Rohnert Park is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, located approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco. The estimated 2006 population was 41,083. It is an early planned city modeled directly after Levittown, New York and Levittown, Pennsylvania. Rohnert Park is the sister city of Hashimoto in Japan.

Geography

Rohnert Park is located at (38.347174, -122.695378) . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.43 square miles (16.7 km²), all of it land. In actuality, there is a small man-made reservoir called Robert's Lake at the north end of the city and a number of diverted creeks running generally east to west.

Hydrology

Riparian communities within the city are limited by past channelization of creekbeds. Every creek within the Rohnert Park City limits has been channelized into straight east-west channels which traverse the City. Important drainages include the Laguna de Santa Rosa, which forms the southern border of the City with the City of Cotati, Copeland Creek, Hinebaugh Creek, Crane Creek and Five Creek. Spivock Creek, Coleman Creek, Wilfred Channel, and Labath Channel are man-made channels designed to drain surface waters from the City of Rohnert Park.

Vegetation alongside the City's streams primarily consists of grass and sedge species. The Laguna de Santa Rosa contains bands of thick native riparian vegetation, including various willow (Salix spp.) and alder (Alnus spp.) trees. (Earth Metrics, 1990)

Geology

The Rodgers Creek Fault is an active fault influencing seismicity in the Rohnert Park area,(USGS, 2005) along with risks of the slightly more distant, but better known San Andreas Fault.

Biology

Sudden oak death fungus risks are present in the Rohnert Park area. Certain research studies are ongoing at the nearby Fairfield Osborn Reserve. (Sonoma State University, 2000)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 42,236 people, 15,503 households, and 9,797 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,564.5 people per square mile (2,534.6/km²). There were 15,808 housing units at an average density of 2,457/sq mi (949/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.28% White, 1.97% African American, 0.78% Native American, 5.58% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 5.72% from other races, and 5.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.57% of the population.

There were 15,503 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $51,942, and the median income for a family was $61,420. Males had a median income of $41,757 versus $31,149 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,035. About 3.2% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those over age 64.

Politics

In the state legislature Rohnert Park is located in the 3rd Senate District, represented by Democrat Carole Migden, and in the 6th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jared Huffman. Federally, Rohnert Park is located in California's 6th congressional district.

History

Originally home of the Coast Miwok native people, the Mexican government granted Rancho Cotate to Captain Juan Castenada in July of 1844 for his military services in the region. The grant encompassed present-day Penngrove, Cotati and Rohnert Park. "Cotate Rancho is a part of the Vallejo Township which is the plain between Sonoma Mountain and Petaluma Creek San Pablo Bay, and an east and west line dividing the tract from Santa Rosa Township."

Rancho Cotate was sold in 1849 to Dr. Thomas S. Page, of Cotati, and eventually broken up and sold off piecemeal to incoming settlers. ref name="DeClercq" />

In the year 1956, only four adult residents lived within the district boundaries, but in 1957 with the 101 Freeway newly completed at the Cotati bypass, Rohnert Park began to be built and laid out as a planned city. In a summer election of 1962, Rohnert Park was incorporated, comprised of 1325 acre , housing an estimated 2,775 persons, the first town in Sonoma County to incorporate since 1905. The historic neighboring town of Cotati, California voted to incorporate the following year. <ref name="DeClercq" />

Education

The Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District serves the city. The city of Rohnert Park is home to Sonoma State University.

High schools

Rancho Cotate High School is the main comprehensive high school for both the towns of Rohnert Park and Cotati. Technology High School is a small high school located within the Sonoma State University campus.

Alternative Education consists of:

•Community Day School

•El Camino High School

•Phoenix High School

and Independent study.