Restoring Parks

The October 2017 firestorm damaged approximately 75 acres within 10 Santa Rosa City park sites. Damage was sustained within community parks, neighborhood parks, open space and landscape areas. Six of the 10 parks sustained severe damage and one, Coffey Neighborhood Park, was destroyed. The estimated cost to restore the City’s fire-damaged parks is upwards of $16-million. Insurance payments and federal and state disaster funding are expected to cover only a portion of these costs. A gap of $6-million or more is likely.

Update: 10/12/2022

With the Fire Damaged Roadway Landscaping project getting underway last week, here is a basic 3-week look ahead schedule, keeping in mind that the timeline is subject to change.

Week of Oct. 10:
Tree protection and installation begins in Fountaingrove area
Fire damaged tree removal begins in Coffey Park area

Week of Oct. 17:
Clearing and grubbing in Coffey Park area

Week of Oct. 24:
Begin irrigation installation in Coffey Park area

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News Flash Update: 10/6/22

After extensive delays, we are pleased to announce that recovery work for the Fire Damaged Roadway Landscaping project in Coffey Park and Fountaingrove areas began October 5. This project will remove and replace portions of roadway landscaping including supporting electrical and irrigation infrastructure damaged in the 2017 wildfire.

The scope of the project will continue as planned by completing each work item throughout the project before returning to the same location to complete the next task. There may be several weeks between tasks, this is expected and not an indication of a project delay. The tasks include clearing and grubbing, removal and installation of irrigation systems in the medians, and replanting the medians.

Recovery work will begin by clearing and grubbing (removal of damaged or obstructing trees, shrubs and tall grasses) in Coffey Park then proceeding into the Fountaingrove area, progressing from west to east. This task may require several weeks to complete.

Once clearing and grubbing is complete throughout the project, crews will return to Coffey Park to begin removing fire damaged irrigation from the roadway medians before proceeding into Fountaingrove to complete irrigation work, progressing from west to east.

When the new irrigation systems in the roadway medians have been installed, crews will then replant the medians, again beginning first in Coffey Park then proceeding into Fountaingrove, progressing from west to east.

This recovery project is expected to be complete in fall 2023 however, it is weather dependent.

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After extensive delays, recovery work for the Fire Damaged Roadway Landscaping project is expected to begin in October 2022. The specific start date will be posted once confirmed by the contractor.

The project scope will proceed as planned starting in Coffey Park with tree protection and grubbing, then continuing into Fountaingrove progressing from west to east. Removal and installation of the irrigation systems in roadway medians will commence once tree protection and grubbing work is complete.

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News Flash Update: 9/15/22

Work is planned to start in September with tree protection and grubbing, removal of damaged or obstructing trees, shrubs and tall grasses in the Coffey Park area. Trees identified in the arborist report and tall weeds in the right of way will be removed, and protective fencing will be placed around remaining trees to protect them from damage during installation of the irrigation systems. Once this process is complete in Coffey Park, the process will continue in Fountaingrove progressing from west to east.

Temporary traffic impacts are expected as travel lane closures will be permitted from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm to allow contractor’s equipment access to the work sites during the removal and installation of the irrigation systems in the roadway medians. A minimum of one travel lane in each direction will be maintained.

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This project will remove and replace portions of roadway landscaping, including supporting electrical and irrigation infrastructure damaged by the 2017 wildfires in Fountaingrove and Coffey Park burn scar areas. Fountaingrove area HOA’s, CoffeyStrong from the Coffey Park neighborhood, and the Santa Rosa Fire Department have participated in review of the design for new roadway landscapes.

The design portion of the project is nearing completion with the final arborist report being prepared. Once the design portion of the project is complete, the construction portion of the project will be publicly bid. For information about this project visit project ID No.: 02300. Barring any unforeseen issues, construction contracting is slated to begin in September 2022, and is expected to take one-year to complete.

Six Fire Damaged Parks - Recovery

Visit CIP Project ID No.: 02248 for additional information.

