Development activity within the Town of Windsor has been robust for the last few years and continues to be the case. Overseeing the development activity is a dedicated group of 3 Engineers, 3 Technicians, and 1 Inspector in the Development and Permits division of the Public Works Department.

The division is responsible for the plan check and inspection of all public improvements associated with development projects within the Town, starting from the referral phase through construction. The group also reviews and inspects private improvements in grading, drainage, and stormwater management.



In 2023, there were 63 active projects in various phases of design and construction. The group also processed 60 building permit submittals, 161 encroachment permits, 60 maintenance permits, and 114 transportation permits.

The work required of this group involves a substantial amount of coordination with other Town departments and divisions within Public Works. Project coordination begins early in the referral phase and requires coordination with the Community Development Department (CD). Meetings are held with CD staff and the applicant’s team to discuss many aspects of a project during the initial design phase. As plans are submitted, the process enters a plan review phase and when construction begins the process enters an inspection phase. In addition, on most residential projects, there is a subdivision map required. The Development and Permits division is responsible for coordinating the review of subdivision maps which is usually performed by outside consultants.

The processing of encroachment permits is also an important task managed by this division. Any work performed in the public right-of-way or on Town-owned property requires an encroachment permit. In the public right-of-way, traffic control is an important component of an encroachment permit. This division reviews Traffic Control Plans to ensure that they are designed following applicable state and federal codes and regulations.

Public Works Inspection is also a very important task managed by the Development and Permits division. The Inspector is responsible for making sure that all construction of infrastructure is performed to Town standards and any applicable standards of the State of California or other agencies. After construction is completed, the Development and Permits division makes recommendations to the Town Council to accept the public improvements.

The Development and Permits division of the Public Works Department is a very cohesive group that works as a team to see a project from concept to the project punch list being finalized. “I am very proud of this group with their dedication and quality of work in reviewing and processing multiple projects concurrently,” says Carl Euphrat, Senior Civil Engineer who supervises the group.

The County of Sonoma Department of Emergency Management (DEM) will conduct a SoCoAlert test exercise in the Town of Windsor on Wednesday, February 28. The SoCoAlert test exercise will include Windsor’s four (4) evacuation zones and eight (8) surrounding Sonoma County unincorporated evacuation zones bordering the Town. 

The Evacuation Zones included in the test exercise will be:

Windsor Evacuation Zones:

WI-A, WI-B, WI-C, and WI-D

Unincorporated Sonoma County Evacuation Zones:

SON-2K3, SON-2L6, SON-2N1, SON-3B1, SON-3C1, SON-4A1, SON-4A2, and SON-4A3.

The SoCoAlert test will let emergency officials assess how the alert and warning system performs in reaching residents in the Town of Windsor and the additional designated zones in Sonoma County. This exercise will allow community members to experience a test of the county's alert and warning system. 

To register with SoCoAlert visit

https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/sign-up/socoalert/.

Not registered with SoCoAlert but have a utility billing account with the Town or a PG&E account, the SoCoAlert test will be pushed to your landline or listed phone number on the account. Updating contact information is important and encourage you to contact Utility Billing at (707) 838-1004 or by email at [email protected].

For more information and review a PowerPoint with details visit Windsor SoCoAlert test – February 28.  

The latest weather system threw a mighty punch with wind gusts of up to 31mph and heavy rain at times. This caused hazards in and around the community from flooding, downed trees, widespread power outages, and road closure due to a toppled power pole. 

A big thank you to the staff at Public Works especially to the Streets Division, a small but mighty group of 4 employees that held their own, day and night to monitor, address, and remove hazards from the roadways. To the staff at the Wastewater Treatment Plant who modified operations with generators and held steady working on limited resources during the power outage. To the Maintenance division for stepping up and assisting with debris removal and assessments. To Operations who coordinated efforts and communicated as events unfolded to ensure the Windsor community was safe when the weather system blew through. We are proud of our team and the unwavering dedication they show during events such as this. 

As we move on and prepare for the next event, this is a perfect opportunity to remember the importance of being prepared and knowing who to call or the resources available when an emergency occurs.   Be Windsor Ready! Have a plan, know your zone, and be safe. 

The Windsor extension and station construction is underway. SMART’s contractor Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. will begin grading between Aviation Blvd and Shiloh Road starting February 21 to March 6. This phase of work is in preparation for the construction of the railroad tracks and the bicycle/pedestrian pathway. 

