A fault line that scientists have long known runs beneath parts of Santa Rosa has placed one of the city’s elementary schools in an extraordinary bind: the active trace of the Rodgers Creek Fault cuts directly through three buildings at Proctor Terrace Elementary, making standard modernization legally off-limits for nearly a third of the campus and leaving the district facing a potential $70 million rebuild.
Key takeaways
- An active fault trace runs through three permanent buildings at Proctor Terrace Elementary School in Santa Rosa.
- Under California’s Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act, no new occupied structure may be built within 50 feet of an active fault trace — creating a legally mandated “dead zone” covering roughly one-third of the campus.
- District facilities officials say the only viable long-term path is a complete rebuild, estimated at more than $70 million.
- Santa Rosa French-American Charter School, also affected by fault proximity, is relocating to the former Santa Rosa Middle School site this summer.
- The district has approved $22 million for 11 portable classrooms as interim capacity relief while longer-term decisions are weighed.
What the fault means for Proctor Terrace
According to the Press Democrat, the Rodgers Creek Fault — whose potential for widespread destruction recent seismic modeling has underscored — runs directly beneath three of Proctor Terrace’s permanent instructional buildings. California’s Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act prohibits construction of any new occupied building within 50 feet of a mapped active fault trace. That buffer zone renders a significant swath of the Proctor Terrace campus off-limits for any future construction, no matter how urgent the need for modernization.
District facilities staff told the Press Democrat that the constraint leaves essentially no room for piecemeal renovation. Standard seismic upgrades and classroom improvements — the kind districts routinely fund through state bonds — cannot be built in the restricted zone. The practical effect is that Proctor Terrace cannot be modernized in place; it can only be replaced.
A $70 million crossroads
The district’s facilities director described the situation bluntly to the Press Democrat: “Basically rebuilding a new school on the field side and destroying the old site. Pretty much the only choice.” That full rebuild is estimated at more than $70 million — a substantial sum for a district already navigating declining enrollment and a constrained budget. Those fiscal pressures were on display this week as Sonoma County opened budget workshops against the backdrop of looming state and federal funding cuts.
For now, the district has approved funding for 11 portable classrooms — at a cost of $22 million — to provide interim capacity relief across three affected schools. An advisory committee is expected to determine the long-term fates of the affected campuses by May. Officials were careful to stress that existing buildings pose no current threat to students: “The school is not in any danger,” a district spokesperson told the paper. The Alquist-Priolo restrictions apply to future construction, not to the continued use of structures already in place.
Other schools affected
Proctor Terrace is not the only campus with seismic complications. According to the Press Democrat, four Santa Rosa City Schools sites sit on or near the Rodgers Creek Fault: Proctor Terrace, Hidden Valley Elementary, Brook Hill Elementary — which closed in June 2025 — and the Santa Rosa French-American Charter School. The French-American Charter is taking the most immediate action: it will relocate to the former Santa Rosa Middle School site this summer, moving students away from the fault-zone constraints ahead of the 2026–27 school year. The advisory committee’s May findings are expected to clarify what comes next for the other affected sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are students at Proctor Terrace Elementary in danger right now?
No, according to district officials. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act restricts new construction near active fault traces — it does not require existing buildings to be vacated. Students and staff continue to use the campus normally; the legal constraint applies only to future building projects on the affected portion of the site.
Why can’t the district just repair or upgrade the existing buildings?
California law prohibits constructing any new occupied structure within 50 feet of an active fault trace. That buffer zone covers roughly one-third of the Proctor Terrace campus, making standard modernization or seismic retrofit projects in that area legally impossible. Any new permanent building would need to be sited entirely outside the restricted zone — which, on this campus, means starting essentially from scratch on the opposite end of the property.
Will taxpayers have to pay for a $70 million rebuild?
That question has not yet been answered. An advisory committee is expected to deliver recommendations on the affected campuses’ futures by May. A rebuild of that scale would likely require a local bond measure or state facilities funding — both of which would involve public votes or competitive grant processes. The district has not yet publicly committed to a rebuild timeline or financing plan.
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