March-April 2020 / Volume 20 / Issue 2
City of Elk Grove
NEWSLETTER 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:
Community Center Goes for the Gold Planning and preparation have positioned The Center at District56—the City’s new community center—to take the gold in its pursuit to be certified a LEED Gold building. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” which is a worldwide industry standard for excellence in sustainability. The LEED rating program provided the framework that the City used in creating a healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green building. The City’s commitment to sustainability started at the earliest stages, beginning with design and continuing through to construction, site design, and building systems and performance. The new building maximizes daylighting, optimizes indoor air quality with increased ventilation, and includes water-saving features. Construction methods included the use of recycled content materials, as well as regional materials, and much of the construction waste was diverted from the landfill through recycling and reuse. Special outdoor lighting was used to reduce light pollution while the landscaping incorporates water-efficient plantings. The overall performance of the building’s systems and its energy use will be carefully monitored, and green housekeeping practices will reduce the environmental impacts of the building far into the future. The City’s application for LEED Gold certification of The Center at District56 is currently under review by the Green Building Certification Institute, the organization responsible for administering LEED certifications.
• 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 backyard property line, 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.
Learn more about The Center’s sustainability by visiting district56elkgrove.com
Learn how to save money and reduce GHG emissions!
INSIDE:
Page 2 • Getting a Start on Doing Our Part • Census 2020 • Conquer the Incredible Bulk • Oil filter exchange event Page 3
March 21, 2020 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center at District56 | 8230 Civic Center Drive
elkgrovecity.org
• Look Out for Census Scams • IRS Phone Scam Alert • Your Guide to Elk Grove Services Page 4 • Cycling the City and Beyond • New Traffic Lights Signal New Moves • Peace and Love, a Musical Review of the 60’s
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
City Council March 11, 25; April 8, 22 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Arts Commission March 19; April 16 6:30 p.m. City Hall – 8380 Building, Suite 100 Disability Advisory Committee March 18; April 15 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Historic Preservation Committee March 9; April 13 6:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Diversity and Inclusion Commission March 17; April 21 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Planning Commission March 5, 19; April 2, 16 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Youth Commission March 10; April 14 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers Trails Committee March 16; April 20 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers
EVENTS
First Saturday Art Reception Saturdays, March 7 and April 4 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Elk Grove Fine Arts Center 9683 Elk Grove-Florin Road elkgrovefineartscenter.org Food Truck Mania Wednesday, March 4 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Old Town Plaza Wednesday, April 1 New Location 5 p.m. to 8 p.m District56 | 8230 Civic Center Drive, Suite #100 Strauss Festival Spring Tea Saturday, March 7 | 1 p.m. Laguna Town Hall | 3020 Renwick Avenue straussfestival.com FREE Compost Class Saturday, March 21 | 10 a.m. to noon Elk Grove Community Garden 10025 Hampton Oak Drive elkgrovecity.org/recycle Breakfast with the Bunny Saturday, April 11 | 8:00, 8:45, 9:30, and 10:15 a.m. Elk Grove Park Pavilion 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road yourcsd.com or 916-405-5600 Community Day of Service Saturday, April 18 | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sites throughout Elk Grove yourcsd.com or 916-405-5600
City of Elk
Census 2020
Let’s Make It Count!
Getting a Start on Doing Our Part
Updating Elk Grove’s Housing Plan Is Central to Responding to California’s Housing Crisis The evidence of a housing crisis is stark: California’s median home price is over $600,000, the highest of any state in the nation. A significant number of renters pay more than 50 percent of their income on housing and the number of homeless on the streets in our region has risen significantly in the last few years. One way that local governments are tasked with helping address this statewide problem is through planning and zoning. The guiding document for this work in Elk Grove is the Housing Element of the General Plan, and ours is due for an update. The Housing Element update process is a formal proceeding that combines the need to meet technical requirements of State law with vigorous public participation that resembles town hall gatherings. To meet increasingly stringent State requirements, Elk Grove is likely going to need to plan for more high-density projects than have been our tradition. But how and where we plan for those projects is up to us as a community to decide.
Mayor Steve Ly SteveLy@elkgrovecity.org
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CENS 20
Each count is vital! Homes that haven’t responded by the end of April will be visited by a census taker starting in May. Census takers will visit the home up to six times, each time leaving a door hanger with a phone number to schedule a visit if no one is home. Federal law protects your census responses, which will only be used to produce statistics. By law, your information cannot be shared with immigration enforcement agencies, law enforcement agencies or any other federal, state, or local agencies, and it cannot be used to determine your eligibility for government benefits. More information is available at 2020census.gov.
Conquer the Incredible
With FREE Curbside Pick-up—Here’s How: 1. Call 916-635-2500 to schedule a pickup. Pickups are scheduled by appointment on your regular trash day. 2. Place items curbside no more than 24 hours before your scheduled pickup appointment. Maximum allowable pile size is 7’ x 6’ x 4’.
