This month both the City Council and Board of Supervisors meetings include the Upper Westside Project. Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to attend. Please note that the topic of the City’s August 12 meeting has changed dramatically.

City Council to Take a Stand on Upper Westside

Tuesday, August 12th, 2025 at 2 PM, City Hall, 915 ‘I’ St, Sacramento. Agenda here.

The City Council will discuss a Motion authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver a letter addressed to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors expressing the City Council’s opposition to the Upper Westside Specific Plan.

Please attend to express your opposition to Upper Westside!

NOTE: If passed, the City’s resolution would be precedent setting for the Grandpark projects also.

Read the City’s analysis of the Upper Westside Project. Page 5 of this document summarizes the critical topics of water and transportation.

How to Participate

In person – Come to City Hall at 915 ‘I’ Street, enter council chambers, and submit a speaker slip to provide in person public comment on Agenda item #8. When your name is called, you will have 2 minutes to speak. You can also hold a sign/piece of paper stating “No on UWSP”.

E-Comment – You can provide electronic comment here. Reference Item # 8 on the Agenda. Your comment will go to all members of the City Council. See “Talking Points” below.

Possible vote by Board of Supervisors on Upper Westside Project

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote to approve or disapprove the UWSP on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 2 PM, 700 H St, Sacramento. However, the Board will not publish the agenda for this meeting until August 13, after the City Council vote. Please keep this date on your calendar – an update will follow.

Learn more about the Upper Westside Project and Share on Social Media

Video – Natomas residents and homeowners will be negatively impacted by this project. In this video local residents speak out about their opposition to the project. Put it on social media!

Articles in the Bee – Sacramento Bee editor, Tom Philp, has been writing about UWSP and City and County agreements. Read his four recent Opinion pieces here:

• Phil Serna isn’t sticking up for Natomas Schools in a development showdown” August 7, 2025
• “Supervisor Phil Serna has disrespected Sacramento’s role in growth. Why?” August 4, 2025
• “Supervisors want sprawl to the Sacramento river?” Republished August 1, 2025
• “Do you want Sacramento to look like Orange County? It Could Happen.” Republished August 1, 2025

Write a Letter to the Editor and reference one of these articles. Submit it here. You are only allowed 150 words and letters are only published on Sundays.

Put these articles on social media too.

Talking Points for August 12 or for e-comment

• State where you live. (All City Council members will vote and need to know that their constituents support the Resolution).
• Thank you and please vote FOR this resolution against Upper Westside
• The City and County must work together. Please observe and respect existing agreements as described in the City’s analysis.
• Do not allow the County to destroy the careful balance of urban development and habitat conservation in Natomas.

Write a few sentences about why this issue is important to you. Possible topics:

• I oppose further development on greenfields in our region
• I oppose urbanization of farmland by City and County
• Climate change demands we stop urban growth and focus on infill as per the City General Plan
• Respect current urbanization boundaries and the air quality plan.
• We have an obligation to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species in Natomas
• Open space is a high priority for people and quality of life – keep the balance of farms and habitat in Natomas

Thank you for your support and for joining us in opposition to these projects. We need 200 people at the meeting on August 12th. See you there.

Flyer – Please Share!

August 14, 2025

The Board of Supervisors will meet Wednesday, August 20 at 2 pm, 700 H St, Sacramento  to vote on whether to approve or deny the Upper Westside Project.  This is despite the City Council resolution opposing the project.  Plan to attend.

Take Action

1.  Contact your supervisor directly – make a personal call or email directly to your supervisor to urge a NO vote on Upper Westside. To identify who your supervisor is and their contact information go here.
2. Write to the Board of Supervisors – send your comment to: BoardClerk[at]saccounty[dot]gov
3. Sign the petition to the Supervisors opposing Upper Westside.  Let’s get 500 more signatures in the next week….

Points to Include

State where you live.  (All five Supervisors will vote and they need to know that their constituents oppose this project).

Vote NO on the Upper Westside project.

Do not destroy the careful balance of urban development and habitat conservation in Natomas.

State why this issue is important to you!

