Board approves contingent purchase agreement for Brickway Boulevard buildings as option for County decentralization

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on May 6 authorized staff to sign a contingent purchase-and-sale agreement for two commercial buildings on Brickway Boulevard and complete due diligence, with a final purchase decision scheduled for July 8.

Why it matters: County staff said the buildings could accommodate roughly 400-plus employees in about 120,000 square feet, reducing the number of separate facilities the county must maintain and addressing a long-standing backlog of deferred maintenance across county-owned buildings. Supporters said clustering staff under fewer roofs reduces long-term facilities costs; critics warned the move displaces workers from central Santa Rosa and questioned whether the county should pay the proposed price.

Board action and vote Public Infrastructure staff presented the acquisition plan and asked the board to: authorize the director to sign a contingent purchase agreement; approve a due-diligence period; and find the acquisition categorically exempt from CEQA, with a final decision to be returned to the…