News Flash Update: 9/8/22

Recovery Project began in May 2022
Project completed July 2023

Update: 5/20/2023

The project to recovery the six fire damaged parks in the Fountaingrove area is 95% complete. All parks are open to the public. Minor planting and finishing work is still being completed.

Update: 9/8/22

Debris removal and restoration for all six fire-damaged parks and open space parcels in the Fountaingrove area began in May and due to the tight schedule, work is occurring concurrently at all six locations. To date, all fire-damaged materials have been removed and rebuilding is well underway. The affected parks and open space areas include Rincon Ridge Neighborhood Park, Rincon Ridge Open Space, Fir Ridge Neighborhood Park, Nagasawa Community Park, Francis Nielsen Neighborhood Park, and Parker Hill Trail.

Restoration at Fir Ridge Park includes the completed replacement of the basketball court and concrete steps with installation of the new irrigation system expected to be completed in the next few weeks. Two play structures damaged in the wildfire are scheduled to begin installation next month. The new play structure designs were selected based on community input. See play structure designs below.

Replacement irrigation water lines have been installed and tested at Rincon Ridge Park. New benches, drinking fountains and trash, recycle and compost receptacles are planned for installation over the next two weeks. New trail fencing within Rincon Ridge Open Space is currently under construction.

Park benches, and trash, recycle and compost receptacles are being installed at Francis Nielsen Park, and a new wood trail fence is currently underway along Parker Hill Trail. The two pedestrian bridges destroyed in the wildfire along Parker Hill Trail and the one pedestrian bridge in Frances Nielsen Park were replaced in 2019.

The picnic surface area at Nagasawa Park has been replaced. Additional park amenities including installation of benches around the park are coming soon.

Construction costs to restore the six parks and open space parcels is estimated at $1.5 million. The funding was obtained through FEMA, Cal OES, and PG&E settlement funds. The recovery project is expected to be completed in November 2022.

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The project has been awarded, and construction to restore all six fire-damaged parks is underway. This project is expected to be completed in winter 2022 pending material availability.

Fire-damaged amenities will be repaired and replaced concurrently at the following six parks/trails; Rincon Ridge Neighborhood Park, Rincon Ridge Open Space, Fir Ridge Neighborhood Park, Nagasawa Community Park, Francis Nielsen Neighborhood Park, and Parker Hill trail. The project will involve removing and replacing fire damaged vegetation, fencing, signage, picnic benches, lawn and irrigation, and the play equipment at Fir Ridge Park.

Rincon Ridge Open Space recovery involves replacement of all fencing and landscaping destroyed in the wildfire.

Nagasawa Community Park fire-damage recovery involves replacing landscaping, irrigation, lighting and the monument sign.

Francis Nielsen Park had minor damage to the irrigation system and benches. (The pedestrian bridge at Francis Nielsen Park was destroyed, and in fall 2019 was restored under a separate contract).

Parker Hill Trail fence requires complete reconstruction. (The two pedestrian bridges along Parker Hill trail were destroyed, and in fall 2019 were restored under a separate contract).

Fir Ridge and Rincon Ridge Neighborhood Parks sustained extensive damage with a major portion of the two parks in need of reconstruction. The two playground areas and all amenities at Fir Ridge and Rincon Ridge were destroyed including pavement, landscaping, and some fencing.

Fir Ridge Neighborhood Park Playground Design
The City of Santa Rosa Parks Division hosted community meetings and online surveys to obtain residents feedback on proposed designs for the new playground designs at Fir Ridge Neighborhood Park. Playground design selections are shown below.

Coffey Neighborhood Park - Rebuild Complete - 10/28/20

On October 28, 2020, the new park was dedicated and opened to the public. The park includes a playground, fitness equipment, a large grassy area, picnic tables, a ping pong table, dog park and public art.

PARK STATUS UPDATE - 9/25/20

Final touches are being completed at Coffey Neighborhood Park! Most of the park features and amenities are now in place, including recent sod installation of the lawn area. Since it’s very important that the sod be protected during this delicate time, the construction fences around the park are scheduled to remain in place for a few more weeks. This has resulted in a slight delay to the previous tentative park reopening date but is necessary to ensure the sod has time to take root properly so that the lawn and the park remain beautiful long past the opening weeks. Parks staff anticipate the process will be completed and the park reopened for your enjoyment by the end of October.

