Planning for river park in Windsor gets under way

Windsor residents will have their first chance to see the
conceptual plans for a new 300-acre regional park along the Russian
River during a Jan. 29 meeting at the county administration
center.
The 7 p.m. meeting will allow public input into the planning and
environmental processes for the park’s development. The meeting
will be held in the Permit & Resource Management hearing room,
2550 Ventura Ave., Santa Rosa.
County parks, open space and water agency officials acquired the
park land along Eastside Road last year from Hanson Aggregates for
a price of $6.3 million.
The 305-acre property includes three former gravel pits, now
called lakes, totalling 135 acres. Non-motorized boating will be
among the park’s features in addition to a picnic area in the
redwood grove, trails around the lakes and more than a mile of
river frontage.
Philip Sales, park planning and design administrator with the
Sonoma county Regional Parks Department, said the first phase of
park will include renovation of the redwood grove picnic area,
parking area and road improvements and trail development. The
$450,000 cost of the first phase development is being paid for with
a matching grant from the county Open Space District.
The cost of the entire four-phase development is estimated at
$1.85 million, said Sales. Money from a state parks bond may be
available, he said.
Parks officials are preparing an initial study for the park,
which will help determine if a full environmental impact report is
needed. Public comment will be accepted until Feb. 14.