Public scoping session at Altimira Middle School marks restart of environmental review after judge tossed earlier report
Sonoma County will restart its review of redevelopment plans for the former Sonoma Developmental Center this month, giving residents another chance to weigh in on one of the valley’s most contested projects.
A public scoping meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25 at Altimira Middle School in Sonoma. An open house begins at 6 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. presentation and public comment. A Zoom option will be available.
The restart comes after Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Bradford DeMeo struck down the county’s earlier environmental impact report in 2024. He described the analysis as vague and criticized its wildfire evacuation modeling, which projected only minor delays on Arnold Drive. Residents who lived through the Nuns and Glass fires said the findings ignored real evacuation conditions.
The current proposal, submitted by Eldridge Renewal, calls for 990 homes, 130,000 square feet of commercial space, a 150-room hotel, a community center, gym, new fire station and about 70 acres of open space. County officials see the project as a chance to address housing shortages on one of the largest available sites in the valley. Many neighbors say the scale threatens traffic, water supplies and fire safety.
Grassroots groups have pushed back since the closure of the SDC in 2018. One lawsuit, filed by SCALE and Sonoma County Tomorrow, led to the court ruling that forced the county to scrap its earlier report. A second lawsuit by Sonoma Valley Next 100 accuses the state of seeking approvals without a valid specific plan and of abandoning upkeep of the property after state staff vacated the site July 1. The group says the campus is now vulnerable to vandalism and fire, with only contracted security patrols remaining.
In May, supervisors voted to rehire Oakland planning firm Dyett & Bhatia, which produced the first report, to write a revised version. The update is expected to cost up to $913,000, paid by a state redevelopment fund and the developer. A draft is due early next year, with a 60-day public comment period to follow.
The Sonoma Developmental Center housed people with developmental disabilities for more than 130 years and was once the county’s largest employer. About 80 percent of its land has been added to Jack London State Historic Park. The 180-acre core campus remains a critical question for housing, traffic and the future of Sonoma Valley.
County officials say the Sept. 25 meeting will set the foundation for a new environmental review and will give residents a direct voice in shaping the outcome.
