Santa Rosa unveils new comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction strategy for climate action

The City of Santa Rosa Planning Commission convened on April 25, 2025, to discuss significant updates regarding the city’s environmental strategies and planning documents. The meeting focused on the refinement of specific plans and the introduction of a new greenhouse gas reduction strategy, which aims to align with state mandates for emissions reduction.

The session began with a review of minor edits made to the North Stationery Specific Plan and the Roseland Area Sebastopol Specific Plan. These adjustments were necessary to ensure consistency with the General Plan 2050, reflecting the city’s commitment to long-term planning.

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the community-wide greenhouse gas reduction strategy. This new strategy replaces the previous community climate action plan from 2012 and the municipal climate action plan from 2013. The city reported a notable achievement, having reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 29% below 1990 levels by 2020. The new strategy sets ambitious targets, aiming for a 40% reduction by 2030 and an 85% reduction by 2045, with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by the same timeline.

The strategy employs a cross-sector approach, integrating greenhouse gas reduction measures into all aspects of the General Plan. It is designed to streamline future projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), allowing for more efficient implementation of climate action measures. The strategy identifies 17 new climate action measures that target the primary sources of emissions, particularly in transportation and energy use, which together account for 93% of the city’s emissions.

Following this presentation, Terry McCracken from PlaceWorks provided an overview of the environmental impact report (EIR) process under CEQA. She explained that the EIR serves as a comprehensive environmental review, informing decision-makers and the public about potential impacts and mitigation measures. The EIR process began with a notice of preparation, inviting public comments on what should be evaluated, followed by a scoping meeting to gather further input.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue refining the greenhouse gas reduction strategy and the General Plan based on public feedback and ongoing assessments. The Planning Commission emphasized the importance of these initiatives in fostering a sustainable future for Santa Rosa.