The December 16, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting was an important milestone in the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center with some wins for nature including expanded boundaries and wider integration of wildlife permeability throughout the campus.

However, much uncertainty remains due to the fact the EIR is still so broad, and the future site developer (which the State will select next year), has a great deal of latitude to make choices that will greatly impact Sonoma Valley, one way or another. 

We applaud Supervisors Gorin and Coursey for their thoughtful engagement in this process. Balancing the different perspectives associated with this project is no easy task, and we appreciate their efforts to keep the ecological issues at the same level of importance as the other factors considered in the discussion.

We look forward to partnering with them further when the developer is selected so that ongoing concerns can be addressed in the subsequent Development Agreement. To learn more about what’s at stake, and our involvement, please see our Q&A sheet that attempts to answers the common questions circulating around this phase of the process.

We are grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for nature and will continue to stay engaged each step of the way. 

Eamon O’Byrne
Executive Director
Sonoma Land Trust