T
he Sonoma County Board of Supervisors took a step forward on a $32 million real estate deal aimed at building and buying new office space for approximately 1,700 employees. A majority of the board members voted to authorize staff to file a public notice of plans to buy office space at 3850 and 3880 Brickway Blvd., near the county's regional airport outside incorporated Santa Rosa.

    The two Brickway Blvd. buildings will be part of an increasingly contentious plan that includes purchasing a third building nearby on Aviation Boulevard and constructing a new five-story building on the county's main Santa Rosa campus, estimated to cost $434 million. Some officials have characterized the plan as a "generational" move, with Public Infrastructure Director Johannes Hoevertsz stressing a sense of urgency to buy the buildings now.

    Supervisor Chris Coursey was the lone "no" vote, citing concerns about the process and potential impact on employees and constituents who need to access services. Supervisor David Rabbitt recused himself due to conflict-of-interest accusations from the county's largest employee union.

    The proposal has raised questions about whether the county is shifting a significant portion of its presence to the airport area and how thoroughly staff looked at other available buildings. If the entire project moves forward, about 800 employees would remain on the current campus, while about 925 would move to the area near the airport.

    The Brickway buildings can hold 525 employees across 126,585 square feet and will house departments providing high-volume public-facing services. The purchase price of the buildings, combined with estimated $15 million in improvements, totals $84 million. County staff propose using savings from the deferred maintenance fund or a bonding mechanism to finance the project.

    County officials have struggled for years to settle on a plan to replace aging facilities on its main campus, plagued by seismic concerns, faulty sewage systems, and leaky roofs. The board will vote on a purchase and sale agreement in May.