See the Board of Supervisors Meetings list for the Agenda (item #3)  for August 20.  See the Supporting Documents also.

Remarkable City Council Vote

On August 12, 2025, the Sacramento City Council met and voted to pass a resolution (eight to one) opposing the County’s proposed development – the Upper Westside Project.  This is a unique stand for the City to oppose a County project. However, City staff enumerated a compelling list of reasons ranging from water supply to services and roads, to congestion and flood preparedness. 

The City also reviewed the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan and other agreements in place between the City and County such as the Natomas Joint Vision.  These agreements will be part of the review process of any development proposed in the County, including the two proposed Grandpark projects.  The City has brought the importance of these agreements into sharp focus.

Next,Mayor McCarty will transmit the City Resolution to Board of Supervisors Chair Phil Serna. The City will seek consultation on the issues.

Links

Read a  news article in the Sacramento Bee about the August 12 City Council meeting. 

Watch a recording of the City Council meeting on August 12.

Read the City’s analysis of the Upper Westside project.

Check the Board of Supervisors Meetings list for the Agenda (item #3)  for August 20.  See the Supporting Documents also.

Learn more about the Upper Westside Project and Share on Social Media

Videos – Natomas residents and homeowners will be negatively impacted by this project.  In this video local residents speak out about their opposition to the project.

See and share this wonderful video “Grassland Birds of Natomas” created by Natomas high school student and board member of the Sacramento Audubon Society.

Articles in the Bee – Sacramento Bee editor, Tom Philp, has been writing about UWSP and  City and County agreements.  Read his Opinion pieces here.

Write a Letter to the Editor and reference one of Tom Philp’s articles. Submit it here.   You are only allowed 150 words and letters are only published on Sundays.

Put the Bee articles on social media.

It is very important for us to keep up pressure on the members of the Board of Supervisors.  Email and call them, and, attend the meeting on the 20^th.

August 4, 2025

Neighbors of the proposed Upper Westside Project speak out in opposition to the project. The project will pave 2000 acres of farmland and habitat for residential and commercial development. The project’s western boundary is Garden Highway and next to the Sacramento River. Learn more about this project, see maps and news articles and join us in opposing it – www.stopgardenhwymegadevelopment.com and https://tinyurl.com/SacOpenSpace.

UPDATE 8/19/2025 5:28pm – The vote for Upper Westside scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 2pm has been cancelled by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The date of the vote is now uncertain; therefore, you do not need to attend the meeting tomorrow.

Let the Supervisors know you oppose the project.

August 19, 5:30 pm, Community Rally.  Westlake Park, 4700 Westlake Pkwy.   Gather with your neighbors, the media, and local elected officials to show the strength and unity of our opposition.  Local resident, Supervisor Phil Serna, has been invited to hear your concerns. Come and be counted.

August 20, 2 pm, Supervisors Vote.  700 H St, Sacramento.  The Board of Supervisors will vote on the Upper Westside project.  The City of Sacramento has passed a resolution opposing the project.  Come, speak and/or bring a sign.

Now. Read the Sacramento Bee article published today (Monday, August 18, 2025) about the personal relationships behind the Upper Westside project.

Today.  Write your supervisor and express your opposition.  We need two supervisors to vote NO – your supervisor needs to know that constituents don’t want this development.

Today. Write an e-comment to the Board of Supervisors before they meet to express your opinion

 Links:

• Learn more about the Rally – Protect North Natomas
• Write a comment to the Board of Supervisors at BoardClerk[at]saccounty[dot]gov
• Contact your supervisor – make a personal call or email directly to your supervisor to urge a NO vote on Upper Westside. To identify who your supervisor is and their contact information go here.
• The Sacramento Bee has published a series of articles by Editor Tom Philp on the Upper Westside project.  They expose the weaknesses, background and history of development in the Natomas Basin.  Read his Opinion pieces here.

Friends, we need a big turn out at tomorrow’s Rally and the Supervisors’ vote.  If you can’t make it to one, go to the other.  You have a voice in local government.  You have a voice in what Natomas looks like in the future.  Use it.  Thank you.