Open Space Plentiful But Endangered in Sonoma

Sonoma County has some of the largest expanses of open space in the bay area – chocking in at 171,200 acres of undeveloped land.

But about 115,000 acres, or more than two-thirds the total space, is at risk for development over the next three decades, according to a study released by the Greenbelt Alliance, a conservation and urban planning advocacy group.

Areas at high risk include Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Rohnert Park, as well as the unincorporated parts of the Sonoma Valley, which have little zoning rules and other protections against urban sprawl.

"It reminds everybody what's at risk and what we need to do," said Ralph Benson, executive director of the Sonoma Land Trust, told the Press Democrat. 

About 13,800 acres of these open spaces is likely to become housing within the next 10 years, according to the report.

It's not all dire: Parks, protected open space and farmland has grown 28 percent, according to statistics reported in the Press Democrat.

Sonoma residents are especially wary of expansion in the means of urban sprawl. Over 54 percent of respondents in a poll released earlier this month didn't want Sonoma's population to rise.

Urban planning expert expect Sonoma's growth to remains slow even in long-term estimations. Population predictions released by the Association of Bay Area Governments in Plan Bay Area anticipate Sonoma will grow just 12 percent by 2040 – the second lowest growth of any North Bay municipality.

But the densely populated Springs and its unincorporated environs may not fare so well.

Read more about open space here.