Negotiations for purchase of future Southeast Greenway property underway

A long-awaited proposal to develop state-owned land in eastern Santa Rosa into a linear park cleared a critical hurdle Tuesday.

The Santa Rosa City Council approved authorizing the city’s real estate manager to negotiate with the California Department of Transportation the price and terms of purchasing the land and authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement.

The purchase is expected to be finalized in early 2024, about 15 years after a grassroots coalition of residents who live near the property first banded together with the idea to build a park on the 2-mile strip along Highway 12.

The latest approval helps pave the way for the city and park supporters to shift focus to crafting a plan for the space, known as the Southeast Greenway.

“We have been waiting a long time to sit at the table and hammer out the details of the purchase,” Thea Hensel, co-chair of the Southeast Greenway Campaign, said ahead of the meeting. “This opens the door for the final step of acquisition and there are so many people, not just the partners, but supporters and others in the city and county that have been waiting for years.”

The 58-acre property was acquired by Caltrans over several decades with the intention of eventually extending Highway 12 from Farmers Lane through Spring Lake Regional Park.

Caltrans has agreed to sell 49 acres to the city for the development of the park. The state will retain the other 9 acres, which will be sold separately and developed into up to 244 housing units.

An appraisal of the parkland has been completed but the price has not yet been publicly released. Early estimates put the cost of the park acreage at about $2 million, which will be paid for through grants and donations.

Council members and park supporters, many clad in forest green shirts inscribed with “Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway,” applauded Tuesday’s action and said after years of effort by all the groups involved, the project was finally closer to becoming a reality.

Council member Jeff Okrepkie, who grew up in Bennett Valley, used to cut through the greenway as a kid on his way to school and said development of the property was long overdue.

“This area has been sorely in need of transformation for years, and I wholeheartedly support moving forward with the project. I’m very excited for it,” he said.

City real estate staff will now begin negotiations with Caltrans over the purchase of the land. The city also is negotiating use and management agreements with other local agencies.

The council, which met in closed session prior to Tuesday’s regular meeting to discuss the price and terms of the purchase, agreed to pay fair market value for the property but a price point wasn’t disclosed, according to real estate manager Jill Scott.

The appraisal, final sale price and details of the purchase agreement will be released after escrow closes, Scott said.

As part of the purchase, Caltrans requested the city declare the property will be used for a public purpose in perpetuity and approve a deed restriction enshrining it will remain parkland once ownership is transferred to the city.

Caltrans also requested that developers of future housing on the site be allowed to ignore the city building code regulations that call for developers to set aside land for a park. State and city officials agreed the greenway land provided adequate park space for the residential development.

The California Transportation Commission must sign off on the purchase, and the commission is expected to consider the agreement as early as January, Scott said.

Sonoma Land Trust, which is operating as the fiscal agent on the project, and the greenway campaign have raised about $2.05 million for the project, including a $1 million grant from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and $285,000 from individual donors.

The purchase must be completed before October 2024 because of timing constraints tied to funds allocated to the project.

The city will embark on a robust public process to gather input on how the land will be developed once the transaction is complete.

Proponents envision a mix of passive and active recreation along the linear greenway with picnic tables, ball fields or sports courts and other park amenities on the flat land. The easternmost end of the property would be left largely as a natural open space.

The project could include improved trailheads, habitat restoration and a walking and bike path.

The city plans to hire a consultant to help with development of the park master plan and will be seeking funding to help with construction, Interim Parks and Recreation Director Jen Santos said.

Scott said any funds left over from the purchase can be used to help maintain the property until the park is built.

Hensel, from the greenway campaign, said members are committed to helping financially with maintenance and park planning. Some of the organizations that have contributed grant funding also have grants available to help with operations costs, which could help offset the city’s financial liability.

“We really see this as a long-term commitment,” she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Paulina Pineda at 707-521-5268 or paulina.pineda@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @paulinapineda22.