Elk Grove to Host Saturday Morning Meeting to Discuss Proposed Sports Complex

July 2, 2015 | The City of Elk Grove will conduct a morning workshop on a proposed multi-sport complex next week at city hall. ...



July 2, 2015 |


The City of Elk Grove will conduct a morning workshop on a proposed multi-sport complex next week at city hall.

The workshop will discuss possible uses for the 100-acre Grant Line Road parcel the city purchased last fall. Phase one improvements could include up to 12 multi-sport tournament fields.  

City staff will provide a brief presentation and refined concept plans to assist with the discussion. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 11 in the city council chambers at City Hall. 

For more information about the workshop, please contact Jonathan Mitchell, Senior Engineer, at (916) 478-2234 or jmitchell@elkgrovecity.org. 



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21 comments

Anonymous said...

Is it possible for this city to just FOCUS on one thing and finish that before moving on to another costly project? A week ago it was the Railway property, Veterans are telling me the city plans to break ground on their building in October, Olympic Aquatics Center in coming up soon....plus more. Do the taxpayers realize the revenue bonds that are going to be placed on their heads & their childrens heads to pay those back?

Plus what's with the 9 a.m. meeting...most people are at work or in the very least trying to catch up with their weekly chores after a week at work.

Connie said...

First up, that is too early on a Saturday morning for many people and everything that goes on with kids.

Secondly and most importantly, that is the last day of Cal Ripken hosting a State Tournament. The 11th are the finals so I venture to guess it is going to be a very busy day for local youth baseball.

Youth baseball is certainly going to be a major stakeholder here, wouldn’t you think?

And to Anon above, that is the multi-million dollar question that has yet to be answered by the Elk Grove City Council: Where is all the money coming from to fund all these projects?

Is a taxpayer a "stakeholder"? said...

I'm sure the meeting will be stacked with soccer families (voters) and their soccer kids all dressed and ready to go before their Saturday morning games begin. Everyone is up for a free ride, expecting that the cost of the facility will be borne by all the taxpayers of Elk Grove--whether you ever use the facility or not. Just like the Pirannha swimmers who want their pool.

If the end users had to pay their actual fair share of the cost burden to pay back the revenue bonds, they surely would take a pass. These facilities will be big boondoggles to coddle special interests' parents to keep voting for the incumbent city council members--at all of Elk Grove taxpayer's expense.

Anonymous said...

To be fair no time is a good time for everybody. If it were a weekday people would complain, afternoon complain, evening complain.

From what I've seen baseball doesn't need to be present as these fields will be for soccer, lacrosse, and maybe football. Basically anything that's played on a square field. No baseball or softball diamonds are included.

As for the cooks in the kitchen. Yep, there are too many. As Lynn would say this is another feasibility study that ends up on a shelf.

I understand why the mayor and council members are pushing all these projects. The public wants to hear about Old Town being revitalized, an aquatic park, veterans hall, senior center, soccer field, baseball/softball fields, trails, public transit all being built or improved. The general public has no idea how these projects are funded nor do they care. They only hear the mayor talk about all these great things then punch his name at the ballot box. If one or more of these projects are completed the mayor will be looking toward higher office even if it leaves us holding the bag. KJ in Sac is the new model for mayors. Build one thing and move on before the citizens have buyers remorse.

Anonymous said...

Is this really our answer for JOBS or our councils for "building bling?" We could be like the guy who has the big house and the big truck that are all under water.

Anonymous said...

Binge spenders, borrowing and paying on credit. Debt creators - not job creators.

Anonymous said...

Elk Grove is well on its way to becoming Stockton II.

Anonymous said...

Something that has always amazed me is the cities practice of doing Feasibility Studies and there is never any mention of the fact that there is a risk factor to them too, but we never hear that mentioned. Do they rubber stamp a decision that’s already been made by the city? They predict the future and most of us know no one can reliably do that. They made assumptions to estimate the dollar-value increase in local business that would result from the project. So what happens if the feasibility study’s projections are wrong? How much more money does it cost taxpayers... how much risk is the City willing to subject taxpayers to? Before giving the nod to a project, the City should do more than refer to a feasibility study for justification, it should examine the study, kick the tires, and look under the hood. "Just the Facts, Ma'am."

