The city believes it should control development just beyond its limits, said Don Lockheart, the city planner conducting the study. That could mean extending the city's sphere of influence to include the northern territories. But the city wants to make sure that its own underdeveloped infill areas, including the new North Natomas community, are built before any outlying area goes into development, he said. In January, the City Council fired off a letter to the Board of Supervisors, saying the city wants land-use authority over the area. The county worries about revenue because of the rise of city incorporation efforts.
Annexations create the same worry.
The EIR assumed only 10 percent of the land would be open space. But the developers figure half of the acreage would be open space. The undeveloped land would be needed for parks and habitat conservation, as well as an economical drainage system that relies on the water-absorbing capacity of open space. There will be lots of open space and less housing overall. The developers also argue that 15,000 homes would cut down on commuting, helping air quality.