Once the fences come down and the park is opened to the public, you will be able to utilize many of the wonderful features of your new park, including the pathways, grassy areas and dog park. Public Health Orders that are in place due the COVID-19 pandemic require that all of the high-touch areas and amenities, such as the playground and fitness equipment, remain closed. We know these restrictions are a disappointment, but they are needed to prevent further spread of the disease and help protect you, your family and our community from harm. Signage and temporary fencing will be placed at the park to indicate closed amenities and to remind the public to maintain social distancing. Whenever you visit the park, please remember to stay at least six feet away from others who are not household members and to wear a face covering if you cannot maintain that distance.

As we near completion of this project, we really can’t say enough just how excited we are to formally celebrate this day with you in the future when we can safely gather! We are proud to have worked alongside the Coffey Park neighborhood to create a park for your future. It will stand as a testament to you, to the resiliency—and heart—of your neighborhood and our community.

PARK CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY - 11/19/19

Great News! The contractor has started work to build the new Coffey Neighborhood Park. The project will construct the neighborhood’s vision as captured in the recently approved Coffey Neighborhood Park Master Plan. The first phase of construction is occurring on the southwest corner, which will include the installation of nature-themed playground equipment, playground pathway and playground picnic area. The first phase is expected to be complete and open to the public in late March 2020, weather permitting.

The second phase of construction is scheduled to begin in mid-April with estimated completion in late summer 2020, though cold weather and rain may delay the project. The second phase of construction will begin with the excavation of the top two to three inches of surface soil to remove fragments of debris dropped on the park during the wildfires.

Second phase park design elements include:

Pathway installations for walking/jogging and maintenance access
Installation of group picnic areas, community corner, parcourse/fitness stations, and portable restroom enclosure
Native planting areas, shade trees, turf field, and rain gardens
Dog park; fenced with mulch surface

Playground area is scheduled to open late March 2020, weather permitting.

Construction completion and re-opening of phase two is anticipated in late summer 2020.

For construction project updates visit: http://cippublic.srcity.org/ProjPages/2267.html

PLAYGROUND DESIGN SELECTED - 9/30/19

The new playground at Coffey Neighborhood Park will be nature-themed with soothing colors and pops of bright color for fun. Representatives from the Coffey Park neighborhood and the group Coffey Strong recommended the proposal from Ross Recreation, which is the local distributor of the national playground design company Landscape Structures. The neighborhood committee worked with City staff through a series of meetings and reviewed several playground proposals before making the recommendation.

The playground includes a tot lot for children ages two to five-years and a second play area for school age children ages five to twelve. The two play areas are next to each other but separated by a pathway and picnic tables. As requested, the playgrounds feature the maximum number of swings possible (6 of them), while still allowing for other play features.

On September 24^th, City Council approved a nearly $3.3 million construction contract with Team Ghilotti to rebuild the five-acre Coffey Neighborhood Park. The first order of business for Team Ghilotti will be to build the pathways and other infrastructure leading to and around the playgrounds. Meanwhile, the City is in the process of purchasing the play equipment, which will come ready to install. The goal is to have the playground equipment installed and the southwest portion of Coffey Neighborhood Park open to the public by the end of 2019. The remainder of the park is set open in Summer 2020.

“While the timeline is extremely aggressive and weather-dependent, we are all excited for the children and families of the Coffey Park neighborhood to once again enjoy their park as soon as possible,” said Deputy Director of Parks, Jen Santos.

Playground Schematic Designs

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS APPROVED/BID PROCESS UNDERWAY 8/19/19

The construction documents to rebuild Coffey Neighborhood Park have been completed, and the process for selecting a contractor to build the park began in August 2019. The goal is to have the playground portion of the park open to the neighborhood by the end of 2019 and open the remainder of the park by Summer 2020.

