The long-anticipated Sacramento County vote on the massive Upper Westside housing project in Natomas just got bumped at the last minute. County staff on Monday recommended waiting until all five supervisors could be present, and the Board pulled the item, leaving the future of roughly 2,000 acres of proposed homes and mixed-use development in limbo while everyone waits for a new hearing date.
After publication, county officials told reporters they expect to postpone Tuesday's scheduled vote because a board member will be absent; staff had urged a delay so the full Board could weigh in, according to CapRadio. The hearing had been listed for the Board's 2 p.m. session on Tuesday, per Sacramento County's public agenda (Sacramento County). A new date still has not been announced.
What the plan would build
The Upper Westside Specific Plan would rezone about 2,066 acres east of Interstate 80 and north of Garden Highway to allow roughly 9,356 housing units, parkland and mixed-use space while carving out a 534-acre agricultural buffer. County planning documents estimate the development could eventually house about 25,000 people and include schools, parks and major roadway projects, though funding and water supply are still unresolved questions, according to Sacramento County.
City pushback and politics
City leaders have not exactly rolled out the welcome mat. The Sacramento City Council voted 8–1 last year to oppose the plan, and city officials point to a 2002 memorandum intended to keep land near the river in protected agricultural use, according to CapRadio. Former Mayor and environmental advocate Heather Fargo has warned the proposal “moves forward without adequate environmental concern and road planning,” while supporters counter that the region badly needs more housing; one backer told reporters that “the hawk will have to be moved” if homes are prioritized.
Why residents are alarmed
Opponents argue the project would chip away at protections under the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan, threaten Swainson's hawk foraging habitat and push even more cars onto already-congested roads. Environmental groups, including the Environmental Council of Sacramento, have urged residents to oppose the project or demand changes, and reporting in the Sacramento Bee has laid out those habitat and infrastructure concerns in detail.
What's next
County staff have not set a new hearing date and say they are waiting until all five supervisors can be in the room before bringing the item back. When it returns, the project will be re-noticed on a future Board agenda, and the county will again take written and in-person public comment at that meeting. Residents can watch for updates on the Board calendar via Sacramento County.
