Residents press board on creek‑maintenance excavations and coastal parking safety

Several members of the public used the meeting's public‑comment periods to press county staff and supervisors on two recurring local concerns: repeated, intensive creek maintenance on easements along Dry Creek and growing public‑safety and parking pressures from increased visitorship to coastal trailheads.

Kate Grow Beltazar said her family farm at 1576 Dry Creek Road granted a permanent easement to Sonoma Water for a salmon‑habitat project with the expectation of an initial construction phase followed by light maintenance. She told the board she has observed "repeated excavations of the creek channel and frequent returns of heavy equipment" that feel far more intense than originally understood, and said a 2026 maintenance visit shown on a Sonoma Water slide had subsequently been removed from the schedule.

"Over the years, there have been repeated excavations of the creek, channel and frequent returns of heavy equipment to maintain salmon habitat that had already been completed," Grow Beltazar said. She asked the board to accept a document summarizing her concerns and to coordinate review with Sonoma Water.

Other commenters praised the county’s proposed emergency coastal parking and permit plan for Estero/Bodega Harbor. Tracy Wilson Amaral, president of the Bodega Harbor Homeowners Association, thanked the board and Supervisor Hopkins and asked the board to approve the emergency parking and permit plan to protect public safety and emergency access. Michael Harris, a nearby resident, supported the plan and urged the county to continue long‑term work with stakeholders so the area is sustainable and not “loved to death.”

Supervisor Hopkins thanked the HOA and cited a peak day with more than 1,700 visitors that created on‑street parking and safety risks; she said immediate signage and enforcement would codify current safe behavior and noted the need to pursue long‑term parking solutions with regional partners.

Why it matters: Landowner complaints about easement maintenance raise questions about how Sonoma Water and the county coordinate on habitat work and property impacts. Rapidly rising visitorship at some coastal trailheads presents an immediate safety and emergency‑access challenge for small residential streets.

Next steps: The board directed clerks and staff to accept documents from speakers, coordinate follow‑up with Sonoma Water and regional partners, and continue town‑hall and stakeholder engagement on long‑term parking solutions.