Should Sacramento County pave over almost 2,000 acres of Prime Farmland that is outside the Urban Service Boundary, not planned for by the Blueprint, and was supposed to be permanent agriculture according to the Natomas Habitat Conservation Plan? We think that’s a terrible idea!
There is an opportunity to comment this Thursday – if you agree it’s a bad idea take a few minutes and send in your thoughts – https://www.ecosacramento.net/2024/09/natomas-meeting-with-natomas-community-planning-council-cpac-10-3-2024/
Here are a few highlights you might want to include:
- This project would destroy farmland that we need to be the Farm to Fork Capital. SACOG’s CROP report has found that in 30 years (1988-2018) Sacramento County has converted more than 73,000 acres of ag land to urban uses – an area larger than the entire City of Sacramento (63,852 acres). It specifically calls out the Upper Westside project as destructive to Prime Farmland and indicates the mitigation requirements are inadequate.
- This project is outside of the Urban Services Boundary and should not be considered. The Sacramento County General Plan states the Urban Services Boundary ” is intended to be a permanent growth boundary not subject to modification except under extraordinary circumstances.” Those circumstances do not exist and any project outside of the USB is inconsistent with many General Plan policies.
- In June 2024, SACOG adopted the 2025 Blueprint Land Use Assumptions, which do not include this project as an area to be developed. Therefore, approving this project is inconsistent with our regions Sustainable Communities Plan and risks non-attainment of greenhouse gas reduction targets along with a loss of transportation funding.
- The Natomas Basin HCP was predicated on land outside the USB remaining undeveloped. Starting to develop this land is incompatible with the protections put in place through the HCP and the analysis provided in the DEIR is lacking details on the impacts to the HCP.
Sacramento Park City 