Growth planning in the area with flood protection not even making the minimal 100 year level continues.
Making the commitment to obtaining a 500 level of flood protection, which building the Auburn Dam would bring, continues to appear the wisest economic decision for local regional leadership, not to mention that of protecting the life and property of those who would suffer most from a major flood, which Sacramento is the least protected from of any major river city in the country.
Building in N. Natomas? Slow going
County has pushed city to move on developing 'joint vision' area.
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, September 17, 2007
Under pressure from Sacramento County, the city of Sacramento is inching toward opening up thousands of acres north of the city to development -- an idea approved in concept by both governments five years ago.
The city is studying which land would be most valuable if kept as open space. It also has begun looking at what it would take to provide utilities and other urban services.
Scott Mende, the city's new growth director, said an environmental review of the proposed development should be finished by the end of 2008.
For months, county supervisors have pressed the city to move faster. Some of them say that if the city refuses to annex the land north of Elkhorn Boulevard for development, the county might go ahead and permit building itself.
"I have patience, but let's see how long that patience will last," said Supervisor Jimmie Yee. "I'm not saying there's a timeline. I'm just saying, 'Hey we should be moving a lot quicker than we are.' "
His comments reflect the county's frustration with the city's slow implementation of an agreement on the future of rural Natomas, a deal announced with considerable fanfare in 2002.
