Area Overview

The City of Cloverdale is located at the northern end of Sonoma County approximately 34 miles northwest of Santa Rosa.  It is situated in the Alexander Valley where the Mayacmas Mountains meet the Coast Range.  The Russian River flows through the center of the Valley, and the developed portion of the city is located on the valley floor west of the Russian River and east of the Coast Range.  Within this picturesque setting, downtown Cloverdale lies on the western side of US Highway 101 at Citrus Fair Drive and Cloverdale Boulevard, while the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) multimodal station lies on the eastern side of US Highway 101 at the southwest corner of Asti Road and Citrus Fair Drive.  The Downtown Cloverdale/SMART Transit Station Project Priority Development Area (PDA) includes both the downtown and station area, and seeks to improve connections between the two.

Residents and visitors can take advantage of multiple transit services to navigate the city or to reach other cities in Sonoma and Marin Counties, and their transit options will increase with the planned introduction of SMART passenger rail.  Currently, Cloverdale Transit meets transportation needs within the city, and Sonoma County Transit provides convenient bus service to other cities in Sonoma County.  Until the SMART service begins, the SMART multimodal station is serving as a park-and-ride lot for bus service.  As envisioned, SMART will connect cities along the existing rail right-of-way in Marin and Sonoma Counties and with San Francisco through a ferry connection.  Additional funding is needed for initiation of SMART service, and a sales tax increase will be put on the November 2008 ballot for voters in Sonoma and Marin Counties to decide if they want to help fund this project. 

Many historical factors have contributed to the form and character of Cloverdale today.  The early economy of Cloverdale revolved around the agricultural, timber, and railroad industries.  A number of major employers in these sectors provided jobs in the area, and the availability of jobs fostered a growth boom from 1940 to 1960 when the population rose from 800 to around 3,000.  The train station in the center of town was a primary focal point in the town’s development. However, construction of US Highway 101 moved the transit station east of the freeway, which separated it from the downtown, residential neighborhoods, and other development in Cloverdale on the west side of the highway.  By the 1990s, some of the traditional resource industries, such as timber, began to lose force as the major employers in the Cloverdale area.  To revitalize the downtown business district, the City adopted a Downtown Specific Plan in 1990 and designated this area as the city’s retail and cultural center.  Currently, the City is updating the 1992 General Plan to weave together the guiding framework for future development.  More specifically, to address the historical factors that created a divide between the downtown and transit station, Cloverdale will be developing a precise plan for this area, supported by a Station Area Planning Grant received from ABAG and MTC in the summer of 2008.

Area Vision

The vision for downtown Cloverdale and the SMART station area is to create an active, livable downtown where residents, employees, and visitors can take advantage of rail and bus service.  The station area plan will overcome obstacles that isolate the station from the rest of the community, which will encourage transit use, and promote additional transit-oriented development (TOD) around the station.  The area vision calls for concentrating housing and job development within the downtown and station areas while limiting development on sensitive habitats, such as river and creek frontages, in other parts of the city.  Locally, this would help integrate the station into the community to help achieve the General Plan’s quality of life goals while supporting the region’s investment in the SMART commuter rail system.

Presently, the Cloverdale station area is comprised of low-density and low-intensity development.  Within the half-mile radius of the transit station, the eastern half mostly encompasses open space and a large lumber mill, and the western portion of the area is predominately residential with some neighborhood-serving commercial uses along Cloverdale Boulevard.  The eastern portion of the area has a potential TOD site and industrial area for potential job creation.  Current zoning classifications for the area include Downtown Commercial (retail and 20 units per acre mixed-use potential), General Commercial (retail and 20 units per acre mixed-use potential),  multiple family residential (16 units per acre potential), and single family (4 units per acre). However, additional retail and residential development is expected to intensify the intersection of Cloverdale Boulevard and Citrus Fair Drive, and the City is in discussions to assist in the relocation of the annual Citrus Fair so the fairgrounds can be used for mixed use housing within one half mile of the station.  The City is also expected to add a Transit Oriented Development zoning classification to encourage this type of development in key sites around the train station. 

The Cloverdale station has the potential to be integrated into the downtown and support alternative modes of transportation, but several changes and investments are needed. The major objective is to initiate SMART passenger rail. However, even without rail service, bicycle and pedestrian access from the downtown to the transit station needs to be provided.  This includes overcoming pedestrian barriers, such as providing access through a Caltrans sound wall along US Highway 101, which separates the station from downtown. 

Further changes are needed to make Cloverdale’s vision a reality.  Financial assistance is needed to relocate the Citrus Fair to make room for a potential mixed-use housing project.  Additionally, the City needs to encourage mixed-use development in the downtown wherever possible and to take advantage of the few available sites for high-density housing east of the freeway.  Lastly, the opportunity for job creation in the existing industrial area on the east side of the highway needs to be filled.  Collectively, these changes can contribute to an increased quality of life for residents in this community.

The vision for the Downtown Cloverdale/SMART Transit Station Project illustrates many aspects of a complete community by providing housing and transportation choices and proximity to local services.  The City will promote moderate-priced housing near the SMART rail station.  The City also plans to facilitate transportation choices in several ways.  First of all, the proposed housing densities will support regional and local efforts to bring SMART commuter rail service to Sonoma and Marin Counties.  Secondly, a station access and circulation plan for motorized, non-motorized, and transit access within the downtown and station area will be developed to improve access throughout the area and connect downtown to the transit hub.  Additionally, the design of the built environment will be maintained and improved to enhance the walkability and aesthetics of the area.  Collectively, these proposals provide examples of how a city can enhance housing and transportation choices that align with regional goals for creating a complete community.

Community Involvement

Through the station area planning process funded by ABAG and MTC, the City of Cloverdale plans to involve the community from beginning to end, including implementation.  The proposed plan will involve active outreach to residents within one mile of the station.  Merchant and neighborhood groups will also be engaged outside of traditional community meetings.  Community members will be asked for input on what is needed to encourage rail and bus transit use in the area.  They will also be asked for ideas about how to improve access to the station, including steps to make the area more walkable, as well as other possible transit options, such as shuttles. Through this proposed back-and-forth process with community members and groups, Cloverdale hopes to develop a precise plan that meets the needs of existing and future residents.