$1.7 million OK'd for Monte Rio park, Guerneville public restrooms
Published: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 11:18 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 11:18 a.m.
Sonoma County supervisors Tuesday approved $1.7 million in redevelopment funds to launch a park project in Monte Rio and build public restrooms at the veterans memorial building in Guerneville.
The moves come as the county has ramped up approval of redevelopment projects in the face of Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to do away with redevelopment agencies.
In recent months, including Tuesday's outlays, supervisors have approved about $3.3 million in redevelopment funds for projects in the Russian River area, one of the three zones designated for redevelopment in the county. The other areas, in “The Springs” area of Sonoma Valley and in Roseland next to Santa Rosa, have also had multimillion dollar road improvement and housing and commercial projects approved recently.
Those moves notwithstanding, no expedited timetable currently exists for approval of projects in the Russian River area, said John Haig, the county's redevelopment manager.
The restroom project has been in the works for eight years, he said, and the Monte Rio park was one of several priorities to come out of a two-year focus on shovel-ready projects, Haig said.
“I don't think we're expediting them,” Haig said. “We're on time with them.”
Supervisors largely praised the projects while expressing some concerns about holding down costs on the restroom installation.
“I think we have something good before us,” said Board Chairman Efren Carrillo, who represents the Russian River area in west county. “This is an important component of ensuring the long-term viability of the area.”
No one from the public spoke on either item.
About $1.36 million will go to the Monte Rio Recreation and Parks District to support its plans for a park centered on the old Monte Rio School on Main Street. The district plans to remodel the dilapidated, fire-damaged school building that has been boarded up and a target of graffiti and vandalism for years. A portion of the renovated building will include public restrooms, equipment rentals and a small café.
The district also plans to construct a new creek-side trail, skate park and community garden.
A second phase of the project calls for a watershed museum, multi-purpose room, additional parking and support facilities. Cost for those improvements, which could be years away, is estimated at $5 million.
Supervisors approved $350,000 for the purchase and installation of a pre-fabricated restroom building for the Guerneville Veterans Memorial Building. The hall is one of several aging veterans facilities the county is looking to turn over to outside management to save millions of dollars in annual operating costs and repairs.
Supervisors granted the Community Development Commission, which oversees redevelopment, the authority to use about $10,000 in redevelopment funds to maintain the restrooms while the building remains in county ownership.
After today's moves, about $2.7 million remains in the tax-funded account set up for the 11-year-old Russian River Redevelopment Area.
Other Russian River projects approved recently include roughly $1.5 million for upgrades to leaking water lines at the Sweetwater Springs Water District and $128,000 to the group Russian Riverkeeper to fund trail, interpretive signs and landscaping at a five-acre park on the north side of the river in Guerneville.
Supervisors are expected to hear another proposal next month that would add $500,000 to an ongoing loan program for renovation of rundown commercial buildings in the Russian River area. A separate proposal to improve road signs in the area is one of dozens of projects also under consideration by the area's redevelopment oversight committee, Haig said.
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