Santa Rosa planning commission forwards 2024 general plan annual report to City Council

The Santa Rosa City Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend the city—s 2024 general plan annual report be forwarded to the City Council as written.

The report, presented by planning staff, summarizes work across the general plan elements in 2024 and, if accepted by council, will be submitted to the state Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, the presenter said. "Following council review and acceptance of the report, it will be submitted to the state office of Land Use and Climate Innovation," Planning staff member Sheila Eswalski told commissioners.

Why it matters: the annual report compiles the city—s progress on housing, economic vitality, transportation, public safety and parks and serves as the basis for state reporting, tracking of Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) progress and elements of the general plan the city is updating.

Key housing highlights: the housing element (adopted February 2023) covers the eight-year cycle through 2031. Staff listed multiple affordable and market-rate projects under construction or completed in 2024, including Mahonia Glen (99 units, including farmworker units, processed under SB 35), South Park Commons (62 units, affordable, SB 35), the Cannery (129 affordable units, SB 35), Fountain Grove Apartments (239 units across six buildings) and the 420 Mendocino project (eight stories, nearing completion and marketed as "the Felix"). Other approved projects noted in the report include Cornerstone (114 units), Cherry Ranch (67 units) and Lance Drive (described by staff as a project with 672 multifamily units, 98 small-lot single-family dwellings and 4,800 square feet of retail).

The report shows 297 residential building permits were issued in 2024. Staff said 156 were Reserve A allotments and 141 were Reserve B. The city—s growth management…