Lynn said...

Another feasibility study..YEP... I would ask at the meeting; SHOW ME THE MONEY.

Our leaders are raising property assessment fees because they can. All new parks are being built on the ponzie scheme; got to build more homes to get the money to build parks in existing new developments.

The city has moved monies from our drainage fund(low interest loan) in the purchase of this property and the old town plaza property.

Our council has directed staff to sharpen their pencils to find money for all their policy goals and plans...Meanwhile our reserves are being piddled away with upfront funding of the infrastructure for our supposed first city mastered plan area of SEPA.(Here I thought I heard several times council brag about Laguna Ridge being the first master planned area...and so much better than any county approved plan for our city...hmmm would the county of approved the sun splash water park(oops excuse me Aquatic Center)

I wonder if Ms. Craig left our city because she ran out of pencils to sharpen and no more could be purchased out of the budget...

We are a city 15 years old. Ask our council members; since we became a city what has been your biggest accomplishment and contribution? What are you most proud of? I would like to hear from them. Hopefully they will not take credit for the ped bridge over crossing...our TRAIL COMMITTEE fought for this one for all of us. It was their dedication!!

I give credit to Sophia who tried on many occasion to get the soundwall on Stockton Blvd done. She did bring the Williamson Sidewalk...now our disabled and others do not have a dirt path to EG Blvd.

Connie said...

To Anon at 16:27:

From what I understand, it is not set in stone that all the fields are going to be rectangular. Who made that decision? How do you know that no baseball or softball diamonds are included?

If the fields are supposed to be multi-sport, I believe all youth sports leagues should have input here.

Anon 16:27 said...

Connie ~ At a council meeting in the past few months staff presented conceptual drawings of field layouts. All were rectangular shaped. Someone brought up the question of how are these fields "multi-purpose" when they all look like soccer fields. The response was lacrosse therefore it's multi-purpose.

Perhaps the plans have changed but at that time there was no discussion of softball or baseball diamonds. Perhaps they should buy some more land outside the city and do another feasibility study.

Furthermore, the plan is basically complete so this public meeting is useless. There will be no changes of significance based on public input. Book it.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps this January 28th item is what you're speaking of Anon. 16:27. In reviewing it I remember the sports fields did not allow room for spectators...hopefully that has changed. Looked like the fields basically ran east to west, another problem. Hopefully all that has changed.


http://www.elkgrovecity.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_109585/File/cityclerk/citycouncil/2015/attachments/01-28-15_10.1.pdf

Anon 16:27 said...

Yes, that's the council meeting. I watched the video again. "Multi sport" consisted of Soccer, Lacrosse, Rugby, and Football. I highly doubt much from the conceptual plan has changed nor will much change based on the public outreach meeting next week. Sure some minor tweaks and changes will be made but anyone looking for wholesale changes is sadly mistaken.

Anonymous said...

In reading the EG City Council Agenda for this Wednesday it seems this property is on the Consent Calendar for another agricultural lease for the cultivation of a winter hay crop commencing on August 1, 2015 and terminating on May 1, 2016. It also says... "The City’s Multi-Sport Complex, which is anticipated to be built on the Property, is currently in the design phase. Should the Multi-Sport Complex project proceed, construction grading for the project is anticipated to begin after May 6, 2016."

Surprise, surprise...Seems we're in another "phase."

http://www.elkgrovecity.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_109585/File/cityclerk/citycouncil/2015/attachments/07-08-15_8.11.pdf

Connie said...

I wouldn’t normally respond to anyone who posts under anonymous when they specifically post a comment addressed to me. However, I will this time because it speaks to what many have stated over the years at public comment including myself.

