Panel urges denial of North Natomas project

Sacramento planning commissioners Thursday recommended the city deny a proposal by developers Angelo K. Tsakopoulos and Woodside Homes to build 3,500 houses and apartments on land west of the current city limits.

The 5-3 vote by the Planning Commission came despite a recommendation from city staff that the Greenbriar project be approved.

Commissioners cited a variety of concerns, including the loss of prime farmland, the lack of a federally approved habitat mitigation plan and the project's hemmed-in location at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 99.

The Planning Commission vote was an unusual bump in the road for a project that city officials had placed on a separate, speedier track from other proposed developments in the unincorporated portion of North Natomas.

Greenbriar's first hearing at the City Council is scheduled for Dec. 11.

Local transit officials have been among the forces driving the annexation. A planned light-rail line to the airport would run through Greenbriar's 577 acres, and Sacramento Regional Transit maintains the densely packed development would produce enough potential riders to help secure federal funding.

The Sacramento Area of Governments, meanwhile, has endorsed Greenbriar as an example of growth that follows the Blueprint, a voluntary growth strategy adopted by its member governments. The Blueprint includes development on farmland – called "green field" development – but aims to keep it relatively close to job centers.

"While it may be a green field project, it's a better green field project than what would happen if you said no," said Scot Mende, the city's new growth manager.

Planning commissioners didn't buy some of these arguments, however.

"Greenbriar is a green field project, and the city has committed to prioritizing infill projects, which is a better use of resources, focuses development on the urban core, and controls sprawl," planning commissioner Jodi Samuels wrote in an e-mail message Friday. "To approve Greenbriar would be to go against the city's vision and stated priorities."

Commissioner Michael Notestine, partner in a local planning and architecture firm, said he doesn't think the far-off prospect of a light-rail line can be used to justify building on farmland now.

"The underlying assumption is that it's going to get us the light-rail line to the airport. But when? RT was there last night and they said it's going to be seven years before we can get across the American River. It doesn't make sense."

Phillip R. Serna, project manager for Greenbriar, called the commission's vote "unfortunate."

"We're looking forward to being in front of the council and explaining the merits of the project," Serna said. "It remains unfortunate that the Planning Commission decided they couldn't support a Blueprint project."

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