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Kindergarten readiness in Sonoma County continues decline in aftermath of pandemic
Only one in five Sonoma County children were ready for kindergarten when they entered school last fall, according to a report released today by the county Department of Human Services that found continuing disparities along ethnic, racial and economic lines. Read full story
Regional Parks’ YES! Parks program earns statewide recognition
Sonoma County Regional Parks has earned a Best of the Best, Creating Community award of excellence from the California Parks and Recreation Society for its YES! (Youth Exploring Sonoma) Parks program. YES! Parks is one of only six programs in the state to receive the award in 2023. Read full story
Board of Supervisors votes to change vacation rental regulations and rules for timeshares
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to change vacation rental regulations, create caps and exclusion zones for vacation rentals and to define fractionally owned housing as timeshares. The first action involved creating a business license program that standardizes operating requirements for vacation rentals to protect neighbors from nuisances, while the second action placed caps and exclusion zones in specific neighborhoods in the first, fourth and fifth supervisorial districts to reduce over-concentration of vacation rentals in these areas. Read full story
Board of Supervisors votes to change vacation rental regulations and rules for timeshares
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to change vacation rental regulations, create caps and exclusion zones for vacation rentals and to define fractionally owned housing as timeshares. The first action involved creating a business license program that standardizes operating requirements for vacation rentals to protect neighbors from nuisances, while the second action placed caps and exclusion zones in specific neighborhoods in the first, fourth and fifth supervisorial districts to reduce over-concentration of vacation rentals in these areas. Read full story
Public invited to share feedback at Penngrove traffic town hall meeting
Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt is inviting the public to share their thoughts and concerns about traffic in Penngrove at a town hall meeting. The event will be in person but will include an option to watch the forum and share feedback online. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to consider vacation rental regulation changes at April 24 meeting
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider two changes to vacation rental regulation at its April 24 special meeting. One proposal would create a business license program that would standardize operating requirements for vacation rentals to protect neighbors from nuisances, while the other will place caps and exclusion zones on certain neighborhoods to prevent over-saturation of vacation rentals in heavily impacted areas. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to consider new timeshare regulations to address short-term fractionally owned properties
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Monday will consider amending the zoning code to clarify regulations for timeshares and the transient use of fractionally owned residential properties. The amendments come in response to concerns from the public regarding the impacts of transient, or short-term, fractionally owned properties on housing supply, neighborhood character, noise, parking and traffic. Read full story
County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors to hold annual budget workshops April 25 to April 27
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hold its annual budget workshops on April 25, 26 and 27 to provide county residents and taxpayers an opportunity to learn about the 2023-2024 fiscal year preliminary spending plan and provide input to the Board of Supervisors before it adopts a final budget in June. The County of Sonoma fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. The workshops are informational, and the board will not make any budget determinations for fiscal year 2023-24 at them. Read full story
Public meeting for Arnold Drive bike lane project scheduled for April 24
The County of Sonoma Department of Public Infrastructure will be hosting a virtual informational meeting on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. to mark the start of the engineering design and environmental phase of the Arnold Drive Bike Lane Project. Read full story
Board approves wholesale water rates for aging infrastructure
On April 18, the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) Board of Directors approved a wholesale water rate increase to address aging infrastructure and maintenance needs. The rates vary slightly depending on the aqueduct, with charges to communities located on the Petaluma aqueduct slightly lower than customers located on the Santa Rosa and Sonoma aqueducts. Read full story