MASTER PLAN APPROVED 4/2/19

On Tuesday, 4/2/19, the Santa Rosa City Council voted unanimously to approve the Master Plan for the rebuilding of Coffey Neighborhood Park. The plan calls for two playground areas (ages 2-5 and 5-12), fitness stations, picnic areas, barbeques, pathways, pollinator/native garden, community corner, dog park, portable restroom, landscaping, turf, irrigation, two monument signs, shade structures, fencing, security lighting, bollards, boulders, and future public art. Extensive engagement with Coffey Park residents and property owners throughout the master planning process informed the design of the park (details of the engagement are outlined below). This robust neighborhood participation to restore their park is a testament to the resiliency of the Coffey Park community. To view the Master Plan for Coffey Neighborhood Park and next steps in the process to rebuild the park, please use these links:

MASTER PLAN Opens a New Window.

PROJECT TIMELINE Opens a New Window.

PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED MASTER PLAN

Tuesday, 4/2/19 at or after 4pm | City Hall, Council Chambers - 100 Santa Rosa Ave.

The proposed Coffey Neighborhood Park Master Plan is available for public viewing. The City Council will hold a public hearing on April 2, 2019 at or after 4:00 p.m. to obtain public comments and to make a final determination on the proposed Master Plan. You may view the proposed Master Plan online at the link below or in person at the Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks Department, 55 Stony Point Road.

PROPOSED MASTER PLAN Opens a New Window.

BOARD OF COMMUNITY SERVICES APPROVES DRAFT MASTER PLAN

The Draft Master Plan to rebuild Coffey Neighborhood Park received recommended approval from the Board of Community Services (BOCS) on 2/27/19. Next, the plan goes before the City Council in April. You may view the plan and the PowerPoint presentation provided to the BOCS by using the links below. Check back here for project updates and for the upcoming City Council meeting date.

BOCS PRESENTATION Opens a New Window.

MASTER PLAN #3 - BOCS RECOMMENDED Opens a New Window.

DRAFT MASTER PLAN GOES TO BOARD OF COMMUNITY SERVICES

Wed., February 27, 2019 at 4pm - Finley Community Center, Cypress Room

The Draft Master Plan to rebuild Coffey Neighborhood Park will be considered by the Board of Community Services for recommended approval to the City Council on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at Finley Community Center, Cypress Room. The park design team will present the plan, which was created based on input collected at three neighborhood meetings and input from three online surveys. Coffey Park residents and property owners are invited to attend the meeting and to provide further input on the Draft Master Plan, which is available for viewing now by using the link below:

DRAFT MASTER PLAN - #2 Opens a New Window.

PARK DESIGN: PROVIDE INPUT ON DRAFT MASTER PLAN

Deadline Extended to February 10, 2019

The third neighborhood meeting on rebuilding Coffey Neighborhood Park was held Saturday, January 26, 2019. The park design team presented the draft master plan, which was created based on input collected at the first two neighborhood meetings and input submitted online. Participants who attended Workshop #3 gave feedback on the Draft Master Plan by taking Survey #3. Residents and property owners who were unable to attend the meeting are asked to review the workshop materials and submit input online by using the links below. Please review the materials first and then take Survey #3. The deadline to provide input is February 10, 2019. The Draft Master Plan is scheduled to be presented to the Board of Community Services on February 27, 2019. Check back here for scheduling and other project updates.

WORKSHOP #3 PRESENTATION Opens a New Window.

DRAFT MASTER PLAN #1 Opens a New Window.

PARK AMENITY CONCEPTS Opens a New Window.

CLICK TO TAKE SURVEY #3 Opens a New Window.

*Complete ONE survey per resident or property owner and submit by Feb. 7, 2019. For questions or more information, please contact Kristi Buffo, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or (707) 543-3276.

REMOVAL OF DEBRIS & HAZARDOUS TREES

Scheduled for January 7, 2019, Nelson Construction will begin installing erosion control protective measures at Coffey Neighborhood Park. Next, trees determined to be hazardous will be removed, as well as all above ground damaged items such as play equipment, picnic tables, outdoor grills, and other equipment over a period of about three weeks. During this phase, the turf will not be removed, only above ground items. Below ground debris removal will be delayed until just before the installation of new park amenities to protect the site from erosion.

