
3.12 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES 3.12 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES This section describes public services and utilities for the Specific Plan area. Specifically, this section includes an examination of fire protection and emergency medical services, law enforcement services, public schools, water services (supply and infrastructure), wastewater services and stormwater drainage facilities, solid waste services, parks and recreation, electricity, propane, and telephone services, and library services. Each subsection includes a description of existing facilities and infrastructure, applicable service goals, and potential environmental impacts resulting from implementation of the proposed North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan. 3.12.1 PUBLIC SAFETY: FIRE PROTECTION, EMERGENCY MEDICAL, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES 3.12.1.1 EXISTING SETTING FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SETTING Fire protection and emergency medical services in the Specific Plan area are primarily the responsibility of the Santa Rosa Fire Department (SRFD). The SRFD serves the City of Santa Rosa as well as the Roseland Fire Protection District through a contractual agreement, for a total population served of over 168,000 in an area of approximately 43 square miles. The department comprises three divisions—Administrative, Fire Suppression, and Fire Prevention—and is staffed with 129 sworn employees and 7 civilians. In 2011, the SRFD responded to 20,205 service calls (Moon 2012). In addition, the SRFD has an agreement with the Rincon Valley Fire Protection District, with whom they jointly utilize the equipment and personnel assigned to the Rincon Valley Station on Todd Road (Santa Rosa General Plan 2035, 2009). In 2009, the Fire Department moved to a national standard for response time reporting. The department’s new standard is to arrive on scene within 5 minutes of being dispatched. In 2011, the department arrived on scene within 5 minutes 74.25 percent of the time (Moon 2012). The Santa Rosa Emergency Operations Plan addresses how the City will respond to extraordinary events or disasters, from preparation through recovery. It includes a comprehensive assessment of potential hazards and threats, and sets forth policies and procedures pertaining to emergency planning, organization, and response. The plan is based on the principles and functions of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) (Santa Rosa General Plan 2035, 2009). Each of Santa Rosa’s eleven fire stations houses an engine company and is staffed 24 hours per day. Each of the engine companies is staffed with a captain, an engineer, and a firefighter. Additionally, Headquarters and Station 2 each house two ladder trucks with two engineers, a firefighter, and a captain. There are no fire stations located within the Specific Plan boundaries; the closest stations to the area are Station 11, located at 550 Lewis Road (the east side of Highway 101, approximately one-half mile east of the plan boundary), and Station 3, located at 3311 Coffey Lane (approximately one-half mile north of the plan boundary). Due to budget cuts, there are currently “brownouts” for various stations. To improve SRFD fire and emergency response resources and capabilities, the City participates in a countywide mutual aid system. The SRFD has entered into mutual aid agreements with the Rincon Valley Fire Protection District and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire), as well as with the neighboring jurisdictions of Bennett Valley, Gold Ridge, and Sebastopol. Additional resources provided by these agreements include engines, water City of Santa Rosa North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan April 2012 Draft Environmental Impact Report 3.12-1 3.12 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES tender, air tankers, a helicopter, a bulldozer, and a battalion chief in urban areas (Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, 2007). POLICE SERVICES SETTING The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) provides neighborhood-oriented policing services via patrol operations and traffic enforcement. The Police Department has 247 employees working within the community to provide public safety services, including 171 sworn positions and approximately 76 civilian staff (Weeks 2012). Neighborhood-oriented policing is based on encouraging citizen input and involvement to resolve issues concerning public safety, law enforcement, and criminal activity throughout the community. The SRPD is organized into five areas: Administrative, Field Services (patrol), Special Services (Investigations Bureau and Support Bureau), Technical Services (Communications Bureau and Records Bureau), and Personnel Services. Officers comprise patrol teams, which are divided among various beats. Under the field services division, officers are assigned to a beat for six months at a time. The patrol teams are managed by a lieutenant and staffed with sergeants, patrol officers, and field and evidence technicians. On the highways and within the unincorporated areas, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office handles criminal law enforcement and the California Highway Patrol assists with traffic enforcement. Mutual aid between neighboring law enforcement agencies is provided on an as- needed basis. The nearest police station to the Specific Plan area is located at 965 Sonoma Avenue, which is approximately 1 mile southeast of the project boundaries. The City’s standard for police service requires the SRPD to provide for citizen safety through an expedient response to emergency calls, requiring response standards at 6 minutes for emergency calls (Priority One), 14 minutes for urgent calls (Priority Two), and 32 minutes for routine calls (Priority Three. In 2011, the Police Department’s average response times were 5 minutes and 39 seconds for Priority One calls, of which there were 6,510 calls for service, 9 minutes and 35 seconds for Priority Two calls, of which there were 73,820 calls for service, and 19 minutes 2 seconds for Priority Three calls for service, of which there were 44,390 calls for service (SRPD 2012). 3.12.1.2 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK STATE California Fire Code The 2010 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9 of the California Code of Regulations) established regulations to safeguard against hazards of fire, explosion, or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures, and premises. The Fire Code also establishes requirements intended to provide safety and assistance to firefighters and emergency responders during emergency operations. The provisions of the Fire Code apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, and demolition of every building or structure throughout California. The code includes regulations regarding fire-resistance-rated construction, fire protection systems such as alarm and sprinkler systems, fire services features such as fire apparatus access roads, means of egress, fire safety during construction and demolition, wildland-urban interface areas, flammable and combustible liquids storage, use, and handling, and hazardous materials regulations. North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan City of Santa Rosa Draft Environmental Impact Report April 2011 3.12-2 3.12 PUBLIC SERVICES AND UTILITIES California Health and Safety Code Additional state fire regulations are set forth in Sections 13000 et seq. of the California Health and Safety Code, which include regulations for building standards, fire protection and notification systems, fire protection devices such as extinguishers, smoke alarms, high-rise building and child- care facility standards, and fire suppression training. California Occupational Safety and Health Administration In accordance with the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Sections 1270, Fire Prevention, and 6773, Fire Protection and Fire Fighting Equipment, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has established minimum standards for fire suppression and emergency medical services. The standards include, but are not limited to, guidelines on the handling of highly combustible materials, fire hose sizing requirements, restrictions on the use of compressed air, access roads, and the testing, maintenance, and use of all firefighting and emergency medical equipment. LOCAL Santa Rosa Measure O (Ordinance 3680) On August 3, 2004, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Ordinance 3680, which imposed a special transactions and use tax to generate revenues to be utilized for specific police, fire, and gang prevention and intervention programs, as set forth in the ordinance. The special tax ballot measure, known as Measure O, was approved by over two-thirds of the voters and the election results certified on December 7, 2004. The ordinance sets forth permissible uses for the revenue generated and allocates proceeds from the tax in the following manner: police (40 percent), fire (40 percent), and neighborhood safety/gang prevention (20 percent). These uses include, among other programs, traffic enforcement, patrol expansion, gang enforcement, school resource services, downtown enforcement, and replacement of the patrol fleet. City of Santa Rosa General Plan 2035 The City of Santa Rosa General Plan 2035 serves as the overall guiding policy document for the City of Santa Rosa. The following is a list of applicable General Plan goals and policies most pertinent to the Specific Plan in regard to fire, emergency medical, and police services. Public Services and Facilities Element
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