4250 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Open Space-Conservation District

The OSC zoning district is applied to important open space areas of the City including wetlands, waterways, hillsides, ridgelines, scenic areas, significant vegetation areas, wildlife habitat and corridors, community separators, watersheds, geologic features, natural hazards areas, agricultural land, and areas that functionally link open space areas. The OSC zoning district is consistent with and implements the Open Space land use classification of the General Plan. More specific purposes of the open space District are to: Provide a zoning district for permanently protected open space areas; Preserve as open space parcels from which development potential has been sold, transferred, dedicated, donated, or otherwise removed from the parcel as recorded on deed, map, development plan, policy statement, easement, private covenant, or any other legal mechanism; Provide for limited development up to one unit per 1,742,400 sq ft or legally existing parcel in a manner that will preserve and maintain open space benefits; Protect rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals; Protect and enhance wildlife habitat; Provide sites for education and scientific research; Control alteration of the natural environment and terrain in areas of environmental and scenic significance to the community; Protect people and property from geologic, hydrologic, and other natural hazards; Enhance and maintain for public welfare and well-being, the public amenities accrued from the preservation of scenic beauty and environmental quality; Provide opportunities for low intensity uses and recreational activities compatible with open space benefits, which may include bird watching, playing fields for team sports, nature photography and study, wildlife observation, and scientific research and education.