October 31, 2023

Sacramento Group October 2023 Newsletter

Fall is a great time to see our migratory birds, and cool enough to enjoy more outdoor activities!

In This Month's Edition

Regional Transit Update – Relax and Ride!
The Natomas Project – A multi environmental group effort to preserve farmland & habitat
Continuing our role as watchdogs on development-Visiting threatened spaces
Outdoor Activities

Let’s Support Sacramento RT – ride and relax as service expands!

Two of our Executive Committee Members (ExCom), Bradin Heimbach and Barbara Leary, met with Henry Li, General Manager and CEO of Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) and his staff to learn about their expanding services and to propose an additional service to increase ridership. One of the key goals of the Club, as evidenced in our comments on the County and City Climate Action Plans, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the greatest contributor to climate change and poor air quality. Increasing the use of public transit and greatly reducing the number of cars on our roads and freeways is critical to this process. Our group has sent a number of letters to support grant funding for SacRT which were awarded for modernizing their rail cars and platforms.

Light rail ridership was markedly diminished during the pandemic restrictions and to date the ridership has reached only about 65% of the pre-pandemic numbers. SacRT is in the process of making significant improvements to aid boarding and comfort with the purchase of a number of new, low platform cars, and modernization of the platforms making it easier for riders to enter and exit the trains.

RT will be increasing service between Folsom and Downtown Sacramento with an additional segment of double-tracking to allow for every15 minute service by mid 2024. Additionally, 3 “peaker” trains from downtown to Sunrise during commute times will be scheduled. Other areas of improved service include better bus service along the Stockton Boulevard corridor in Sacramento, a street-car project in conjunction with Sutter Health Park, and a shuttle service between Elk Grove and UC Davis . ExCom member Bradin Heimbach has been advocating for a similar shuttle service for the many Siemens employees in the South Area and is now working with the company on a plan to partner with SacRT for employee transit to work.

It’s time to ride! Check out SacRT for more info and service schedules!

Supporting the Work of the ECOS Natomas Project Team

Open land in Natomas is under threat of development. Again.

The original vision of urban expansion into the Natomas Basin was a balance of economic development, agricultural land, protected habitat, community services, offices, and residences. This balance was federally required to secure federal funding for flood prevention. This balance is on the verge of being lost.

NorthPoint Development has proposed an Airport South Industrial Project consisting of five warehouses totaling over 6,600,000 square feet, with “services”, such as a gas station and fast food, on 450 acres of farmland south of I-5 and adjacent to the canal that feeds into Fisherman’s Lake. Fisherman’s Lake contains critical habitat for protected plant and animal species (e.g. Swainson’s Hawk and Giant Garter Snake).

Though the acreage is outside of the City limits, the developer has requested that the area be added to the City’s Sphere of Influence in order to receive City services. However, the City Council has never agendized the project proposal and has had no oversight on the process to date, hence there has been no opportunity for public input.

Two other massive housing projects, Grand Park and Upper West Side, are proposed in the Natomas area farmland, also in areas with no City or County services. If approved, all three projects will create a loss of 8,191 acres of farmland and open space. We are working with the Natomas Project Team to stop the Airport South Industrial Project and prevent a precedent setting action which could lend support to the even larger projects.

In order to stop this project, your help is needed – contacting Sacramento City Council members and County Supervisors with your comments on the Environmental Impact Report when it’s published in early 2024 will demonstrate that constituents oppose this development.

Learn more about the Natomas Campaign and how you can help!

Visiting the Lands We are Committed to Protecting

“Kassis” Property

Our Executive Committee recently toured two of the sites which we’ve been working hard to protect – there’s no substitute for an on-site visit to fully understand the importance of the cultural, habitat, recreational, and aesthetic values of these areas.

Our first stop was at the site known as the “Kassis” property, now owned by a developer, some of the last remaining 20 acres of open space and critical habitat along the American River in Rancho Cordova. The City is reviewing the development application to build 440 homes on this and the adjoining property, with a decision to support or deny the project coming soon. We anticipate a challenge if the plan is approved. To keep up to date and help support the retention of this natural space, please see Save the American River and Preserve the American River websites.

Scott Road

Our second site visit involved a drive along Scott Road in the South east area of Sacramento County which consists of rolling hills, streams and wetlands, grasslands/savannah, and oak forests. This site is the subject of a proposed 2,000+ plus acre industrial scale solar farm which will result in massive grading to flatten hills, loss of important habitat, and the removal of over 800 Blue Oaks which are known to sequester large amounts of carbon. Our group has been following the progress of the proposed project for almost two years now – we are still awaiting the environmental documents to obtain a better picture of the final proposal and impacts. We are hopeful that a less impactful site for the facility will ultimately be chosen. STAY TUNED!