March/April Newsletter 2021

March-April 2021 / Volume 21 / Issue 2

City of Elk Grove

NEWSLETTER News Straight to Your Inbox

Subscribe to weekly updates or choose from various topics to keep up on what matters to you! Scan code to subscribe or visit elkgrovecity.org/subscribe.

Updated Trails Plan on Path for Approval

Our City’s robust bike, pedestrian, and trails network enhances our quality of life by providing recreational and exercise opportunities and transportation alternatives--it connects us to our parks, open spaces, waterways, and beyond. Our Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Master Plan has provided the framework to guide and influence not only the policies and programs that improve accessibility and safety but also the improvements and additions to our network. After a year of working with residents, stakeholders, and experts, Elk Grove’s Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Master Plan Update is nearly complete and will be presented to the City Council for consideration of approval this spring. With plan approval, we’ll continue on the path to help make biking, running, and walking in the City more safe, comfortable, convenient, and enjoyable for all. For more information, visit elkgrovecity.org/trailsplan.

FREE Drive-Thru Pet Vaccine Clinic Saturday, March 13 | 9 a.m. to Noon Parking Lot at 8220 Long Leaf Drive

Keeping your pet current on vaccines is easy—and FREE—with Elk Grove’s Animal Services’ Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinic. No appointment is needed—simply drive up with your pet, show your photo ID and proof of Elk Grove residency, complete the paperwork, and veterinary staff will administer the appropriate vaccines. Free microchipping and pet licensing (for newly acquired spayed/neutered pets) are also available. Supplies are limited and offered on a first come, first served basis.

For everyone’s safety, please wear your mask when interacting with staff.

Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinics are held quarterly and are subject to cancellation due to public health orders— visit elkgrovecity.org/animalservices to confirm clinic status.

Rabies • Canine DHPP • Feline FVRCP Microchips • Pet Licensing

elkgrovecity.org

INSIDE:

Page 2 • Don’t Let Yard Improvements Set You Back • Fitness Challenge for All • Dispose of Medications Properly • Do You Know Your City?

• Recycle Your Old Tires Page 3 • Recycle Your Used Oil Filters • Your Guide to Elk Grove Services • Erase Food Waste Page 4 • • • •

Grant Line Road Widening District 56 Greenspace and Green Energy Planning for Our Future Kammerer Road Corridor Plans Take New Path

City of Elk Grove NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE City Council March 10, 24; April 14, 28 6 p.m.

Arts Commission March 18; April 15 6:30 p.m.

Disability Advisory Committee March 17; April 21 6 p.m.

Historic Preservation Committee March 8; April 12 6:30 p.m.

Diversity and Inclusion Commission March 16; April 20 6 p.m.

Planning Commission March 4, 18; April 1, 15 6 p.m.

Trails Committee March 15; April 19 6 p.m.

Youth Commission March 9; April 13 6 p.m.

CITY MEETINGS CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY

Public meetings continue to be held virtually. City Council and Planning Commission meetings are broadcast live, and all other committee and commission meetings are held using the Zoom platform. Links to all meetings are available at elkgrovecity.org.

This is subject to change based on County Public Health Orders.

STATE of the CITY ADDRESS 2021 Virtual

Featuring Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen

Thursday, March 25 at 6:00pm Register at: elkgroveca.com

ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen bsinghallen@elkgrovecity.org

Vice Mayor Stephanie Nguyen | District 4 snguyen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Darren Suen | District 1 dsuen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Patrick Hume | District 2 phume@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Kevin Spease | District 3 kspease@elkgrovecity.org Did you know that City Council meetings can be viewed on Cable Channel 14, and both Council and Planning Commission meetings can be 2 viewed streaming on the City website?

Earth Day—April 22, 2021 Restore Our Earth

The world’s largest environmental day of celebration—Earth Day—honors our past environmental achievements and raises awareness of the importance of continuing to improve the environment—for ourselves, our planet, and our future. Although this day only comes once a year, there are many ways to make an impact year-round. Here are some examples:

Don’t Let Yard Improvements Set You Back

Before constructing a fence or accessory structure on your property, check in with Elk Grove’s Planning Department.

The City’s Zoning Code provides guidelines for how and where you can build fences and sheds. The rules vary based on your zoning district and your property’s unique characteristics, but the general guidelines are as follows: • The setback for fences along street side yards (corner lots) must be 5 feet from where the sidewalk starts.

• The maximum height for fences is 7 feet.

• The maximum size for sheds and accessory structures is less than 120 square feet without a building permit.

