SMART rail facility discussed in Santa Rosa

The Santa Rosa City Council this afternoon will discuss a proposal
by the to locate an operations and
maintenance facility outside city limits.

The proposed 44-acre site west of U.S. Highway 101 and south of Todd Road is within Santa Rosa's urban growth boundary but not within the city's "sphere of influence."

The city's sphere of influence includes unincorporated areas just outside of city limits that the city and county agree may be annexed someday and therefore may be allowed to connect to city utilities.

The District wants to amend Santa Rosa's sphere of influence to include the site.

It will be amended if the city does not object, and SMART plans to submit the amendment to the Sonoma County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, early this year, according to Chuck Regalia, Santa Rosa's director of community development.

SMART will then ask Santa Rosa for utility certificates to extend
water and sewer services to the site, Regalia said.

The proposed operations and maintenance facility would be used to maintain rail cars and the rail line. It would include administrative offices, a storage yard, and an enclosed rail car washing facility. There would eventually be 175 employees at the facility.

SMART plans to begin passenger train service between the downtowns of Santa Rosa and San Rafael in 2014 and if funding becomes available, extend the rail line between Cloverdale and Larkspur --including a stop in Healdsburg -- by 2018.

The City Council will discuss the operations facility issue during a study session at 3:30 p.m. No action will be taken on SMART's proposal.

By Bay City News.