It's no secret that I live in North Natomas and that I'm concerned with the development in the area. We fell for the big lie in 1999 and now we're stuck. But the big lie just gets worse as weeks go by and suddenly we're left considering turning our house into a rental just to get out of here. Is that really what's best for the city? For the neighborhood?
The latest thorn in my side is the hugely ugly eyesore that Pardee Homes has left on the corner of Del Paso and Gateway Park. A big concrete wall advertising Natomas Meadows, a chainlink fence surrounding the entire development and pipes sticking up everywhere. They didn't even stick around long enough to finish the road damage caused by their heavy machinery. Eight houses sit very lonely in the middle of all the mess, with lights on full-time burning up kilowatts for nothing.
According to the Sac Bee, Pardee Homes decided not to play the game anymore and shut the development. Since they couldn't charge the exorbitant and outlandish rates of two years ago, they mothballed the whole thing. They reassured the Bee that they'll be back when they can make more money and they'll finish the development.
In the meantime, those of us still here are stuck with the damaged road and the hideous fence to stare at every day driving to work. It's all a big reminder of the big lie.
Showing posts with label North Natomas development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Natomas development. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Dear Mayor Fargo, you have really done it now
This morning I opened up the Bee to find an article that has had me grinding my teeth for three hours. I am so mad I could spew! Thank you Mary Lynne Vellinga for getting out what I've been complaining about since we moved to North Natomas in 1999. The North Natomas community plan was a farce designed to make the city look like good planners. Don't believe me? Read the Grand Jury Report.
Somehow all the lies of Lennar and the promises of the city have slipped the councilmembers and the mayor's minds. I have ranted extensively about the lack of police substation, the unfinished parks, the rezoned school land that disappeared. But Mayor Fargo has outdone herself this time.
Quoting from the Bee article "While she frequently hears complaints about a lack of police services, Fargo said the area has much less violent crime than many other city neighborhoods."
Seriously North Natomas residents, your mayor just told you to stop whining because people don't die here.
I ran the crime stats myself this morning from 8/1/2007 to 9/30/2007. The area classified as North Natomas had 194 crimes, 22 assaults. East Sacramento had 240 crimes, 19 assaults and Land Park had 119 crimes, 10 assaults. Yes... the data suggests that we are faring better than Oak Park or Del Paso Heights.
But when I bought my house, I wasn't promised that it'd be better than Oak Park.
We bought our house in Natomas Park in 1999 on a PROMISE from the city that it would be the most amazing development in all of California and even maybe all of the west coast. We gave up a nice house in East Sac, near everything, including the light rail to work. We were promised regional parks, bike and walking trails, great schools, a light rail line, public transportation and walking commercial centers.
According to the article, planning director Carol Shearly says "We were cautious about overburdening the development with fees because we really wanted it to get started." So the city didn't bother to make sure that all the promises they and Lennar were selling, were actually funded. They didn't stop Lennar from publishing their fancy brochures with all the wonderful amenities. Mayor Fargo and Ray Tretheway talked up North Natomas like a new Disneyland- everything you could want and more.
Knowing full well that they were unfunded and that many things, like the police substation and community centers, had been taken off the table long long ago.
Councilman Tretheway says "I talk to a lot of average people. They love Natomas. They're going crazy over it." Seriously Mr. Tretheway, do they live here? I love my neighborhood but I wouldn't say that anyone I know is "going crazy over it." Afraid to walk to school? yes. Afraid to walk around at night? yes. Afraid of getting hit in one of the disastrous parking lots? yes. But going crazy? That's a major leap of faith.
Ms. Vellinga's article points out that the city decided the grand jury report used outdated information. That is correct, but that was the entire point of the grand jury report. The city did not follow the original community plan; they simply changed it at will. Many of us bought our houses based on "outdated information."
To Mayor Fargo:
Now I'm mad. You have a reelection campaign coming up. I'm throwing my money, time and energy behind someone else. I'll be knocking doors and ringing phones for another candidate who perhaps won't be so overburdened by the job. You are no Joe Serna.
Somehow all the lies of Lennar and the promises of the city have slipped the councilmembers and the mayor's minds. I have ranted extensively about the lack of police substation, the unfinished parks, the rezoned school land that disappeared. But Mayor Fargo has outdone herself this time.
Quoting from the Bee article "While she frequently hears complaints about a lack of police services, Fargo said the area has much less violent crime than many other city neighborhoods."
Seriously North Natomas residents, your mayor just told you to stop whining because people don't die here.
I ran the crime stats myself this morning from 8/1/2007 to 9/30/2007. The area classified as North Natomas had 194 crimes, 22 assaults. East Sacramento had 240 crimes, 19 assaults and Land Park had 119 crimes, 10 assaults. Yes... the data suggests that we are faring better than Oak Park or Del Paso Heights.
But when I bought my house, I wasn't promised that it'd be better than Oak Park.
We bought our house in Natomas Park in 1999 on a PROMISE from the city that it would be the most amazing development in all of California and even maybe all of the west coast. We gave up a nice house in East Sac, near everything, including the light rail to work. We were promised regional parks, bike and walking trails, great schools, a light rail line, public transportation and walking commercial centers.
