Roseland Review by Duane Dewitt - July 2019
With July 4th upon us and summer weather causing folks to seek relief from the heat, now is a good time to wade in local creeks still wet from winter storms. It is also time for leaving on vacations for some. But if you are going to be in Roseland for the summer take some walks around the neighborhoods and enjoy the shade trees. Check out the beauty of the Roseland NeighborWood also. While going to the Roseland Library recently this writer observed the old Roseland Hardware store owned for many decades by the Gee family has been changed again. Now it is hosting a Wind Toys store with kayaks and other water sports equipment. The building site has been bought by the Mid-Peninsula Housing Development non-profit organization for use in their proposed housing development in the future on the full seven acres owned by the Sonoma County taxpayers. But the new business has signed a lease and hopes to stay awhile.
When talking with the local library staff it seems there is still going to be a branch at the Roseland Village Shopping Center site for some more months. Construction will not be starting until after a clearance regarding some underground toxic substances on site has been cleared. The state of California taxpayers will be putting up 2 and a half million dollars to have the final cleanup done. Construction cannot stat at the site until the final clearance is granted so there is a reprieve Roseland residents to use the local library this summer. The Sonoma County Library Commission is still in talks with potential sites to move the library for a temporary time. Length of time is uncertain and the efforts to finance the NEW Roseland Library Branch are underway seeking donors and volunteers to help.
Another important project for Roseland is at the southern side of the community. According to a Press Democrat story in mid-June the long awaited improvement of the Hearn Ave. Overcrossing may be given some extra financial help to get the project going sooner than Caltrans and the city of Santa Rosa had currently projected. The City Council, “Voted to ask county transportation officials to reroute $9.5 million in regional sales tax revenue toward rebuilding the Hearn Avenue crossing over Highway 101 in south Santa Rosa, at the southwestern corner of Roseland. It is supposed to be a, “$28 million project that would double the number of lanes on the bridge and include new turn lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks.” The plans have been in the works for over a decade with early discussions back at the turn of the century.
The Sonoma County Transportation Authority will have final say in any decision to move money from other projects funded by Measure M Transportation Tax passed in 2004. The press Democrat story stated SCTA will consider the matter later this year, according to SCTA’s executive director Suzanne Smith. She was quoted as saying, “Hearn is clearly a priority for the city of Santa Rosa, and SCTA is eager to deliver critical Measure M projects.” Jason Nutt, the city’s transportation and public works director, was also quoted. He stated moving the money to the Hearn Ave. project reflects the city’s desire to prioritize a bigger Hearn highway crossing.
According to the story, “A city spokeswoman said the two-year construction process for Hearn Avenue could begin in January 2021 if Santa Rosa is able to secure full funding by the middle of 2020.” That would be amazing and if it were to occur it would be completed before the housing up on Sebastopol Rd. Many hundreds of new Roseland housing units are in construction. Any improvements to local roads and infrastructure would be a big help. But we must keep in mind according to Mr. Nutt, “Previous efforts to secure grants for Hearn Avenue were unsuccessful, in part because Santa Rosa didn’t put up enough local dollars to draw down matching funds.” The Press Democrat added, “Bolstering the city’s plans with extra cash could improve its chances.”
For those readers who will be in Roseland on August 3rd there is going to be a “Neighbor Fest”sponsored by the city on the eastern portion of Sunset Ave right behind Roseland School. It will be a type of a Block party blocking off the street and welcoming Roseland neighbors to come out and meet each other. The costs are covered by the city and the Community Advisory Board with funding from the Violence Prevention Partnership. The local non-governmental organization Community Action partnership has helped with the planning along with a group of local mothers funded by the Memorial Hospital Community Benefit Initiative. Come on out and enjoy the end of summer with the new school year starting in mid-August now.