How many times have decisions been made by the Elk Grove City Council, past and present, that were “done deals” even before the public outreach has been conducted? I, for one, will continue to speak up regarding the process and that the public has a right to be included in the decision making. That is called democracy in action.

My point was that if Cal Ripken wants a seat at the table, and input on the youth multi-sports complex, they are entitled to one, as are all the other youth sports groups. When I started advocating for a sports complex back in 2006, it was for a soccer complex for purely selfish reasons. My niece played in the competitive league and we were always traveling to other cities for weekend tournaments. I wanted that for Elk Grove.

But for people who sit back and acquiesce because they believe it is a done deal, then they are subscribing to “we get what we get and we can’t throw a fit” when the outcome is against the majority of public sentiment.

There have been several examples of late when one person spoke up and the “done deal” was undone. Mike Monasky spoke out about the sister city fiasco and it was stopped dead in its tracks. A comment about the city taking over the parks and rec from CCSD was another one that was immediately rescinded when the public got involved after this news source videotaped the Council retreat and got exactly what was said on tape so there could be no denials.

So if people want to sit back, say and do nothing and continue to feed to the apathy, then so be it. I choose to exercise my one voice!

Anon 16:27 said...

Hi Connie,

I completely agree with you about baseball/softball being included but I don't think it's going to happen. I also think public involvement is very important. It's a hunch from what I've seen first hand with the city that few changes will be made.

As for posting as anonymous, I like the anonymity that comes on this forum. I often make my thoughts heard during council meetings where I can't comment as anonymous. :-)

Connie said...

Anon 16:27:

I can understand the anonymous postings and your reasoning. In some instances, the messenger is then attacked instead of the message being seen as a valid one.

So with that said, I emailed Richard Shepard, and copied the Elk Grove City Council, asking that Consent Item 8.11 be pulled. I asked the following: What does it mean by the staff report when it says, "The City’s Multi-Sport Complex, which is anticipated to be built on the Property, is currently in the design phase."

I also wrote, “In closing, I believe there needs to be clarification at Wednesday night's council meeting. Therefore, I hereby request that this consent item be pulled and publicly addressed so that citizens of the city who believe their voices will be heard, and moreover, believe they will have substantive input don’t waste their time attending an early morning workshop next Saturday with what some say is a “smoke and mirrors” workshop to appease citizens who honestly believe they have a voice in the decision-making process.”

Anonymous said...

If this is "currently in the design phase" it seems that this should only be considered after that is complete and the city can deliver costs, benefits and sequencing...complete details. Why would the city be having a workshop when that is not complete? City quote "City staff will provide a brief presentation and "refined concept" plans to assist with the discussion." If it's in the "design phase" how can you provide a "refined concept plans?"
Speaking out of both sides of their mouth again.

Yes, you're right, a "smoke and mirrors workshop."

Anonymous said...

Generically, in a Design Phase, it is appropriate and necessary to solicit stakeholder input regarding desires and expectations for a completed project. Often, during this phase, a designer may present candidate solutions to elicit feedback from stakeholders.

One can accuse and insinuate anything with no basis of fact but the reality is that Public Works is following a process by which any other municipality would.

Connie said...

First up, Richard Shepard, our city's Public Works Director, is the best of the best and he answers the constituents of this city in a very timely manner with honest answers.

With that said, Richard explained, "Our Council has provided staff direction to pursue the LAFCo annexation process for the property under the land use assumption that there will be a multi-sport complex with a soccer focus and future stadium possibility. This direction was necessary to allow the environmental analysis (CEQA) to be completed for the annexation process."

I don't necessarily agree with the predetermined plan especially since there are supposed to be many workshops; the first being Saturday morning.

However plans can change, and as we have seen in the past, the LAFCo application can be amended. Hasn't it already?

Anon 16:27 said...

What was the outcome of the workshop? I saw the city's Facebook page photo and it looked like FC Elk Grove came out in force. Was I right about the other non-rectangular sports not being included?

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