Press Release: Ag + Open Space Announces Seven New Community Open Space Projects

SANTA ROSA, CA (December 10, 2024) – Ag + Open Space is proud to announce seven new projects through our Community Spaces Matching Grant Program. This is the first round of projects approved since a major update of the program, which aimed to simplify the application process, provide technical support to applicants, and further center equity and accessibility. At their meeting today, our Board of Directors approved full funding, for a total of $6,844,426, for the seven projects that include: the creation of a Town Square in Graton, development of a new soccer field at Tom Schopflin Fields north of Santa Rosa, the creation of new parks and gathering spaces in Guerneville and Occidental, an enhanced demonstration garden at Los Guilicos, a community park along Colgan Creek in Southwest Santa Rosa, and the next phase of the Mark West Area Community Park.

“This is the first round of projects approved since a major update of the program, which aimed to simplify the application process, provide technical support to applicants, and further center equity and accessibility,” said Ag + Open Space Board of Directors Chair David Rabbitt. “These projects are all community driven and represent the unique goals of the program and our shared spaces.”

As a signal that the program updates are proving successful in making the program more accessible to our communities, this funding cycle was one of the most competitive in the over 30 years of the program. Ag + Open Space received eleven pre-applications and seven full applications for funding consideration. Applications represented a diverse field of projects that embodied several of the core program goals, including creating and supporting community-based open space projects in previously underserved areas.

“We are deeply grateful to the community members, local agencies, and nonprofits that drive these projects for trusting Community Spaces as a partner in making their visions a reality,” said Ag + Open Space General Manager Misti Arias. “Bringing more open space in our communities is a core facet of our work, and seeing so many projects move forward at once is something for all of involved to be proud of.”

Funded projects include:

• Graton Town Square – This project will take a .6-acre lot in the middle of Graton, which has long been vacant after the removal and remediation of a gas station, and turn it into a vibrant public square of community gathering.
• Colgan Creek Neighborhood Park (Phase 5) – This project is part of a multi-phase project that has been restoring a significant portion of Colgan Creek along Bellevue Avenue near Elsie Allen High School. The new funds will support the creation of a roughly 4-acre community park, and the final phase of creek restoration.
• Mark West Area Community Park (Phase 2) – Also part of a multi-phased project, this 1-acre park will be the area’s first central public park and place for healing in a neighborhood still recovering from the 2017 Tubbs Fire. Funds for this phase will be used for design and planning, and development of basic infrastructure including ADA-compliant pathways and parking.
• Tom Schopflin Fields (Phase 2) – As a second round of support of these heavily-used soccer fields, Atlético Santa Rosa Soccer Club will be developing a new soccer field. With great community support, this project will help address a county-wide issue of local youth teams struggling to find fields for practice and play.
• Los Guilicos UC Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden – Located on a parcel that burned in the 2020 Glass Fire, the UC Master Gardeners have been transforming this 4.5-acre parcel into a native, waterwise, firewise, and wildlife-friendly garden. Funding will support their work to create gardens for local students and all community members to care for and learn from.
• Russian River Community Park – Fulfilling a need defined by the community through a series of workshops, this 3.8-acre park will provide a variety of amenities for the community to gather, play, and rest. The currently un-used lot will be designed in a way that will be able to adapt to seasonal flooding due to its location in the flood plain, and the project will also include restoration work along a stretch of Livereau Creek.
• Occidental Community Plaza – Led by committed community members and Sonoma County Public Infrastructure, this project will transform an underused .7-acre lot in Occidental’s central corridor into the town’s first public community open space.

The budget approved today by our Board is:

Since 1994, Ag + Open Space has accepted 64 projects into the Community Spaces program in each of the county’s nine incorporated cities and numerous unincorporated areas, awarding over $50 million to community-based organizations, Cities, County departments, and other public agencies. Generally located in areas lacking open space, this funding has enabled the development and implementation of innovative projects that reflect the unique needs of Sonoma County’s diverse communities. To date, the program has protected over 560 acres of urban open space, created 28 new public parks, and allowed for the restoration and enhancement of over 400 acres of natural habitats including urban creeks, marshes and wetlands.

About Sonoma County Ag + Open Space
Sonoma County Ag + Open Space permanently protects the diverse agricultural, natural resource and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. The agency is responsible for the conservation and perpetual stewardship of over 123,000 acres of land throughout our region. These agricultural and open space lands are protected through a quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1990 and reauthorized in 2006. For more information, please visit sonomaopenspace.org