According to the article, planning director Carol Shearly says "We were cautious about overburdening the development with fees because we really wanted it to get started." So the city didn't bother to make sure that all the promises they and Lennar were selling, were actually funded. They didn't stop Lennar from publishing their fancy brochures with all the wonderful amenities. Mayor Fargo and Ray Tretheway talked up North Natomas like a new Disneyland- everything you could want and more.
Knowing full well that they were unfunded and that many things, like the police substation and community centers, had been taken off the table long long ago.
Councilman Tretheway says "I talk to a lot of average people. They love Natomas. They're going crazy over it." Seriously Mr. Tretheway, do they live here? I love my neighborhood but I wouldn't say that anyone I know is "going crazy over it." Afraid to walk to school? yes. Afraid to walk around at night? yes. Afraid of getting hit in one of the disastrous parking lots? yes. But going crazy? That's a major leap of faith.
Ms. Vellinga's article points out that the city decided the grand jury report used outdated information. That is correct, but that was the entire point of the grand jury report. The city did not follow the original community plan; they simply changed it at will. Many of us bought our houses based on "outdated information."
To Mayor Fargo:
Now I'm mad. You have a reelection campaign coming up. I'm throwing my money, time and energy behind someone else. I'll be knocking doors and ringing phones for another candidate who perhaps won't be so overburdened by the job. You are no Joe Serna.
Monday, July 9, 2007
What went wrong in North Natomas?
This is the second in a series of blogs reviewing the Sacramento County Grand Jury report.
Anybody who has been in Sacramento more than 15 years remembers that North Natomas is farm land. It used to flood on purpose to protect other neighborhoods. A few people were brave enough to live here, but that was mostly farmers maintaining their agriculture land. That is until 1983 when the Kansas City Kings and other developers began filing for land development entitlements. With the Kings, came more development. And so the story of the insanity of North Natomas begins...
The city amended the 1974 general plan in 1986 to allow development in North Natomas. The new North Natomas Community Plan (NNCP) required open space, recreational space, mixed use land, infrastructure and a jobs to housing rate of 60%. In theory, the area would be "one of the must livable communities in the region and a community that serves as a model for the rest of the nation." (North Natomas Transportation Management Association Literature) The community would develop with smart growth principles, public transit, walkability and grow the village concept where neighbors can walk to work and to stores.
30 years later, the Grand Jury has found that almost none of the original NNCP has taken place. North Natomas has grown dramatically since the development of the plan in 1986 and yet we are still without:
* A police substation
*Numerous planned parks, including the regional park central to the village concept
*Bus service to the west of I-5
*Sidewalks that lead to Inderkum High School and Natomas Middle School
*Light rail to downtown and the airport
What did North Natomas get out of the deal?
*Monstrous shopping centers that are unwalkable and draw major congestion to the area
*Dangerous bike trails that pop out onto streets with no warning
*Loss of the 250 foot buffer at Fisherman's Lake
*Mandatory flood insurance
My 2 cents:
It's time for the city to review the original NNCP and determine exactly what the goals for the area will be for the next 10 years. As a resident of North Natomas, I bought into the village idea, the regional park, the live/work concept and the theory that the levees had been upgraded and we were now 'safe'.
At the bare minimum, North Natomas deserves adequate police protection and the same response time as the rest of the city. Beyond that, the residents deserve to know the truth about the plan for the area, including how much of the development rests in the hands of the Maloofs, Lennar and the "arena plan."
Anybody who has been in Sacramento more than 15 years remembers that North Natomas is farm land. It used to flood on purpose to protect other neighborhoods. A few people were brave enough to live here, but that was mostly farmers maintaining their agriculture land. That is until 1983 when the Kansas City Kings and other developers began filing for land development entitlements. With the Kings, came more development. And so the story of the insanity of North Natomas begins...
The city amended the 1974 general plan in 1986 to allow development in North Natomas. The new North Natomas Community Plan (NNCP) required open space, recreational space, mixed use land, infrastructure and a jobs to housing rate of 60%. In theory, the area would be "one of the must livable communities in the region and a community that serves as a model for the rest of the nation." (North Natomas Transportation Management Association Literature) The community would develop with smart growth principles, public transit, walkability and grow the village concept where neighbors can walk to work and to stores.
30 years later, the Grand Jury has found that almost none of the original NNCP has taken place. North Natomas has grown dramatically since the development of the plan in 1986 and yet we are still without:
* A police substation
*Numerous planned parks, including the regional park central to the village concept
*Bus service to the west of I-5
*Sidewalks that lead to Inderkum High School and Natomas Middle School
*Light rail to downtown and the airport
What did North Natomas get out of the deal?
*Monstrous shopping centers that are unwalkable and draw major congestion to the area
*Dangerous bike trails that pop out onto streets with no warning
*Loss of the 250 foot buffer at Fisherman's Lake
*Mandatory flood insurance
My 2 cents:
It's time for the city to review the original NNCP and determine exactly what the goals for the area will be for the next 10 years. As a resident of North Natomas, I bought into the village idea, the regional park, the live/work concept and the theory that the levees had been upgraded and we were now 'safe'.
At the bare minimum, North Natomas deserves adequate police protection and the same response time as the rest of the city. Beyond that, the residents deserve to know the truth about the plan for the area, including how much of the development rests in the hands of the Maloofs, Lennar and the "arena plan."
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