Permit Sonoma to release draft Community Vision and Guiding Principles for General Plan update

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Permit Sonoma is wrapping up the yearlong Community Vision phase of General Plan Sonoma, its update to General Plan 2020. After months of outreach and engagement with residents across the county, a Draft Vision Statement and set of Guiding Principles—shaped by community input—will be released alongside a summary of public input and a proposed approach to next steps. These materials will be presented to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors at a meeting scheduled for Aug. 12, where the Board will provide feedback on the results and guidance for proposed next steps.

The General Plan is a vital long-term policy framework guiding land use and development in Sonoma County’s unincorporated areas. Adopted in 2008, the current plan will be updated to align with state requirements and better reflect the county’s evolving priorities in areas such as housing, transportation, climate resilience, agriculture and conservation. The Community Vision phase marked the first phase of the update, aiming to gather broad community input to shape the plan’s future direction.

Through an extensive engagement effort that included 49 events and engaged nearly 4,000 residents, more than 5,000 public comments were collected. This engagement was inclusive of historically underrepresented voices through collaboration with County departments and community-based organizations. The result is a Draft Vision and set of Guiding Principles that will guide the upcoming Policy Development phase. This next phase will continue to include robust community engagement and build on the framework established during visioning.

Meeting materials, including the Draft Vision and Guiding Principles, a Community Outreach Summary, and Scope Report, will be available prior to the meeting on the Board of Supervisors’ agenda and the General Plan Sonoma project website. Public comment is welcome at the meeting or in advance via email at GeneralPlan@SonomaCounty.gov.

Meeting Details:
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025
Location: County of Sonoma, Board of Supervisors Chambers
 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa
Meeting materials: https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Project website: www.permitsonoma.org/generalplan

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Media Contact:
Genevieve Bertone
Permit Sonoma Department Program Manager, Outreach
Genevieve.Bertone@sonomacounty.gov
(707) 565-1231