TREE MAP. Opens a New Window.

DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECT Opens a New Window.

RESILIENT CITY RECOVERY MAPS Opens a New Window.

PARK DESIGN: 2nd NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING & SURVEY #2

The second neighborhood meeting on rebuilding Coffey Neighborhood Park was held December 15, 2018. The park design team provided an overview of neighborhood input from Survey #1 and presented preliminary schematic ideas for the redesign of the park. Further neighborhood input was collected for use in crafting the draft master plan and an overview of the master planning process and timelines were presented. The workshop packet with the design ideas presented at the meeting is available via the link below, as is a link to provide online input by completing Survey #2. Residents and property owners who were unable to attend the meeting are encouraged to review the workshop packet and complete Survey #2 by January 7, 2019.

WORKSHOP #2 PRESENTATION

CLICK TO TAKE SURVEY #2 Opens a New Window.

PARK DESIGN: 1st NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING & SURVEY #1

The first neighborhood meeting on the rebuilding of Coffey Neighborhood Park was held August 4, 2018, at which time information about the rebuilding of the park, including testing, debris removal, construction, and funding was provided. A video recording of the meeting and some supporting documents are available below for your reference. Participants of the August 4th meeting also completed Survey #1 to provide their input on the design and rebuilding of the park, and a link to complete the survey online was also provided.

WORKSHOP #1 VIDEO

WORKSHOP #1 PRESENTATION

1985 PARK PLAN

ARTIST SELECTED FOR COFFEY PARK PUBLIC ART PROJECT 4/24/19

The City of Santa Rosa Public Art Program announced the artist selected for the public art project in Coffey Neighborhood Park, planned in conjunction with the redesign/rebuild of the park post-fire. Wowhaus, the team of Ene Osteraas-Constable and Scott Constable, was selected after an extensive review process and recommended for approval to the Art in Public Places Committee.

As the selected artist for the project, Wowhaus will be required to undertake research and discussion with stakeholders and thoughtfully engage the Coffey Park neighborhood to develop a concept proposal for the public art project, as well as collaborate with the park design team incorporate the art into the site. After a design is developed with the neighborhood, it will be brought back to the Art in Public Places Committee for final approval. It is anticipated that the artwork will be installed in Summer 2020.

MORE INFO

Overview of Fire Damage to City Parks

Parks with Significant Damage

Coffey Park
5.85 acres burned of 5.85, including all landscape, irrigation, electrical, two playgrounds, picnic areas, monument sign, fence, turf and partial pathways.

Nagasawa Community Park
21 of 33 acres burned. Damage was sustained to the natural area, irrigation, electrical, parking lot lighting and fencing.

Rincon Ridge Neighborhood Park
.58 acres burned of 1.83, with damage to landscape areas, irrigation, electrical, play equipment and benches.

Rincon Ridge Open Space
9.69 acres burned of 10.2. Damage was sustained to the landscape areas, including to the special ceanothus plant species, and fencing.

Fir Ridge Neighborhood Park
.86 acres burned of 1.06, including damage to landscape and turf, irrigation, electrical, play equipment, fencing and the retaining wall.

Francis Nielsen Ranch Park
3.87 acres burned of 6.04, with damage to landscape areas, irrigation, electrical and total loss of the pedestrian bridge.

Parker Hill Open Space
4.20 acres burned of 4.27, including landscape and natural areas.

Additional Park Sites Damaged

Howarth Park
Less than one acre burned of the park’s 138 acres, with damage primarily in the Sullivan Ridge trail area.

Francis Nielsen Open Space
7.5 acres burned of 7.9 acres, including natural areas and landscape areas.

Thomas Lake Harris Open Space
5.9 acres burned of 6.2, including landscape and natural areas.

Landscape Areas

14.43 acres burned, including irrigated and non-irrigated areas, electrical, irrigation, and common walls.

Restoring Parks

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