Neighborhood in Santa Rosa · Sonoma County
McDonald Historic District
McDonald Avenue’s large Victorian homes are part of a wider Santa Rosa district that also includes smaller bungalows, duplexes and small apartment buildings.
Victorian homes on McDonald Avenue and smaller houses on surrounding streets.
About McDonald Historic District
McDonald Avenue’s large Victorian homes are part of a wider Santa Rosa district that also includes smaller bungalows, duplexes and small apartment buildings. Spring Street and Saint Helena Avenue have a different housing scale from the avenue’s landmark houses. Historic renovation guidelines apply, and Pacific Market is a nearby grocery option beyond the mapped district.
The avenue and surrounding residential streets
The McDonald district includes more than the large houses on its namesake avenue. Santa Rosa’s preservation guide describes a progression from Victorian homes along McDonald Avenue to later bungalows on Spring Street and Saint Helena Avenue. The zoning code also identifies duplexes and small apartment buildings alongside predominantly one- and two-story single-family homes.
The City’s district description includes medium and larger lots, alleys and houses whose front entries face the street.
Windows, porches and renovation plans
The City’s historic-property guide gives specific design guidance for additions, porches, siding and replacement windows. Window and door replacements are expected to respect the originals’ configuration and detail; additions are assessed for their relationship to the existing building’s scale, materials and roof form. These considerations matter for a purchase involving substantial exterior work, including energy-efficiency upgrades that would change windows.
A grocery option outside the district
Pacific Market lists its Santa Rosa store at 1465 Town and Country Drive, a nearby grocery destination outside the mapped McDonald district. The operator links online shopping and sandwich ordering from the store website.
District designation and a property address
The City’s preservation page links its district map, project exemptions and Landmark Alteration Permit process. The historic district name is useful for locating homes, while the property’s designation and proposed work determine the review required. Interior work is outside the historic alteration permit process but may still need building permits.
Neighborhoods and districts near McDonald Historic District
The closest neighborhoods and districts in Santa Rosa, measured center to center.
- Under 1 miCherry St Historic DistrictCherry Street’s historic homes sit just north of downtown Santa Rosa, with larger Victorian houses, smaller bungalows and rear garages reached by narrow driveways.
- 1.0 miRidgway Historic DistrictRidgway’s older homes lie between College and Ridgway Avenues, west of Mendocino Avenue.
- 1.0 miSt. Rose NeighborhoodLincoln Street’s bungalows sit within a residential neighborhood beside downtown Santa Rosa that also includes larger historic homes, duplexes and small apartment buildings.
1.1 miBurbank Gardens Historic DistrictBurbank Gardens is a residential district south of downtown Santa Rosa, with small bungalows, cottages and some duplexes and apartments.- 1.4 miWest EndWest End combines older cottages and bungalows near downtown Santa Rosa with DeMeo Park and DeTurk Round Barn Park.
- 1.5 miOlive ParkOlive Park is a residential neighborhood west of US 101 and north of Highway 12, with older houses, rear garages and a public park sharing its name.
Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information
Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.
Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.
- The avenue and surrounding residential streetsSanta Rosa Zoning Code — McDonald Avenue districtSource checked District building types and lot character checked against the City code. These are area descriptions, not measurements or availability for a particular home.
- The avenue and surrounding residential streets; Windows, porches and renovation plansCity of Santa Rosa — historic property guidelines, April 2025Source checked Municipal account distinguishes McDonald Avenue’s larger homes from later bungalows on Spring Street and St. Helena Avenue. Renovation information comes from the window, porch and addition guidelines; parcel-specific exemptions and permit levels still apply.
- A grocery option outside the districtPacific Market — Santa Rosa store listingSource checked The operator lists its Santa Rosa store at 1465 Town and Country Drive. The store is nearby, outside the mapped residential district.
- District designation and a property addressCity of Santa Rosa — historic preservation map and permit processSource checked Current municipal overview and linked district map. No conclusion about approval for a particular property or renovation.