August 29, 2025
Friends – after the head-spinning events of last week, here is a summary of what happened and links to media coverage as well as a status of all the projects proposed outside the USB in the Natomas Basin. The Bee has published a series of articles about Upper Westside. They are listed below; select one and write a letter to the editor.
Proposed Upper Westside Project
The Board of Supervisors cancelled their meeting and their vote on the project that was scheduled for August 20, 2025. The vote on Upper Westside is “continued to a date uncertain”.
The City sent their official letter of opposition to the Board of Supervisors on August 19 and we hope this pause means that the City and the County are going to work together AND observe the agreements that have governed development in the Natomas Basin for the last 30 years.
We think that the Supervisors will wish to vote on this project soon, but we are not sure how they will treat the City’s objections or all the objections raised by you in your letters and comments on the agenda item.
The Rally was GREAT!
Six media outlets, Lisa Kaplan, Karina Talamantes, and about 100 to 120 neighbors and residents of Natomas participated. Several residents and our speakers were interviewed. Find interviews and photos of the event in “Links” below . Check out the photos for yourself and your neighbors.
Thanks to you all who shared this information, used social media, posted flyers and emailed friends so that we had such a good turnout. And thanks to the residents of Garden Highway and the Garden Highway Community Association who organized the Rally, made the signs, did terrific outreach and made it happen.
WE (all of us together) have demonstrated strong, educated and technical opposition. Perhaps it is making the Supervisors think harder about this project than they planned. However, they could schedule a vote at any time.
Proposed Airport South Project
This project has not been voted on by the City, we anticipate a vote in October.
Proposed Grandpark Southwest and Grandpark Trails
Both projects have started the review process of potential environmental effects, as part of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), by reaching out to agencies that will be involved in the review process They held formal Notice of Preparation meetings and the agencies will provide comment. Both of these projects have numerous similarities to Upper Westside, including a reliance on City water.
Links
Media Coverage of the Rally
- Sacramento County delays Natomas housing vote after community pushback, ABC 10 video
- Sacramento County postpones vote on Natomas Housing Project, KCRA 3, video
- Many great photos of Rally participants and an article on the Facebook page of N Magazine – thank you Dennis Spear!
- Sacramento City Council formally opposes Upper Westside Natomas development, Capital Public Radio article
Debunking the “We-Need-More-Housing Myth” – This article in the Bee explains why we do not need to permit more greenfields for development to meet housing demand in Sacramento! See the article here.
Take Action
A Sacramento Bee’s editor, Tom Philp, has written a series of terrific articles about Upper Westside, history, issues, process and more. Read his Opinion pieces here and write a letter to the Bee editors expressing your opinion on one of the issues raised or simply, thank them for these excellent articles. The articles listed are saved together in date order, here.
- “Sacramento Supervisor Phil Serna Chickens Out of Facing Natomas Neighbors” August 20, 2025
- “Why Approving a Bad Mega-Project in Natomas Won’t Add to Regional Housing” August 19, 2025
- “Why the Supervisors Will Say Yes to a Horrible Sacramento Housing Project” August 18, 2025
- A Huge Sacramento Project has no Water yet it is up for a Vote. Why” August 11, 2025
- “Sacramento Fights Back and Opposes the County’s Terrible Natomas Project” August 12, 2025
- “Will Sacramento challenge the county on sprawling northward? It’s time “ August 8, 2025
- “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, Republished August 1, 2025
Write a Letter to the Editor of the Bee
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. The more letters that are submitted, the greater the chance of one being published – so – write something!
What’s Next?
We’ll wait until we know when the next vote is scheduled and then will again ask for your participation in letter writing, attending hearings and submitting comments.
Photos in this post taken by Monika Lee and Dennis Spear
