Seven months after approving the installation of a parking lot at the B Street entrance of Santa Rosa Plaza, the City of Santa Rosa announced this week that the plan has been withdrawn, following protest from SCBC and a coalition of cycling, housing and transit advocates.
In February, SCBC, Santa Rosa YIMBY, Bikeable Santa Rosa, and North Bay Transit Riders appealed the Santa Rosa Zoning Administrator’s approval of the project, which would have replaced pedestrian frontage, where the Agraria hand statue once stood, with a parking lot. Santa Rosa Plaza repeatedly delayed the appeal hearing and this week the city’s Planning and Economic Development Department notified appellants that the Plaza decided not to move forward with the project.
SCBC Executive Director Eris Weaver had been concerned about the potential impact of the proposed project on cyclists and pedestrians. “I ride B Street daily. The proposed project would have created additional conflict points by adding two driveways within two blocks. Drivers exiting the parking lot would be dumped right into the space where the bike lane and the new right turn pocket merge.”
“The removal of public art and landscaping to add more pavement is counter to all the City’s goals to invigorate downtown,” she added. “Neighborhoods that are walkable, bikeable, and beautiful encourage outdoor community activity and are good for business.”
“The mall’s proposed driveway would have been a major step backwards for downtown,” said Adrian Covert, Local Lead for of Santa Rosa YIMBY. “The Plaza owns the biggest parking structure in Northern California, covering an area the size of nine football fields wedged between Courthouse and Railroad Squares. Sacrificing one of downtown’s best pedestrian spaces for yet another car sink was incompatible with the city’s numerous climate, transit, and economic development goals.”
“This is a great outcome for preserving the vision of safer, more people friendly streets”, said Chris Guenther of Bikeable Santa Rosa.
“This is a welcome step toward a Santa Rosa where everyone can get around freely—and a reason for the whole community to celebrate” said Abigail Zoger, lead for the North Bay Transit Riders.