunbar School to the site to better serve the community and reduce traffic
12. Be mindful of the existing adjacent neighborhoods and rural Glen Ellen Village and the existing G.E. Development/Design Guidelines; ensure continued viability of downtown Glen Ellen
SHOULD NOT INCLUDE:
1. Large lot single family residential
2. Tourism, exclusive resort uses
3. High density development that is not in character with the surrounding area and would impact wildlife corridor
4. Large scale commercial activities
5. Substantially increased vehicle trips on Arnold Drive
6. Close off campus
vision Statement and guiding principles
The Vision Statement and Guiding Principles for the SDC Specific Plan are subject to revision. Follow their evolution by reading the entries below. Check back here for updates.
2019 proposed Vision Statement and Guiding principles
The 2019 Proposed Vision Statement and Guiding Principles were developed by a coalition of community organizations.
Working Together to Save Our Space
Our Local Nonprofit Partners
Attend Special Planning Commission Workshop 10/6
Per Planning Commission advice to the public, please attend the Zoom meeting and TELL THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE AT THE SDC. OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS in addition to criticisms. The Zoom meeting begins at 1:00pm. Click below for a link to join the meeting. Click HERE to read a professional environmental land use planner's letter to the Planning Commission explaining what it is the local community NEEDS.