‘Unnecessary’: Sacramento residents react to Natomas Basin development plan | Opinion
Stop development project
“Sacramento River at risk in Natomas Basin development plan,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 1)
Why is Supervisor Phil Serna protecting one river but destroying another?
We live beside the Sacramento River — an ecologically vital waterway that lacks the protections, access and restoration funding given to the American River. Serna champions the American River Parkway but offers no similar advocacy for the Sacramento River.
Now, he supports the Upper Westside, a project that would pave over 2,000 acres of habitat, farmland and open space. This harms both wildlife and residents who’ve spent years stewarding this fragile corridor.
Where is the Sacramento River Parkway Advisory Committee? Why aren’t we investing in riparian restoration, invasive species control or public access? Why is development prioritized while foxes, otters and bobcats are forced into shrinking habitat? This spring alone, two otters and three foxes were roadkill.
The Board of Supervisors must stop this project.
Melanie Herman
Sacramento
Protect Natomas’ farmland
“Sacramento River at risk in Natomas Basin development plan,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 1)
Urban sprawl often leads to increased traffic congestion, longer commutes and a higher cost of living. I don’t want Sacramento to become Roseville or Elk Grove. Rather than expanding into our precious farmland, we should focus on building walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Only 38% of the world’s land can be used for farmland.
Sacramento touts itself as the “farm to fork” capitol, but now city leaders want to get rid of our farms?
Once they are completed, suburban developments are the best they are ever going to be. After that they decay and cost the city more because they never adapt or grow, never allowing more people to move into a neighborhood. Encouraging mixed-use zoning for current existing areas would allow for affordable housing options that are sorely needed, especially for low-income residents who are often priced out of traditional suburban developments.
Amanda G Forester-Burnitt
Sacramento
Protect open spaces
“Sacramento’s Natomas Basin faces growth vs. habitat clash,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 1)
I moved to North Natomas from San Diego, a beautiful city with lots of open space. That open space existed largely because we had the Pendleton Marine Corps base preventing San Diego from being absorbed by sprawling Orange County.
In this region, there is plenty of current warehouse space for lease, especially near the airport. Please do not approve unnecessary projects that will remove agricultural land, destroy wildlife habitat and add transportation pollution.
Barbara Walter
Sacramento