Fast Track! - Agreement Between Sacramento LAFCo, Elk Grove Available This Friday
January 28, 2015 | A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Elk Grove and the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commissi...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2015/01/fast-track-agreement-between-sacramento.html
January 28, 2015 |
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Elk Grove and the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) regarding the city's planned expansion of its sphere of influence and eventual annexation of the 99-acre site on Grant Line Road will be made available by LAFCo for public view this Friday.
At the time of posting, the city had not made copies of this document available to the public.
The City Council is expected to give direction to staff tonight, and the final MOU will likely appear on a subsequent agenda as a consent item.
The MOU, which the Elk Grove City Council will discuss as part of an overall discussion on the proposed soccer fields tonight, will cover the city's Sphere of Influence (SOI) application and preparation of an environmental impact report with Sacramento LAFCo. This SOI application is the first step in annexing the 99-acre Grant Lind Road site into the city-limits. The recently purchased property is outside of the city limits, and the city hopes to develop the site as a soccer stadium and competitive fields facility.
The item has also been placed on Sacramento LAFCo's February 4 agenda under New Business. The agenda item notes - "City of Elk Grove Sphere of Influence: Memorandum of Understanding for Preparation of Joint Environmental Impact Report."
According to the city's staff report, the estimated costs to prepare the environmental report is $109,000. It is also anticipated that the city will be required to reimburse LAFCo for all staff costs associated with reviewing the city's application.
The City of Elk Grove has acknowledged receipt of an e-mail inquiry seeking information about when the MOU will be made available for public viewing. As of this posting, no further information from the city has been provided.
However, according to Sacramento LAFCO Executive Director Peter Brundage, the MOU will be available for public view at their website by this Friday. Brundage said action would be taken by the commission at next Wednesday's meeting.
"It will be voted on," Brundage said.
Tonight's Elk Grove City Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. The Sacramento LAFCo meeting is held at Sacramento County Administration Center, Board Chambers, 700 H Street, Sacramento, and starts at 5:30 p.m.
11 comments
Transparency!
The council is out of control. More backroom deals in the making. They should be ashamed of themselves with all their talk of transparency, open government, honesty and integrity.
What a crock of SH**!
What! The application for the SOI to annex in the 100 acres is already on LAFCo's agenda for next week, even before the city council votes to approve doing so on the agenda tonight. Talk about the cart before the horse and the makings of a backroom deal.
Who authorized the LAFCo application before the vote? If three Council members did, that is Brown Act Violation.
It's a given; but at least have the transparency to take the vote first and then submit the application tomorrow.
Fast track to no where.
At first glance it seems Ms. Conley may be correct. If three councilmembers met and discussed and agreed upon submitting the application to LAFCo before the council even hears discussion or votes publicly, it seems would be a Brown Act violation.
I hope Ms. Conley submits a new complaint to Fair Political Practices. I would but I've become too apathetic watching the shenanigans over the past 10 years. I've given up.
None of them have an ounce of integrity and they know absolutely nothing about ethics.
It is really a shame the Elk Grove City Council and the staff of highly paid professionals, especially Mr. Hobbs who should know better, have to resort to these type of shenanigans. The SOI and EIR will undoubtedly be given a rubber stamp approval.
Just follow the procedures and you'll get what you want, albeit a few months later. It is this type of maneuvering that raise the suspicions that there is something rotten in Elk Grove.
"Consultant Team has provided a
recommended project cost range of $105.1 million to $117.7 million."
Where is the city going to come up with the money? Billboard revenues?
Take a look at the Conceptual Site Design (Attachment 2) in the following document.
-->>> http://www.elkgrovecity.org/documents/agendas/attachments/attachments/2015/01-28-15_10.1.pdf
Lots of fields, no access roads.
Traffic ingress and egress is going to be a big disaster.
Sounds like the City of Elk Grove.
Lots of houses, tremendous sprawl and inadequate roadways.
In speaking with Dan for clarification, it is not the actual application but the MOU. If the Council uses that excuse, that is splitting hairs.
Again, who authorized it? Where was the Council deliberation, public comment and vote? EGN states the MOU is up for vote before LAFCo next week? Really now. On whose say so?
And even worse, LAFCo has the MOU but it is not attached to the staff report for the citizenry to read.
So much of what this city does is through its manager, Ms. Gill.
The purchase of the property was approved by the city council, and began as a consent item.
There's the rubber stamp process.
Watch out for what goes through the consent process, and you'll see how powerful Ms. Gill truly is.
In my opinion, the city manager system is about as corrupt as the strong mayor model.
Neither allow for democratic discussion and popular debate.
There might well not be a violation of open meeting laws, since the city council already processed the land purchase through a legal process.
The council has already committed $6M in drainage fund revenues to the immediate purchase of the professional soccer field.
The mortgage will add another 50%, running up the land cost to just under $10M.
Elk Grove is a bedroom community to Sacramento County.
That's all it is, and all it ever will be.
What is our salvation, our redemption from the suburban sprawl and traffic congestion?
We, the people, have needs and must lead this rogue council back to reason.
Whether it's commons facilities, arts centers, or other physical activities centers for our kids and ourselves and neighbors, we should make that list and hold the city's elected officials accountable.
It's the right thing to do.
Wilfred Brimley
Stacy in Stonelakes, I indeed understand giving up when we know the game is rigged. However this indeed is what the council members and more so the home developers want. I believe if we all united and filled the chambers and proved through word of mouth and residents working together the 5 men could be replaced with individuals who want to serve residents. If we could join together and support one another we can fight this and regain the energy we all need to do so.
Is it just my imagination, or is the boy wonder starting to distance himself from this project? MLS was flop and after all, one good flop deserves another, right!
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