The best increase of water is through the Auburn Dam, raising Folsom, and increased conservation of existing water.
Sunrise Douglas project dealt setback by court
Water supply dispute could halt development
By Mary Lynne Vellinga and Todd Milbourn - Bee Staff Writers
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, February 2, 2007
The California Supreme Court on Thursday threw a wrench into Sacramento's growth machinery that could halt the 18,000-home Sunrise Douglas development under construction in Rancho Cordova.
In a 6-1 ruling, the justices found that Sacramento County erred in 2002 when it approved Sunrise Douglas, one of the region's largest development projects, which fans out from the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and Douglas Road.
The county's environmental analysis failed to nail down long-term water sources for the thousands of new homes -- which have thus far relied on well water -- and did not adequately assess the potential effect that additional groundwater pumping would have on the nearby Cosumnes River, the court found.
Environmental groups that filed the lawsuit and Sunrise Douglas developers disagreed about whether the ruling would result in a work stoppage on the residential project, where nearly 2,000 homes have been built since 2002. Both sides agreed the decision has statewide implications.
"They clearly are trying to set a precedent for the whole state," said lawyer James Moose, who represents AKT Development and other Sunrise Douglas landowners. "The gist of their ruling is that when you approve a large land-use plan, you should identify all the water sources needed for the build-out of that plan."
