Environmental Report For Silverado Gets Green Light, Elk Grove City Council Set To Approve Project Soon

June 26, 2014 |

At their regular meeting last night, the Elk Grove City Council unanimously approved the environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed Silverado housing project.

Although the project will come back for final approval at their July 23 meeting, the entire council said once some minor changes are made to the project, they will approve it.  

The 230-acre residential housing project located on the northwest corner of Waterman and Bond roads will include three so-called villages and a senior housing component. When built out, it will have 651-single family dwellings and 125-senior housing units. 

The project, which was originally proposed 10 years ago, had been dogged by lawsuits, claims of incomplete analysis of hazardous materials on the site and stiff community opposition. 

Prior to approving the EIR, the city council heard from several Elk Grove residents who raised concerns about a host of issues including increased traffic and environmental issues.

Long time resident Leo Fassler said the site, which is being sold by the Sacramento Area Sewer District, was a de facto dump site of hazardous waste for Elk Grove residents. Fassler also noted mistakes in the EIR.

Fassler said he submitted comments in the EIR regarding dumping at the site, and specifically noted that is was being done north of Bond Road. In the final EIR, Fassler's comments reported that the dumping activity was south of Bond Road.       

"Why do they say south, when I wrote north," Fassler asked the city council. 

Mayor Gary Davis and Council member Steve Detrick were also pointedly criticized during the pubic comments.

Davis was chided by Elk Grove resident Rachelle Reinwald, noting that an item in the meetings consent calender reported that in 2013 building permits for 1.7 million square feet of residential construction were issued, versus only 71,000 for all non-residential uses.

Reinwald cited comments Davis made in a July, 2013 Comstock's magazine article where he said "we are laser focused" on improving the city's housing to jobs imbalance. She also noted that there are additional residential projects on the books. 

"Until we have met our jobs to houses goals in this community, then we should not be considering any new residential projects," she said. 

Elk Grove rural resident Nikki Carpenter was more direct with Detrick. She noted his opposition to the project when he was a member of the Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning. 

"Mr. Detrick, before you ever became a council member you were venality opposed to and involved in a group that was against the Vintara [Silverado's owner] project," Carpenter said. "If you chose to vote for this project here tonight, I think you owe it to this city and the people in this council chambers, why you have changed your mind in detail." 

She also took aim the entire council pointing out the perceived influence of money in local politics.

"When is this council going to stop catering to the developers that are feeding your pockets for reelection," she added.