• The setback for sheds and accessory structures must be 5 feet from the side and rear property lines (3 feet for structures less than 120 square feet), 12.5 feet from sidewalks (on corner lots), and 6 feet from other structures.

Find out the zoning code requirements for your property by calling the Planning Department at (916) 478-2265.

Violations may result in code enforcement action.

City Housing Plan Enters Home Stretch

The City’s is finalizing its 2021-2029 housing plan and is seeking public feedback. Several sites around the City are proposed for rezoning. A public workshop/webinar will be held at noon on March 3. Visit elkgrovecity.org/housingelement for more information and to register for the webinar.

Fitness Challenge for All Elk Grove FitFest Saturday, April 24 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Elk Grove Park | 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road Switch up your fitness routine and join in some friendly competition by participating in one of Elk Grove’s FitFest fitness challenges: Kids Warrior Challenge will give young athletes 6 to 12 years old a chance to test their mental and physical abilities as they conquer challenging obstacles.

Adults 18 and older will compete in teams of four (or as individuals) to determine who’s fit to take home the title in the Elk Grove Gauntlet Fitness Challenge.

For the safety of participants, staff, and fans, competitions will have health measures in place. For more information and to register, visit elkgrovecity.org/events or yourcsd.com.

Changes to the Public Health Order could result in an event cancellation.

Dispose of Medications Properly

Unused or expired medications threaten our precious water resources when flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash. Instead, dispose of them responsibly and properly in the following ways: Drop-off at Elk Grove Police Department Year 8400 Laguna Palms Way Round Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Leave prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original containers. Mark out any personal information you wish to conceal while keeping the medication name visible so staff can determine proper disposal. Place medications in the marked bin located in the lobby.

One Day Only

National Drug Take Back Day Clean out your medicine cabinet for this annual event. Gather all your unused or expired medications (prescription and over-the-counter), removing pills, tablets, or capsules from their packaging, and place them all in one bag for drop-off at the Elk Grove Police Department, 8400 Laguna Palms Way. For more information, visit takebackday.dea.gov for day and times.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR CITY? Ever wonder who to call when you have questions about parks and recreation or the fire department and other cityrelated issues?

A new video series explains how the City and many other agencies collaborate to provide you services. Get to know Elk Grove at elkgrovecity.org/knowyourcity.

Recycle Your Old Tires

Special Waste Collection Center 9255 Disposal Lane March 7–14 and April 8–11 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

California’s vehicles generate tens of millions of waste tires each year. Elk Grove is helping to reduce this waste through tire recycling events that have diverted nearly 10,000 tires over the last three years.

Recycling these tough and durable tires results in a number of benefits: • Conserves landfill space • Converts materials into many useful products, such as tire-derived fuel, rubberized asphalt, flooring, playground surfaces, and more • Prevents the spread of disease (old discarded tires provide homes for disease-carrying rodents and are a breeding ground for mosquitoes) Collect your old tires and drop them off during a Tire Recycling Event. For additional collection dates, call (916) 627-3232 or visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle.

Recycle Your Used Oil Filters

O’Reilly Auto Parts, 8751 Elk Grove Blvd.

March 13 and April 17 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Recycle your used oil filter (limit 2 per person) and get a new one FREE at an Elk Grove Oil Filter Exchange event. Participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize, sponsored by Republic Services. This program, funded in part by a CalRecycle grant, helps keep these filters out of our landfills and keeps our water safe. It also provides materials like steel and oil that can be reused. For details, visit elkgrovecity.org/recyclemyoilfilter.

Make a positive impact on our environment— and your pocketbook—by erasing food waste.

Every time you avoid wasting food, you not only save the money you would have spent, you’re also reducing the environmental costs imposed on the planet. Weekly meal planning helps focus your grocery shopping by only purchasing items that will actually be used, and also lets you plan around sale items. Including a leftover night in your meal plan—using them as prepared or adding them to a recipe to create a completely new meal—will save time, money, and waste.

Saving your organic waste for composting will also provide a rich, nutritious amendment for your garden at no extra cost.

If you can’t make it to an event, take your used oil filters to the Special Waste Collection center located at 9255 Disposal Lane, Sunday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information and ideas on ways to Erase Food Waste, visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle.

