Elk Grove Sphere of Influence Summit Highlights Different Approaches to Development

With a large audience in attendance, a panel of ten people discussed the City of Elk Grove’s application to expand its sphere of influence (SOI) last night at the Elk Grove Unified School district’s Trigg Building.

The two-hour summit consisted of ten panelists representing various stakeholders including environmental, real estate developers and city and county governments, took questions from the audience and engaged in a spirited discussion of the merits, or lack thereof depending on their position, on expanding the boundaries of Elk Grove.

Hume: self-admitted ‘lighting rod’


The summit began with each of the panelist giving a two minute opening statement. The second speaker was Elk Grove Mayor Pat Hume who noted that he would be “playing the role of a lightening rod.”

Hume has been a strong advocate of expanding the city’s SOI and has been criticized by several interests for his position. “It is an opportunity for true long-term planning,” he said.

After each of the panelists gave their opening statements, the audience was given the opportunity to question them. Although several anti-SOI questions were directed at Hume, some of the questions came more in the form of comments seeking to bolster Hume’s position.

Wayne Gallup of Wilton asked Hume if the city would consider passing along the cost of the SOI to the small group of property owners who would benefit the most. Hume said that he thought the cost would be be built back into the cost of planning that area. Elk Grove city planner Don Hazen added that the idea is being explored.

On the opposite side of Hume was Rob Burness, who was representing the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS). Burness, a retired Sacramento County planner who was involved in much of the planning of South Sacramento County, said Elk Grove should reassess its application.

Burness said any SOI expansion should consider regional growth needs and those need do not currently exist. "We recommend that Elk Grove put aside its growth plans and work on some of the un-met regional needs," he said.

For much of the session panelists were asked questions but were limited to a 30 second response time which not only seemingly frustrated the audience, but the responding panelist. Throughout much of the session moderator Dannette Garcia emphasized they had the room for two hours and there were many questions.

One question posed by Elk Grove resident Tom Russell, does Elk Grove needs to grow to sustain itself, just how much growth is needed, was answered by panelist and city council member Gary Davis. Davis said if there is growth, it should be sustainable and only if it increases the ratio of jobs per houses measurement.

"We have to change the way we grow. It's nuts," Davis said. Davis noted the problem is not unique to Elk Grove and the SOI process should go forward only if it helps grow the number of jobs per household, which he said would lead to sustainability.

As the panel closed conversation, Burness said he would like to the see the city pause its current growth and help solve some of the larger regional issues such as water supplies.

Burness pointed out that when Elk Grove was incorporated nine years ago, it promised its residents better land planning policies that it had received from Sacramento County. [You have to ask tourslef]"Have you been getting anything better in the last ten years, or whether you have been just getting business as usual," Burness said. "Why is it likely expanding the SOI is going to result in anything different that you have already gotten."