About the Rural Area

In 2003, the City's first General Plan recognized the unique character of the rural area, but street standards and processes were the same for both urban and rural areas. In 2007, as a result of extensive community outreach, the City adopted new Rural Road Improvement Policy and Standards documents. The policy established a value-based approach for incremental road improvements. The standards established unique road improvement design standards for rural areas, including standards for street and intersection design, lighting, signage, screening, and noise reduction.

From 2014 to 2015, in response to community interest in increased safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians, the City conducted additional community outreach to further gauge the level of support for non-motorized mobility improvements in the rural area. Outreach included a mail survey, a public mobility forum, and community-led outreach focused on individual street segments. Read about the outcomes of this process here: Mobility Outreach Process & Results