YOUR GUIDE TO

Elk Grove Services

Ask Elk Grove, City Information Line (916) 691-CITY (2489) TTY/TDD (888) 435-6092 TTY/TDD (California Relay) 711 Popular Services

Affordable Housing Services Animal Services (Pet Licensing & Microchipping) Building Permits City Maintenance e-tran / e-van (bus & paratransit) Renters Helpline/Fair Housing Report a Code Enforcement Violation

(916) 478-2254 (916) 687-3042 (916) 478-2265 (916) 687-3005 (916) 683-8726 (916) 389-7877 (916) 687-3023

Emergency Services

Scan to watch the video series and get to know Elk Grove!

Fire-Medical-Police Emergency 911 Police Non-Emergency (916) 714-5115 Fire Department (Non-Emergency) (916) 405-7100 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance (916) 687-3005 (Street Hazards, Flooding, Traffic Signals, Streetlights)

Poison Control

(800) 222-1222

elkgrovecity.org/residents

Utilities

Elk Grove Water District Electricity (SMUD) Gas (PG&E) Garbage and Recycling (Republic Services) Sacramento County Water Agency Sacramento Area Sewer District

(916) 685-3556 (888) 742-7683 (800) 743-5000 (916) 635-2500 (916) 875-7246 (916) 875-6730

Things to Do

Cosumnes Community Services District (916) 405-5600 Parks and Recreation Elk Grove Aquatics Center (916) 883-2782 Explore Elk Grove exploreelkgrove.com Senior Center of Elk Grove (916) 685-3160 Teen Center USA (916) 686-6942 Wackford Community & Aquatics Complex (916) 405-5600

Education

California Northstate University Cosumnes River College Elk Grove Unified School District Sacramento Public Library

cnsu.edu crc.losrios.edu egusd.net (916) 264-2700

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City of Elk Grove NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE City Council March 10, 24; April 14, 28 6 p.m.

Arts Commission March 18; April 15 6:30 p.m.

Disability Advisory Committee March 17; April 21 6 p.m.

Historic Preservation Committee March 8; April 12 6:30 p.m.

Diversity and Inclusion Commission March 16; April 20 6 p.m.

Planning Commission March 4, 18; April 1, 15 6 p.m.

Trails Committee March 15; April 19 6 p.m.

Youth Commission March 9; April 13 6 p.m.

CITY MEETINGS CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY

Public meetings continue to be held virtually. City Council and Planning Commission meetings are broadcast live, and all other committee and commission meetings are held using the Zoom platform. Links to all meetings are available at elkgrovecity.org.

This is subject to change based on County Public Health Orders.

STATE of the CITY ADDRESS 2021 Virtual

Featuring Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen

Thursday, March 25 at 6:00pm Register at: elkgroveca.com

ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen bsinghallen@elkgrovecity.org

Vice Mayor Stephanie Nguyen | District 4 snguyen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Darren Suen | District 1 dsuen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Patrick Hume | District 2 phume@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Kevin Spease | District 3 kspease@elkgrovecity.org Did you know that City Council meetings can be viewed on Cable Channel 14, and both Council and Planning Commission meetings can be 2 viewed streaming on the City website?

Earth Day—April 22, 2021 Restore Our Earth

The world’s largest environmental day of celebration—Earth Day—honors our past environmental achievements and raises awareness of the importance of continuing to improve the environment—for ourselves, our planet, and our future. Although this day only comes once a year, there are many ways to make an impact year-round. Here are some examples:

Don’t Let Yard Improvements Set You Back

Before constructing a fence or accessory structure on your property, check in with Elk Grove’s Planning Department.

The City’s Zoning Code provides guidelines for how and where you can build fences and sheds. The rules vary based on your zoning district and your property’s unique characteristics, but the general guidelines are as follows: • The setback for fences along street side yards (corner lots) must be 5 feet from where the sidewalk starts.

• The maximum height for fences is 7 feet.

• The maximum size for sheds and accessory structures is less than 120 square feet without a building permit.

• The setback for sheds and accessory structures must be 5 feet from the side and rear property lines (3 feet for structures less than 120 square feet), 12.5 feet from sidewalks (on corner lots), and 6 feet from other structures.

Find out the zoning code requirements for your property by calling the Planning Department at (916) 478-2265.

Violations may result in code enforcement action.

City Housing Plan Enters Home Stretch

The City’s is finalizing its 2021-2029 housing plan and is seeking public feedback. Several sites around the City are proposed for rezoning. A public workshop/webinar will be held at noon on March 3. Visit elkgrovecity.org/housingelement for more information and to register for the webinar.

Fitness Challenge for All Elk Grove FitFest Saturday, April 24 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Elk Grove Park | 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road Switch up your fitness routine and join in some friendly competition by participating in one of Elk Grove’s FitFest fitness challenges: Kids Warrior Challenge will give young athletes 6 to 12 years old a chance to test their mental and physical abilities as they conquer challenging obstacles.

