In this story from today’s Bee County Supervisors reject halting development, acknowledging its inevitability and, let us hope, will follow this direction with one that ensures the areas affected are fully protected from flooding, and, in addition to strengthening levees and raising Folsom Dam, agree to support the building of the Auburn Dam.
Here is an excerpt.
County rejects building delay
Board wants to consider risks behind levees on case-by-case basis
By Carrie Peyton Dahlberg -- Bee Staff Writer Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Sacramento County should not impose any delay on development behind potentially questionable levees because it doesn't know enough about how strong levees might be or who would be affected, county supervisors agreed Tuesday.
Instead, the county should consider possible flood risks on a case-by-case basis, look into whether flood insurance could be required for some projects and delay any broader decision until it knows more.
That consensus, reached without taking a formal vote, means the fate of lands behind Delta levees may only become clear bit by bit, as developers come forward with plans to put another 40 homes here or 50 there.
How the county will handle the much faster-growing Natomas basin also remains in limbo, with supervisors vowing to closely cooperate with the city of Sacramento, which is holding off taking any stand at least until it sees state and federal comments on a new levee study.
The delays may only postpone tough choices for communities that could face a significant risk of flooding, Supervisor Roger Dickinson warned his colleagues.
"There is a real threat, and we can't ignore that," he said. The county could endanger its citizens and increase the likelihood of state-imposed building restrictions "if we choose to push this off interminably, ignore it, hope it goes away."
