Developer's Corner Cutting Yesterday Costing Taxpayers Today

Elk Grove's Million Dollar Mile We have all heard the saying that goes something like this - either pay now or pay later. The Elk Grov...

Elk Grove's Million Dollar Mile

We have all heard the saying that goes something like this - either pay now or pay later. The Elk Grove City Council will be faced with the ramifications of that statement Wednesday night when they consider a $1.5 million renovation expenditure for something that should have been avoided if it had been done right the first time around.

Of course the project being referenced is Elk Grove's Million Dollar Mile (or there abouts), also know as the East Stockton Blvd. soundwall renovation project. The original metal soundwall has devolved into rusty eyesore with intermittent patches of wood fencing and broken garage doors.

It is certainly not a pretty site as visitors approach our city from the south on Highway 99.

While there are all sorts of arguments for and against the renovation, there is a bigger lesson that we as a city and our city council can learn from the decrepit structure. That lesson is that if the original developers had been held to a high standard while the development was initiated, the taxpayers of Elk Grove would not have to be shelling out $1.5 million for their corner cutting today.

So as the Elk Grove City Council approves projects in the future, and as importantly when developers come back for post-approval "exceptions," lets maintain high standards and not grant exceptions that will benefit the developers.

If we don't, the taxpayers of Elk Grove could be stuck with all sorts of multi-million dollar renovations in the years to come, if we aren't already. Elk Grove doesn't need any more Million Dollar Mile renovations.

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2 comments

Anonymous said...

remember when this section of houses were built we were under the county. Sure its going to cost but the City is trying to fix all that is wrong. Kinda why we incorpperated right?

Capt. Benjamin L. Willard said...

Anyone who has been around Elk Grove for a while realizes that subdivision was pre-incorporation.

I think the bigger point is this - how many times have we seen a project approved only to have the developer come back seeking and being granted "exceptions." As the best I can tell these exceptions never upgrade the projects.

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