To receive construction updates, sign up for the Windsor Station Newsletter.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Through California’s Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), many low-income residents behind on their water or sewer payments have already received hundreds or even thousands of dollars in financial support to help pay current or past due bills.

Households that participate in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or that have a household income below 60% of the state median income for California families are income-qualified to get support through LIHWAP.

If your water bill is part of your rental payment, qualifying for LIHWAP is still possible.

Don’t Miss Out. Apply Today!

To find out if you qualify for help paying your current or past due water or sewer bill, go to Paying My Water Bill (ca.gov) to learn more.

Summer Nights on the Green Pledges are due Friday, March 22, 2024

The annual summer concert series and family movies on the Town Green are back for 2024! These events are made possible in part by our generous sponsors. Market your business or organization in the heart of the community to over 60,000 enthusiastic concert and moviegoers on the beloved Windsor Town Green.

Call (707) 838-1260 or visit Sponsorship Information for concert sponsorship information and

2024 Family Movies on the Green Sponsorship Packet for family movie sponsorship information.

The Town of Windsor Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting applications for funding requests from non-profit organizations that benefit the Town of Windsor community through human service programs.

The grant program guidelines for fiscal year 2024/2025, and the application is available online. Please visit the link below for additional information and direct access to the application.  https://www.townofwindsor.com/1077/Non-Profit-Grant-Program

Windsor Ready! Talk Series is a new pilot program at the Town’s Windsor Senior Recreation Center (WSRC) to prepare, educate, and assist our senior community. Each month, Windsor COPE will facilitate an interactive discussion showcasing the steps to prepare for and be ready during and after an emergency, disaster, or unexpected life event. 

The Talk Series for in-person participation and by registration, seating is limited. The Talk Series will be recorded and made available to all by visiting the Windsor COPE Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WindsorCOPE/ or Windsor COPE YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@windsorcope492.

Communication through General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

Free GMRS Radio Training on February 25 at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building. 

To learn more visit https://www.nosocert.org or sign up at https://bit.ly/GMRSTraining

Water Reuse Projects in Windsor

On January 20, Daily Acts and the Town hosted a Water Reuse Community Tour right here in Windsor. Ten residents gathered on a rainy day to draw inspiration from water reuse and capture projects around town. The group visited sites harvesting rainwater, practicing laundry-to-landscape, and implementing native plant landscaping and rain gardens.

All of these projects are great ways to reduce the use of potable water and prevent runoff during rain events. To learn more about these kinds of projects and how to get rebates for your own projects, visit Water Conservation.

The Town of Windsor is pleased to be offering a new rebate for the removal of artificial turf when replaced with water-wise landscaping. This is a new addition to our Water Efficient Landscape Rebate, which offers $1/sq ft up to $1500 for replacing natural turf with water-wise landscaping.

The rebate will now be available for removal of both artificial and natural turf. Artificial turf causes significant increases in surface temperature, does not support local biodiversity, and requires watering for cooling down and cleaning the surface. Our goal at the Town is to promote native landscaping practices that are not only water-wise but also create healthy soil and diverse habitats for our local pollinators.

To learn more about receiving a rebate for removing your artificial turf, please visit https://www.townofwindsor.com/1417/Water-Efficient-Landscape-Rebate. And to learn more about the harmful impacts of artificial turf check out Nix Artificial Turf for Native Plants and Get a Rebate! (youtube.com). 

The Town of Windsor is looking for talented people.

For information on open positions, click here for the full list. If you have questions about working for the Town, please reach out to our Human Resources team at [email protected]. 

Join our team! Go here to apply.

Here are some public meetings and workshops we would love for you to participate in. For more information on the agenda, click on the hyperlink to the corresponding meeting of interest. You can always find more meeting information on the calendar on the Town website homepage. 

Council Meetings - first and third Wednesday of each month at 6PM.

• February 21

Planning Commission Meetings - second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30PM.

• February 13
• February 27

Parks and Recreation Commission - second Wednesday of every month at 6PM.

• February 14

Public Art Advisory Commission - fourth Wednesday of each month at 4:30PM.

• February 28

Senior Citizen Advisory Commission - quarterly, on the third Tuesday at 2PM.

• TBD