McMansions and the General Plan / A Chance to Weigh In

All of California is experiencing a housing shortage and a tight real estate market. Sacramento and its established neighborhoods like Land Park, Curtis Park and East Sacramento aren’t immune to change. The pressures of rapidly increasing housing values are affecting them in both positive and negative ways. Here in East Sacramento two new housing developments are being built. Existing houses that go on the market are often remodeled or torn down to build houses suited to current tastes. Often these houses differ greatly in scale and design from surrounding existing houses. If you are concerned by the changing character of our existing East Sacramento neighborhoods, and the potential impacts of the new neighborhoods being created, you will soon have an opportunity to voice your concerns.

The City of Sacramento began updating its 2040 General Plan this summer. The entire process will take about two years to allow for public involvement and environmental review, with the goal of completion in 2020. Specific areas being addressed that impact East Sacramento will be updates to our Community Plan, and developing community issues. Adjustments to allowable building heights, densities and floor area ratios will also be considered.

Alongside the General Plan Sacramento will also be creating a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We should make sure that the city also addresses the climate change effects of increased runoff/flooding from severe storms in the combined sewer/storm drain system in east Sacramento and other neighborhoods. The City has issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) and Scoping Meeting for the City of Sacramento 2040 General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan.

If you’d like to be involved in the process of updating the General Plan your first opportunity is the public Scoping Meeting, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Sacramento City Hall, 915 I Street, Room 1119, Sacramento, CA 95814. The scoping meeting will be conducted as an open house with a brief presentation at 5:45 p.m. Participants can drop-in anytime and there will be an opportunity to submit written comments on the scope of the environmental analysis.

If you can’t attend, the comment period is from January 28, 2019 to February 28, 2019. Written comments on the scope of the MEIR will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Please submit comments to:

Scott Johnson, Senior Planner Community Development Department 300 Richards Boulevard, Third Floor Sacramento, CA 95811 Email: srjohnson@cityofsacramento.org