A Wild Waterfront Shaped by Community-Led Design
Situated in the center of downtown Petaluma, this park space is poised to become a vital resource for outdoor recreation, local events, neighborhood programming, and vital connection to nature. Petaluma River Park will serve the community with a vibrant, inclusive, and accessible outdoor place that fosters a love of nature, sparks creativity, and unifies the urban waterfront region for generations to come.
The park design is informed by three key drivers: Nurture Nature, Connect for Success + Uplift Community.
- Nurture Nature: Petaluma River Park should protect and restore nature. 80 percent of the parkland will be native habitat. Tidal marsh restoration, vernal pool enhancements, shoreline stabilization, and native plantings – all combine to enhance local biodiversity, respond to climate change and serve as a model of habitat restoration and sea level rise resilience.
- Connect for Success: New trails and bridge will improve active transportation routes and access to the Petaluma River for locals and visitors.
- Uplift Community: Petaluma River Park will be a welcoming, shared place for everyone to gather and celebrate the richness of the community – places for arts and culture, play, fitness, and gatherings of all sizes.
The Final Plan is the result of the “Dream It” Planning Phase devoted to fully understanding the opportunities and constraints of the site and engaging the community in a collaborative planning process. Now, we enter the “Build It” Phase, targeting construction to begin in 2027 and grand opening in 2028.
