Westside Area Home

Our Communities -  The Westside Area is a set of rural agricultural neighborhoods - many of our homes are along Westside, Wohler, and ancillary roads and others are in watershed areas off Mill, Felta and Palmer Ridge roads.

Westside Road is a scenic corridor and a County designated bikeway; with our road often used for charity and international bicycle competitions. Westside's rural ambiance, natural beauty, and historic buildings showcase Sonoma County’s rural character. In short, the Westside Area is a county-wide asset deserving both stewardship and protection. 

This website - the Westside infoZone - is the Westside Area's Document Repository and Communication Tool. The infoZone provides links to County or State information sources and to Reports relating to the concerns of residents in our diverse community. Communications are sent to all interested members of the community groups listed at the bottom of this page.  

Westside infoZone tracks various issues of concern to our members.

     FIRE RESILIENCE AND REBUILDING: The County's website has up to date information on Fire Recovery resources available to fire survivors. The Westside infoZone has summarized information shared during emergency situations as well as useful information on Fire Resilient Landscaping.  

For Emergency Services Contact Information go to: Take Action > Emergency Resources 

For Fire Prevention or Resiliency Workshop information go to: Resource Materials 
     WATERSHED PROTECTION: Mill Creek has been designated a water impaired watershed - it is one of five priority watersheds in Sonoma County. See NOAA Letter - Impacts. Also, see the map of Groundwater Availability at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Administration/GIS/Map-Gallery/
 
UPDATES on 4 Ordinances or major projects in the Westside Area are below: Several government initiatives that impact our neighborhood are moving forward.  In 2020, Sonoma County prepared three Ordinances with hearings scheduled for 2021:
     1) State Fire Safe Road Regulations and Sonoma County Ordinance: State rejected the County's Ordinance in 2020 and on August 17, 2022: the Natural Resources Agency/ Board of Forestry and Fire Prevention approved Statewide fire safe road regulations for all new development.
     2) Winery Event Ordinance: On November 1, 2022, the BOSupervisors sent the Planning Commission recommendations back to Staff: The next BOS hearing is expected in 1st Q 2023. 

           Winery Use Permits> Go to TAKE ACTION > Project Info Land Use > Project Posts Projects of Concern page to read more about Westside Road pending projects, including supporting documents.  Please continue to be ready to write letters and attend key meetings and hearings, until the Event Ordinance is in place, including Guidelines for areas of over-concentration.
     3) Cannabis Ordinance: The flawed Mitigated Negative Declaration was abandoned by BOSupervisors in 2021.This MND advocated for decision-making by the Ag Commissioner with ministerial permits requiring no public input of project-specific CEQA review.   And, in 2022, an Environmental Impact Report Consultant was chosen - Scoping sessions are expected in early 2023.

     4) Fox Meadow Timber Harvest - Felta Creek - Although Friends of Felta Creek won a court order setting aside the  Timber Harvest Permit for this 60 acre parcel, the 2020 Walbridge fire exposed a loophole in the regulations allowing the Owner to remove trees under a CALFire emergency permit. It appears the large redwood trees are being cut. 

Go to Pre-2022 History document for background on the above issues 

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Westside infoZone Navigation Guide

 

Cannabis Use Permits> Go to County Website for most recent information.  SonomaCounty.ca.gov/Cannabis (or contact the Cannabis Hotline 707.565.2420 or [email protected]  

Groundwater > Residential Wells > Go to Project Info Natural Resources Groundwater Impact page to read more about Healdsburg's plans and community group technical reports raising concerns relative to groundwater contamination.

Felta Creek Timber Harvest > Google "Friends of Felta Creek" for updates.  

Emails will be sent to you with links to Meeting information and supporting project information.