Sonoma Council nominates four creek corridors and regional trail as Priority Conservation Areas

The Sonoma City Council on June 4 voted unanimously to nominate four Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), a step officials said will make the city eligible for competitive regional grants for open-space, urban greening and recreation projects.

Community development director Jennifer Gates presented the nomination package and described the program’s requirements. “Staff recommends that the City of Sonoma City Council approve a resolution to nominate designated Sonoma Creek, Friar Creek, Nathanson Creek, and the Regional Trail as a priority conservation area to the Association of Bay Area Governments,” Gates said.

The nomination covers four mapped areas inside the city boundary that the presentation said meet ABAG’s eligibility rules for at least one of three PCA types available to the city: urban greening, recreation and climate adaptation. Gates told the council that each proposed PCA had to meet a technical threshold — at least 75% of the nominated area must match ABAG’s…