agosto 23, 2023
Posted in: Press Releases
SANTA ROSA, CA (agosto 23, 2023) – With an agenda item that ended in applause, hugs, and even a few tears, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space is proud to announce that yesterday our Board of Directors awarded $7.2 million to support urban parks, trail development, and the sustainability of a beloved small farm. Through our Matching Grant Program, we strive to center community in open space by working with local non-profit organizations and public agencies to respond to the open space needs within Sonoma County’s cities, towns, and unincorporated communities. From Sonoma Valley, to Petaluma, through Santa Rosa and north to Geyserville, this round of funded community-based projects reflects a deep commitment to connecting underserved communities with open spaces that meet their recreational, environmental, and climate resiliency needs.
"Con esta ronda de financiación de Subvenciones Compartidas, nuestra Junta y el personal de Ag + Open Space vieron la oportunidad de realizar una profunda inversión para reforzar los espacios abiertos dentro de algunas de nuestras comunidades más desatendidas", dijo Chris Coursey, Presidente de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Sonoma y Presidente de la Junta Directiva de Ag + Open Space. "Me entusiasma ver que todos estos proyectos avanzan, incluido el apoyo adicional que llegará a Tierra de Rosas - un proyecto impulsado por la visión y el compromiso de la comunidad de Roseland, y que lleva mucho tiempo gestándose".
Este conjunto de proyectos llega al corazón de lo que el Programa de Subvenciones Compartidas pretende hacer: crear asociaciones dentro de nuestras comunidades para crear y mejorar espacios abiertos para que la gente pueda salir al aire libre y experimentar la alegría, el solaz y los beneficios para el bienestar de la naturaleza y la agricultura.
- Bounty Farm – For over 15 years, Petaluma People’s Services’ Bounty Community Farm has grown and sold affordable, locally-grown fruits and vegetables in the center of Petaluma, while prioritizing the creation of opportunities for low-income and vulnerable community members to have fresh and healthy food. Matching Grant funds will help them purchase the land they’ve long farmed and continue their work of bringing fresh, healthy food and sustainable agricultural education to their community.
- Sonoma Schellville Trail – In the mid-1980’s, Sonoma County Regional Parks began their work to buy a railroad right of way in Schellville to fill a critical gap in the local and regional trail system. Regional Parks will be able to leverage Matching Grant funds to finally purchase the remaining land and build a trail that will connect local and regional trail systems, including the San Francisco Bay Trail that connects 47 cities across 9 counties.
- Geyserville Community Plaza – With our first Matching Grant project in Geyserville, the Sonoma County Public Infrastructure Department and the Geyserville Municipal Advisory Council will help create the community’s first public park. Centrally located, and alongside the planned Smart Trail tracks and Great Redwood Trail, this park will create a more accessible way for residents to get outside and serve as a gathering space for beloved annual events. The park will also support the town’s climate resilience with designs that will offer flood protection and a shaded areas for residents to cool down during hot weather.
- Tierra de Rosas – As part of long-term dream of the Roseland community, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission’s Tierra de Rosas project will create an open green space in the heart of a major mixed-use development. In addition to the beloved Mitote Food Park, this park will be a core element of the plan to convert what is mostly parking lots and empty storefronts into a vibrant gathering, celebration, and recreation hub for Roseland residents.
- Mark West Community Park – In one of Sonoma County’s communities most impacted by wildfires, the Mark West Community Park is a unique opportunity to purchase one acre of land burned in the 2017 Tubbs Fire and turn it into a community park. The park will offer an outdoor gathering place of healing for residents, nature-based recreation opportunities, and include restoration of native habitats. Sonoma Land Trust is leading the acquisition phase of the project, and once secured the Mark West Community Fund will coordinate the planning and long-term stewardship of the park.
Aunque el programa de Subvenciones Compartidas suele estar abierto a nuevas solicitudes cada dos años, tras la ronda 2022 del ciclo 2 había fondos restantes y solicitantes potenciales deseosos de presentar su candidatura. En respuesta, Ag + Open Space abrió una ronda {2} de financiación a finales de {2022} y recibió un conjunto excepcionalmente sólido de proyectos propuestos. Tras una cuidadosa deliberación con nuestro Consejo y los órganos consultivos dirigidos por la comunidad sobre los méritos comunitarios y medioambientales de cada proyecto, recomendamos un aumento de la inversión -de{2.9}M$ a los{7.2}M$ aprobados ayer- en esta segunda ronda altamente competitiva.
"Aunque todo nuestro trabajo se centra en la conservación de las tierras naturales y de trabajo en beneficio de todos los que llaman hogar al condado de Sonoma , este programa fue creado por nuestra comunidad para asegurarnos de que priorizamos claramente los proyectos de espacios abiertos que responden a las necesidades de nuestras comunidades más urbanas", declaró Misti Arias, Directora General de Ag + Open Space. "Con esta ronda de proyectos, hemos iniciado el proceso de revisión del Programa de Subvenciones Compartidas para que responda mejor a las necesidades de la comunidad y garantice que estamos realizando la mayor inversión posible en los espacios abiertos urbanos del condado de Sonoma ."
The Matching Grant Program funds open space acquisitions and improvements on existing open spaces, in return for easements that make certain the natural and recreational resources of these lands will continue to serve our communities with accessible places to get outside. For information about the Matching Grant Program: www.SonomaOpenSpace.org/MGP.
| Proyecto | Solicitante | Tipo de proyecto | Solicitud de financiamiento aprobada |
| Bounty Farm | Petaluma Peoples Servicios | Adquisición + Mejora | $2,040,000 |
| Sonoma Schellville Trail | Parques regionales del condado de Sonoma | Adquisición + Mejora | $1,000,000 |
| Geyserville Community Plaza | Sonoma County Public Infraestructura | Mejora | $1,000,000 |
| Tierra de Rosas
|
Comisión de Desarrollo Comunitario del Condado de Sonoma | Mejora | $2,000,000 |
| Mark West Community Park | Fideicomiso de tierras de sonoma | Adquisición | $1,169,500 |
| TOTAL | $7,209,500 | ||
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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 organization is responsible for the perpetual protection of over 123,000 acres of land throughout our region. These agricultural and open space lands are protected through a quarter-cent sales tax initially approved by voters in 1990 and reauthorized in 2006. For more information, please visit www.sonomaopenspace.org.