Tag Archives: Sphere of Influence

ECOS in the News and Good News

January 9, 2026

Early this month, ECOS received a lot of well-deserved media coverage for standing up to developers in Sacramento County on three separate projects.

PROJECT UPDATES

Coyote Creek

In a nice start to the new year, SMUD backed away from the Coyote Creek agrivoltaic project in eastern Sacramento County. The developers could still build if they can find a buyer for the power, but ECOS and the California Native Plant Society are maintaining their lawsuit to void the special use permit approved by the County. The decision received considerable media attention and links are provided below. There are two other lawsuits as well, filed by the Wilton Rancheria, and the California 4 Wheel Drive Association (Cal4Wheel), American Sand Association, and BlueRibbon Coalition (OHV groups).

ECOS and its partners, Sierra Club, 350 Sacramento, California Native Plant Society, Sacramento Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, California Wildlife Foundation, Central Valley Bird Club, Third Act, and Sierra Access Coalition are grateful for the depth of opposition you brought to the Board of Supervisors.

Upper Westside Project

In December, the County sent out the Partially Recirculated Draft EIR. Public comment is due Jan 27, 2026. The document highlights two changes made to the Draft EIR. The Natomas Central Mutual Water District (NCMED) is introduced as a potential domestic water supply source. Its primary customers are agricultural. Change to the traffic circulation network is also proposed, including traffic calming on San Juan Rd to discourage through traffic on Garden Highway and El Centro Rd.

In opposing this project, ECOS is partnering with nearby neighbors and residents, including the Garden Highway Community Association. Links are provided below to a recent Bee article and to the Revised Draft EIR.

Airport South Industrial Project

The City Council voted 5 to 2 in December to approve this project. ECOS, Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk and Sierra Club filed lawsuits against the City. They had previously filed a lawsuit against LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission). The lawsuits are necessary because, instead of LAFCO and the City representing differing interests, they are designated as “co-lead agencies” of the project, a clear conflict of interest. LAFCO will vote on the project again this spring.

What Can You Do?

Help pay for the lawsuits. There is no magic donor waiting in the wings. The donations you give to ECOS are paying for this good work. Your contribution of $25 or $500 is much appreciated and needed. There can be no lawsuits without your donations. Donate here.
PS. If not you, who?

LINKS

This week, ECOS and your opposition to these projects, received a remarkable amount of media coverage. Please take a look. Google topics to get the latest as suggested below – as I write, we continue to give interviews.

Coyote Creek

Sacramento Bee, Jan 5, 2026: SMUD ends power deal for Coyote Creek solar project tied to environmental suit
Capital Public Radio, Jan 7, 2026: SMUD cancels agreement to purchase power from Coyote Creek solar project

Click here for more news on Coyote Creek.

If you google “Coyote Creek News” you will see reporting by ABC 10, Fox 40, The Business Journal, Abridged and CBS Sacramento, among others.

Upper Westside

Sacramento Bee, Dec 17, 2025: Sacramento County still lacks reliable water as Serna loves a bad project

The Revised Draft EIR (600 plus pages) is available here.

• Comments are due January 27, 2026
• Send them to Julie Newton, Environmental Coordinator Department of Community Development, Division of Planning and Environmental Review 7th Street, Room 225, Sacramento, 95814.
• Or via Email: CEQA[at]saccounty[dot]gov

Airport South Industrial

Both the Sacramento Business Journal and the Sacramento Bee wrote articles about the lawsuits against the City, LAFCO and Northpoint on January 6, 2026. ECOS posted them here but you may need to google “Airport South Industrial News” to avoid paywalls. CBS News, Hoodline and Fox 40 have also provided coverage.

Thank you for being part of ECOS and supporting us. If you are more comfortable paying for an ECOS membership, than donating to our legal funds, please, join ECOS here. Your membership helps pay our staff and other costs.

Environmental groups file lawsuits against 440-acre project near Sacramento airport, January 6, 2026, The Sacramento Bee

By Mathew Miranda | January 6, 2026 | The Sacramento Bee

The lawsuits, filed on Dec. 30 and Monday against the city and developer NorthPoint Development, allege that the Sacramento City Council unlawfully approved the project’s environmental impact report last month. The development, known as the Airport South Industrial, would build warehouses, hotels and restaurants in an unincorporated area of Sacramento County.

Click here to read the article in full.

Sacramento County still lacks reliable water as Serna loves a bad project, December 15, 2025, The Sacramento Bee

By Tom Philp | December 15, 2025 | The Sacramento Bee

For months, Sacramento County has been advancing a 25,000-resident community north of downtown in Natomas without a confirmed water supply. Its new solution is a supply that was slashed by 82% in the last drought, yet the county is assuming that the ugly effects of modern-day climate change will never happen again.

Click here to view the article in full.

Airport South Industrial – What’s Next?

December 5, 2025

On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the Sacramento City Council voted to annex the 475 acres of farmland for the Airport South Industrial Project, allowing warehouses to be built next to residences and a school. They also approved the Environmental Impact Report. The vote was 5 – 2 with Karina Talamantes and Mai Vang opposing.

We at ECOS are deeply disappointed and you probably are too. The City requested and the developer agreed to some changes to the plan, which will make the project a little better for human neighbors, including an increased setback. For plants and wildlife, the project will be a disaster.

Loss of open space in the Sacramento Regions seems to be a theme. Open spaces in the Sacramento Region are not being protected by our elected officials, regardless of agreements, plans, rules, conventions and community action.

For example, on November 18, the Board of Supervisors approved the Coyote Creek agrivoltaic project in eastern Sacramento County. Thousands of oak trees and sensitive habitat will be lost to a project that could be moved.

On December 2, the City Council approved Airport South Industrial, allowing warehouses to be built next to residences and a school.

In addition, in Natomas, another 7000+ acres are under threat of development. These range from rice fields north of Elkhorn Blvd (Grandpark Southwest and Grandpark Trails) to the “Boot” area along Garden Hwy (Upper Westside Project).

For both Coyote Creek and for Airport South, the Sacramento community stepped up to show our opposition. There were 155 speakers at the Coyote Creek hearing. 193 people wrote comments to the City Council about Airport South Industrial and 1550 signed a petition opposing it. Thank you all.

Your participation enabled us to get a better hearing. The strength and persuasiveness of the opposition had an impact on Airport South Industrial and the level of attention paid to it by the City Council.

What’s Next?

  1. The City and County are working out an agreement on tax sharing for the project and the income it will generate. The agreement is scheduled for discussion at the City Council on Tuesday, December 9.
  2. Next spring, possibly in March, the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission will vote on whether or not the City can annex the land and provide City services. We expect them to vote to approve.

Take Action

Your support is needed – ECOS has staff to pay, stamps to buy and lawsuits to fund – you get it. We really need your donations. Our next step is a lawsuit to get a judge’s opinion on whether the City’s process followed the law. It is not cheap and we need donations to keep it going. Please give. Donate here.

In the News

Fox 40 segment on the City Council meeting
Sacramento Bee article about Airport South Industrial City Council Vote
Sacramento Bee article about Coyote Creek Board of Supervisors Vote

Thank you for your support and participation in opposing the loss of open space in our region.