November 9, 2015:

Close to Home: Transform, don’t close, the Sonoma Developmental Center
Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat, by Kathleen Miller (PHA).

“The coalition, known as Transform SDC, offers a unified vision that serves the needs of the community, residents, families and employees and honors the land. A cohesive plan for the SDC campus must come first and not as an afterthought.”

Sonoma Developmental Center closure plan goes to legislature
Provided courtesy of the Sonoma Index-Tribune, by Christian Kallen.

“The report characterized those additional comments as “reflecting” earlier public comment on the issues surrounding the facility’s closure. These include “the need for services to be established at SDC in perpetuity, further concerns that the proposed closure timeline is too short, requests that the plan needs to include safety-net services and a better description of what happens if individuals ‘fail’ in the community, [and] requests that the Department address the emotional and spiritual needs of individuals in transition.”

California health secretary defends closure plan for Sonoma Developmental Center
Provided courtesy of the Press Democrat, by Derek Moore.

“Dooley said she is “very aware of the specific targeted challenges that exist” with community-based programs and said she is “committed to doing what we can to address them.” At the same time, she said, for every community-based program that goes out of business another one opens, so that the number of providers is “relatively constant.”

Plans discussed for new Sonoma Valley Regional Park lands
Provided courtesy of the Kenwood Press, by Alec Peters.

“The SDC41 piece was once part of the state-run Sonoma Developmental Center, but declared surplus property in the 1990s. Open Space bought the property for $600,000 in 2007. The land was then transferred to Regional Parks. The 41 acres consists of oak woodlands and grasslands, some wetland areas, and also provides some panoramic views of the valley.”

Protecting green places between towns and cities
Provided courtesy of the Sonoma Valley Sun, by Teri Shore (Greenbelt Alliance).

“The green heart of Sonoma Valley is shielded from sprawl and subdivisions by the Glen Ellen-Agua Caliente Community Separator. It stretches across both sides of Highway 12 from Arnold Drive at Glen Ellen to just south of Madrone Road. It contains 1,400 acres of oak woodlands, vineyards, organic farms, parks and nature preserves and overlaps part of the Sonoma Valley wildlife corridor and the Sonoma Developmental Center.”