Adults 18 and older will compete in teams of four (or as individuals) to determine who’s fit to take home the title in the Elk Grove Gauntlet Fitness Challenge.

For the safety of participants, staff, and fans, competitions will have health measures in place. For more information and to register, visit elkgrovecity.org/events or yourcsd.com.

Changes to the Public Health Order could result in an event cancellation.

Dispose of Medications Properly

Unused or expired medications threaten our precious water resources when flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash. Instead, dispose of them responsibly and properly in the following ways: Drop-off at Elk Grove Police Department Year 8400 Laguna Palms Way Round Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Leave prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original containers. Mark out any personal information you wish to conceal while keeping the medication name visible so staff can determine proper disposal. Place medications in the marked bin located in the lobby.

One Day Only

National Drug Take Back Day Clean out your medicine cabinet for this annual event. Gather all your unused or expired medications (prescription and over-the-counter), removing pills, tablets, or capsules from their packaging, and place them all in one bag for drop-off at the Elk Grove Police Department, 8400 Laguna Palms Way. For more information, visit takebackday.dea.gov for day and times.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR CITY? Ever wonder who to call when you have questions about parks and recreation or the fire department and other cityrelated issues?

A new video series explains how the City and many other agencies collaborate to provide you services. Get to know Elk Grove at elkgrovecity.org/knowyourcity.

Recycle Your Old Tires

Special Waste Collection Center 9255 Disposal Lane March 7–14 and April 8–11 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

California’s vehicles generate tens of millions of waste tires each year. Elk Grove is helping to reduce this waste through tire recycling events that have diverted nearly 10,000 tires over the last three years.

Recycling these tough and durable tires results in a number of benefits: • Conserves landfill space • Converts materials into many useful products, such as tire-derived fuel, rubberized asphalt, flooring, playground surfaces, and more • Prevents the spread of disease (old discarded tires provide homes for disease-carrying rodents and are a breeding ground for mosquitoes) Collect your old tires and drop them off during a Tire Recycling Event. For additional collection dates, call (916) 627-3232 or visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle.

Recycle Your Used Oil Filters

O’Reilly Auto Parts, 8751 Elk Grove Blvd.

March 13 and April 17 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Recycle your used oil filter (limit 2 per person) and get a new one FREE at an Elk Grove Oil Filter Exchange event. Participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize, sponsored by Republic Services. This program, funded in part by a CalRecycle grant, helps keep these filters out of our landfills and keeps our water safe. It also provides materials like steel and oil that can be reused. For details, visit elkgrovecity.org/recyclemyoilfilter.

Make a positive impact on our environment— and your pocketbook—by erasing food waste.

Every time you avoid wasting food, you not only save the money you would have spent, you’re also reducing the environmental costs imposed on the planet. Weekly meal planning helps focus your grocery shopping by only purchasing items that will actually be used, and also lets you plan around sale items. Including a leftover night in your meal plan—using them as prepared or adding them to a recipe to create a completely new meal—will save time, money, and waste.

Saving your organic waste for composting will also provide a rich, nutritious amendment for your garden at no extra cost.

If you can’t make it to an event, take your used oil filters to the Special Waste Collection center located at 9255 Disposal Lane, Sunday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information and ideas on ways to Erase Food Waste, visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle.

YOUR GUIDE TO

Elk Grove Services

Ask Elk Grove, City Information Line (916) 691-CITY (2489) TTY/TDD (888) 435-6092 TTY/TDD (California Relay) 711 Popular Services

Affordable Housing Services Animal Services (Pet Licensing & Microchipping) Building Permits City Maintenance e-tran / e-van (bus & paratransit) Renters Helpline/Fair Housing Report a Code Enforcement Violation

(916) 478-2254 (916) 687-3042 (916) 478-2265 (916) 687-3005 (916) 683-8726 (916) 389-7877 (916) 687-3023

Emergency Services

Scan to watch the video series and get to know Elk Grove!

