Predictions for Elk Grove 2015; Do You Have Some?
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2015/01/predictions-for-elk-grove-2015-do-you.html
January 3, 2015 |
2014 is in the books and 2015 lies ahead. What will the new year bring to Elk Grove?
Will Mayor Gary Davis succeed in replacing appointments made to the Elk Grove Planning Commission made by former Council Members Jim Cooper and Sophia Scherman? And if so, who will be appointed?
Can Davis and Elk Grove Council Member Steve Ly succeed in bringing new private sector jobs to the city as both promised during their successful 2014 elections? Or will Davis push forward with his infrastructure agenda, and if so, what public-works projects will the mayor get approved and initiated?
Other questions worth pondering include whether or not the city will succeed in landing an expansion Major League Soccer club and start construction on the $100 million stadium? Will the proposed aquatics center featuring an Olympic sized pool and 10 meter diving platform sink or swim?
Will a final design and construction of a Veterans hall actually start? If the aquatics center and Veterans Hall both proceed, how will both be funded?
There are several things to consider such as will the Howard Hughes Corporation restart construction of the Outlet Collection at Elk Grove or will it be stalled indefinitely because of the lawsuit filed by M&H Realty Partners? How about the Southeast Policy Area, SEPA - will a final master plan be submitted and approved, and if so, what will its elements include?
We invite readers to make their predictions in the comments section of this story. Or, if you really have something to say, submit your predictions to news @ elkgrovenews.net and they will be considered for posting as a stand-alone piece.
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Former Elk Grove Planning Commissioners Tim Murphy (l) and
Brian Villanueva (in red) at the November 5 LAFCo meeting.
Villanueva spoke in favor of term limiting public member
Christopher Tooker's position on the board.
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From our perspective, we believe 2015 will see the resurrection of the city's sphere of influence (SOI) application with Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). Admittedly, this is not a bold prediction, but should the city succeed this time around, it will have significant implications for the residents of Elk Grove.
After the SOI rejection by LAFCo in late 2013, the city withdrew its application before a formal vote was taken, thereby saving the cost and time of having to prepare another multi-million dollar environmental impact report.
Many Elk Grove city government observers at the time of the rejection and to this day are of the mind that the city took this action to keep the current application and wait for a more favorable LAFCo board. Indeed, at the November 5 LAFCo meeting, steps were taken to ensure one of that board's most vocal critics of Elk Grove's SOI, Christopher Tooker, would no longer serve as a public member.
Beyond that, given the historical influence home developers have in the city and the vast sums of money they have showered on city council members, it logically follows what the home developers want, the home developers get. So while annexation and new home constructions in the SOI is still several years off, construction of the Southeast Connector is a crucial piece of this puzzle, we fully expect to the SOI to resurface in 2015.
Remember, it is just a planning tool!
Beyond that, given the historical influence home developers have in the city and the vast sums of money they have showered on city council members, it logically follows what the home developers want, the home developers get. So while annexation and new home constructions in the SOI is still several years off, construction of the Southeast Connector is a crucial piece of this puzzle, we fully expect to the SOI to resurface in 2015.
Remember, it is just a planning tool!
Posts
6 comments
Here’s my take on the Sphere of Influence (SOI): The application will be back and probably sooner rather than later. But the mystery is will the application be resubmitted in its original format with the floodplain included? The affected landowners will probably most certainly advocate for it to be put back in. Most have stayed involved by supporting city council members who definitely support their position -- see 460's.
And if the floodplain is included, will we see a resurrection of the Wilton Action Group (WAG)? After the floodplain was successfully removed from the SOI, with active Elk Grove residents taking up their cause, WAG seemed to retreat to Wilton; never to be heard of again.
And to EGN, thank you for filming the rally so that we all can revisit Gary Davis’ position on the floodplain. But as we have come to hear over and over when elected officials’ minds change, “That was then, this is now.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xlJG5hIVXo
Prediction
1. MLS- writing on wall
2. Olympic aquatics- after the bidding city will figure it will cost 35% more -- more delays
3. Vets hall- 50/50. Then a bunch of crotchety boozers will be smokin' out front and back and the Del Webbers will complain the crown jewel is tarnished again
4. outlets- delayed -litigation. 2019: mediocre stores trickle in slowly: far cry from Nordstrom and Sacks and Coach.
Who were the appointments made to the Elk Grove Planning Commission by Cooper and Scherman? Believe he tried to replace Mr. Maita with Ms. Scherman a couple of years ago and that didn't work...no doubt
Ms. Chaires will be on his list this year.
Anon.22:55....Del Webbers will be supporters of the Vets Hall. They're on to bigger things like the ARCO Mini Mart now being planned. Bottom line is...the city and developer could care less how that community is impacted. Oh they'll patronize them with pretty words, but inwardly chuckle. It's all about the almighty dollar in their war chest.
anon 7:54 Chaires was appointed by Cooper and Maita by Scherman. Davis wants his own people in there and wants to exact a measure of revenge on Chaires, IMHO. For the Mayor, he has to deal with Detrick and Hume. It will be interesting to see is Suen goes along with Davis or Detrick and Hume. That will be an early indicator. And yes, the city could care less about what the people think. That is reality.
Yep, host Mayor Gary Davis wants to put up Frank Maita and Nancy Chaires to be “Chopped.” But the thing is the host doesn’t have the final say, it is the three judges. Steve Detrick, Pat Hume and Darren Suen will have the final say. Steve Ly is still trying to figure out what those three rezones were all about at the last council meeting. Man did he look lost!
Question to Davis: What have Maita and Chaires done to be on the chopping block that Sparky Harris, George Murphey and Kevin Spease have not?
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