Elk Grove FitFest Saturday, April 25 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Elk Grove Regional Park 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road elkgrovecity.org
ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL
Start checking your mail for your Census 2020 survey. By mid-March, you, along with every household in America, should receive it. The few survey questions are quick and simple, but the statistics they produce will impact the community for the next 10 years! This census data is used to determine Elk Grove’s fair share of federal funding. The important information that is collected will impact public safety, schools, hospitals, real estate development, employment opportunities, and more—things that make a difference in our lives every day! Count your household by responding online, by phone, or by mail.
Share your ideas by participating in the process. A series of community outreach events will begin this spring. Learn more about the issue, including meeting details and updates, by visiting elkgrovecity.org/HousingElement.
17th Annual Taste of Elk Grove Saturday, April 18 | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation 9040 High Tech Court tasteofeg.com
State of the City Thursday, April 30 | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Center at District56 8230 Civic Center Drive elkgroveca.com
COU
FREE bulky waste pickup service is available to Elk Grove residents up to three times per year. For a listing of acceptable materials and further details, visit elkgrovecity.org/bulky.
Exchange Your Oil Filter and Receive a New One FREE! Events held in March, April, and May. For details, visit elkgrovecity.org/recyclemyoilfilter
Vice Mayor Steven Detrick | District 3 sdetrick@elkgrovecity.org
Councilmember Darren Suen | District 1 dsuen@elkgrovecity.org
Councilmember Patrick Hume | District 2 phume@elkgrovecity.org
Councilmember Stephanie Nguyen | District 4 snguyen@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 viewed streaming on the City website?
Grove NEWSLETTER
UNT ON SUS 020
COUNT ON CENSUS 2020
COUNT ON CENSUS 2020
Look Out for Census Scams
IRS Phone Scam Alert
Scammers may use the census as an opportunity to get your personal information, potentially using it for fraudulent activities. Protect yourself—be aware of the following: •
An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
The Census Bureau will NOT send unsolicited emails to request participation in the 2020 Census—you will only get information via U.S. mail (or in-person if you do not respond to the mailings).
• The Census Bureau will NEVER ask for your social security number, your bank account or credit card numbers, money/ donations, or anything on behalf of a political party.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting. In other cases, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.
• The Census Bureau will NOT ask citizenship status. •
In-person census takers will have a valid identification badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. If you still have questions about their identity, call 1-800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.
If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.
If you suspect census fraud, contact the Census Bureau at 1-800-923-8282 or the Elk Grove Police Department nonemergency number at 916-714-5115.
CHOOSE ANY BRIGHT COLOR AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN!
Protect yourself from IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scams. Note that the IRS will never do the following: • Call to demand immediate payment • Call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill • Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe • Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card • Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone • Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying ***Excerpted from IRS.GOV***
Elk Grove Services
YOUR G UIDE TO
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
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) 405-5300 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
City of Elk Grove 8401 Laguna Palms Way Elk Grove, CA 95758
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE CITY OF ELK GROVE
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
Elk Grove Postal Resident
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.
Cycling the City and Beyond
New Improvements Enhance Cyclists’ Safety Several local bike lanes marked by white paint have been augmented with bright green paint to increase the visibility and clarity of the bike lanes. The green paint was added last fall to the existing Class II bicycle lanes on Elk Grove Boulevard and Laguna Boulevard at the Union Pacific Railroad Overcrossing, as well as at the intersection of Elk Grove Boulevard and East Stockton Boulevard. In more good news for cyclists, Elk Grove, in partnership with the City of Sacramento, is gearing up to construct the Franklin Cycle Track, which is targeted for completion this summer. Cyclists will soon have access to a Class IV bikeway along Franklin Boulevard beginning at Big Horn Boulevard and extending to the Light Rail Station at Cosumnes River Boulevard in the City of Sacramento. The Cycle Track will separate bicyclists from vehicular traffic by installing posts between the vehicle and bike lanes.
New Traffic Lights Signal New Moves
In June, new traffic signals with a flashing yellow left turn arrow will begin operating at three intersections. At these controlled intersections, the flashing yellow arrow will follow the green arrow, meaning motorists will have additional time to make a left turn after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The flashing yellow arrow will then change to a solid yellow arrow, indicating the motorist should prepare to stop. Designed to improve efficiency, the new signals will be installed at the intersections of Harbor Point Drive at Galen Drive, Harbor Point Drive at Renwick Avenue, and Big Horn Boulevard at Lewis Stein Road. Learn more about the flashing yellow arrow traffic signals at elkgrovecity.org/flashingyellowarrow.
Solid Red = Stop. Do not proceed. Solid Yellow = Prepare to stop. Flashing Yellow = Turns are permitted after yielding to
Solid Green = Go. Turns have the right-of-way
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MARCH 20, 2020 | 7-10PM
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SUN GROVE CHURCH | 2285 LONGPORT CT, ELK GROVE
ADULTS - $10 | KIDS - FREE
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APPROPRIATE FOR AGES 10 AND OLDER, AGES 17 AND YOUNGER ARE FREE
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Featuring:
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Peter Petty Mick Martin Gary Mendoza Todd Morgan Leo Bootes Aaron Gayden Carly Rhoades Marcel Smith Virginia Ayers-Dawson Nat Brown Jennifer Icanberry Elk Grove High School Choir Elk Grove Youth Commission
Themed attire encouraged!