Fire-Medical-Police Emergency 911 Police Non-Emergency (916) 714-5115 Fire Department (Non-Emergency) (916) 405-7100 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance (916) 687-3005 (Street Hazards, Flooding, Traffic Signals, Streetlights)

Poison Control

(800) 222-1222

elkgrovecity.org/residents

Utilities

Elk Grove Water District Electricity (SMUD) Gas (PG&E) Garbage and Recycling (Republic Services) Sacramento County Water Agency Sacramento Area Sewer District

(916) 685-3556 (888) 742-7683 (800) 743-5000 (916) 635-2500 (916) 875-7246 (916) 875-6730

Things to Do

Cosumnes Community Services District (916) 405-5600 Parks and Recreation Elk Grove Aquatics Center (916) 883-2782 Explore Elk Grove exploreelkgrove.com Senior Center of Elk Grove (916) 685-3160 Teen Center USA (916) 686-6942 Wackford Community & Aquatics Complex (916) 405-5600

Education

California Northstate University Cosumnes River College Elk Grove Unified School District Sacramento Public Library

cnsu.edu crc.losrios.edu egusd.net (916) 264-2700

3

City of Elk Grove NEWSLETTER

City of Elk Grove 8401 Laguna Palms Way Elk Grove, CA 95758

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE CITY OF ELK GROVE Elk Grove Postal Resident

8401 Laguna Palms Way Elk Grove, CA 95758 (916) 478-2206 elkgrovecity.org Kristyn Laurence Public Affairs Manager klaurence@elkgrovecity.org Lupe Murrietta Graphics & Multimedia Program Manager lmurrietta@elkgrovecity.org

SCAN ME with your smart phone for up-to-date information

about the City of Elk Grove.

The City does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Questions, concerns, or complaints may be forwarded to the City’s ADA Coordinator.

CONE ZONE

Public Works projects are paving the way for a smoother drive, providing new places to play, and harnessing the power of the sun.

These projects deliver quality of life amenities that are also kind to the environment. Here’s an update on some of the most current capital project in progress.

Grant Line Road Widening Rubberized asphalt from Construction is underway to install a recycled tires will be used to multi-use trail and widen Grant Line Road help reduce road noise. from two to four lanes between Waterman Road and Bradshaw Road. Traffic signals will also be installed at the Bradshaw Road and Mosher Road intersections. The project, which is part of the Capital Southeast Connector, is targeted for completion in summer 2022. Scan code for more information or visit elkgrovecity.org/cip.

Planning for Our Future

Elk Grove’s Community Mobility Resilience Plan provides a comprehensive set of strategies to mitigate and adapt to our changing environment. Change is happening, there are more frequent extreme heat weather events like those we experienced last summer, changes to rainfall patterns, and even impacts associated with moving to electric vehicles. Building resilience will help the City adapt and thrive in the face of changing circumstances. Take electric vehicles, for example. They benefit society as a whole by reducing tail pipe emissions and having a much longer useful life. But Elk Grove must also consider how impacts such as reduced gasoline and new vehicle sales tax revenue will affect the ability of the City to meet its budget and continue to provide high-quality services to its residents. For more information on the recently completed Community Mobility Resilience Plan and other efforts that Elk Grove is taking to prepare for the future, visit elkgrovecity.org/strategicplanning.

Kammerer Road Corridor Plans Take New Path

District56 Greenspace and Green Energy Greenspace within District56 will make up almost 26 of its 56 acres. Known as The Preserve, it represents progress toward the ultimate vision for this space—a peaceful oasis in the center of our city. Pond excavation is complete, concrete pathways are nearing completion, and construction on the park amenities is set to begin this spring. When completed, The Preserve will include wetland habitat, native grasslands, and native oak forest, as well as trails, benches, play equipment, picnic tables, and outdoor exercise equipment. The Preserve is targeted to open at the end of this year.

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Green Energy at District56 will bring cost savings, resilience, and greenhouse gas reduction to our community. Late this summer, construction is scheduled to begin on a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array with a total capacity of approximately 739 kilowatts. The goal of the project is to reduce energy costs and achieve a “net-zero” energy benefit at the site.

Over time, the idea of what the best use is for land has evolved. From cattle ranches and a stagecoach stop to the vibrant modern community we have today, the only constant has been change. The Kammerer Road corridor is a great example. When the city started looking at this area 20 years ago, the highest and best use for this corridor was considered to be a traditional suburban concept of separated office, retail, and housing. Today, after extensive study and as we move to a post-pandemic era, city staff has found that employers and employees are looking for something different. They’re looking for a livable employment center concept that is well connected and walkable with a mixture of high- and low-density residential, an assortment of retail and entertainment options, attractive public spaces, and a variety of amenities.

This new part of our community will take an estimated 25 to 30 years to develop. But first, the City is commencing the process to update and revise various plans and policies, which is needed to allow the community of the future to start becoming a reality. Scan code for more information or visit elkgrovecity.org/strategicplanning.