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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

October 13, 2005

Don't build hospital in green belt

Letter to the Editor

Editor:
The Romberg property, along Arnold Drive, has been proposed for the development of a new hospital and medical office complex. Greenbelt Alliance is opposed to this site for a number of reasons.

In general, we feel that the use of this site for a large medical facility would be an unwise choice. The site sits outside of the city of Sonoma’s urban growth boundary (UGB) and far from the central downtown core. As long-standing proponents of UGBs, our organization worked with Sonoma citizens to secure the passage of the city’s UGB in 2000. With this measure, the city of Sonoma and its citizens made a clear statement about where development should and should not go. As a member of the community, the hospital should respect the wishes of the voters of Sonoma and chose a site within the city’s UGB.

Additionally, the Romberg Property is one of the rural properties that give the city and the valley of Sonoma its rural feel. It is a gateway location for the city and the valley, and helps to maintain the rural character of this area. This property is designated as a greenbelt in the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District’s Acquisition Plan 2000 because of its importance as agricultural open space.

Developing a busy facility here would change the character of this area, bringing significant traffic, noise, and light, and would destroy its value as open space. The hospital should respect the County Open Space District’s planning, and choose a site that is not designated as greenbelt.

We urge the Board to select a site for the hospital that lies within the UGB, and also within the core of the city, in order to maximize public access. The Board should consider infill sites that will allow for pedestrian and bicycle access by the majority of the community, thus reducing traffic pressure on the local network of roads. The Board should give special consideration to sites close to the existing facility, which will allow for overlapping uses of the current hospital’s facilities and amenities, such as parking and medical offices. This will help to reduce the footprint of the new facility, preserving natural areas, and making more efficient use of the land within the city.

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