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Santa Rosa advances parks, community gardens and active-transportation projects
Summary
Officials said Kiwanis Springs Community Garden is at 100% design pending permits, the Southeast Greenway (48 acres) will include varied paths, and the city plans more bike stations and an updated Active Transportation Plan before council in June.
City staff and council members told the town-hall that several parks and active‑transportation projects are progressing, including a community garden project ready for bid, plans for the 48‑acre Southeast Greenway and a citywide push to make streets safer for walking and bicycling.
Assistant City Manager Jason Nutt said the Kiwanis Springs Community Garden project is at "100% design" and awaiting final permits before going to bid. Nutt said the recreation and parks department is assessing multiple community garden requests and will provide a list of existing gardens and opportunities for new sites.
The mayor and vice mayor highlighted the Southeast Greenway purchase (48 acres) and said it will include bike paths, safe routes to schools and outdoor space; the mayor asked the public to watch for planning of varied trail surfacing during the park design process.
Transportation Director Dan Hennessy said the city reorganized its capital improvement program to prioritize pavement maintenance and safety and that the updated Active Transportation Plan will come to council in June with a final project list. Hennessy said the city is "collocating" bike‑network improvements with pavement projects and evaluating modern lane treatments such as buffered and protected bike lanes.
Nutt noted federal ADA requirements affect park pathway surfacing and that some larger parks already include natural (unpaved) trails, while downtown parks’ small footprints make varied surfacing difficult. Hennessy and staff pointed to the Southeast Greenway as a future site that will likely include both paved accessible routes and more natural pathways.
City staff also said the city currently operates eight bike‑share stations with 35 bikes, plans for 12 stations and 80 bikes, and is pursuing grants for additional protected bicycle lanes.
