How should Sacramento County grow? Supervisor candidates talk climate change, sprawl
Candidates for a rarely open seat on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors struck similar themes in a climate forum this week, saying they will push for cleaner skies, smarter growth and greater environmental equity if elected.
The Tuesday event sponsored by the Environmental Council of Sacramento brought together District 5 county supervisorial candidates Elk Grove City Councilman Pat Hume; former Elk Grove Unified School District Trustee Alex Joe; former Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly; and Cosumnes Community Services District Director Jaclyn Moreno.
Candidates weighed in on the county’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030; how to reduce emissions and relieve traffic congestion; and how to manage sprawl amid demand for more housing. Each called for more investment in electric vehicles and public transit to reduce greenhouse gases as well as smarter development to stall sprawl.
The district encompasses Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, Galt, Isleton and much of unincorporated south Sacramento County. Sacramento County’s fifth district supervisor seat is open for the first time in decades. After 28 years, county Supervisor Don Nottoli is retiring after his current term ends this year.
Climate change
Hume, the longtime Elk Grove councilman, said Sacramento County must move to incorporate more green-energy sources to reach Sacramento County’s 2030 carbon neutrality target. He added the electric grid must also be improved to better deliver power to residents and businesses.
Moreno, who touted her Cosumnes district’s 2020 climate action plan that aims to reduce vehicle emissions, conserve water and reduce waste, said land use should be a tool to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and get closer to the county’s climate goals.
Moreno called for increased infill and mixed-use development closer to goods, services and transportation as ways to control sprawl.
She also called for the development of a countywide bus rapid transit plan “to get folks moving and to get cars off of the road making sure that ridership is easy, efficient and reliable.”
Moreno would also support an urban growth boundary and broader conservation efforts.
Former Elk Grove mayor Ly said more urgent action is needed to reach the county’s climate goals.
“Enough of the rhetoric and let’s start doing it,” Ly said, pointing to the county’s Kiefer Road landfill: “We can’t keep burying trash and hope that it’s going to go away,” he said. “We bury it today and drink it tomorrow. We need to look at landfills and explore the possibilities of green energy.”
Ly added that Sacramento County should look to other countries for innovative ways to combat waste while renovating and electrifying its fleet services.
Former schools Trustee Joe said carbon-neutral programs should “reflect the needs of the community” while encouraging communities and residents to do the simple things that promote conservation.
Equity in environmental planning
Candidates said the county must work harder to address environmental equity. Joe warned of industrial and traffic pollution clusters in the county’s underserved neighborhoods. Moreno said county leaders need to listen to those residents.
“It’s really important to talk to the people who are most affected by the challenges that are going to come down the road with climate change,” Moreno said. “That means not only including their voices on what will be coming their way but also including their voices in the solution.”
Hume said the county must use planning and zoning more effectively to “put people where they live and where they want to be closer together;” and to remove barriers to reinvestment in economically struggling areas.
Hume touted his experience on the boards of regional transportation commissions that are working to extend light rail and passenger rail service to Elk Grove as well as his work with other regional leaders on the Capital Southeast Connector — the planned expressway linking Highway 50 to Interstate 5.
Ly said Sacramento County should work to ensure its biggest polluters are kept in check, while finding ways to provide housing for the county’s unhoused: “We can’t afford to be inhuman to those who are living in the streets unhomed.”
Sacramento sprawl
The candidates also addressed concerns over sprawl. Moreno echoed her call to employ smart land use policy to mitigate climate’s effects: “We don’t need more development in green spaces,” she said.
Joe encouraged mixed-income developments as a way to alleviate sprawl, saying “sprawl has to be checked. Sacramento has areas under construction and built out where it’s far removed from services.”
“Smart growth is key,” former Mayor Ly said, pointing to Elk Grove as a possible county model. “It starts with how and why you would want to expand beyond your boundaries.”
Hume said avoiding developing on sensitive agriculture land and wildlife areas should be a top priority for the county; but added that other unincorporated areas of the county provide an opportunity to build more affordable single-family homes.
“I think we have to plan better. We have to be smart about it with as long a lens as possible and respect our agricultural roots,” Hume said.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 5:25 AM.
.JPG)