March/April 2022

Mar-Apr 2022 / Volume 22 / Issue 2

City of Elk Grove

NEWSLETTER N MMISSIO TH CO VE YOU ELK GRO

TS PRESEN

2022

Honor Those Who Give Back to Our Community Nominations Are Now Open for the 2022 Mayor’s Volunteer Awards

Our community benefits in countless ways from businesses, individuals, and organizations who volunteer their time, services, and funds to help improve Elk Grove’s quality of life. Although many volunteers never seek recognition for the work they do and the value they bring to our community, recognizing them helps energize our community. The Mayor’s Volunteer Awards not only honor those who do the work but also demonstrate that volunteerism comes in many forms, serving as a catalyst to inspire others. To help uplift your community and honor a volunteer, nominate them for the Mayor’s Volunteer Awards.

Nominations are due by March 11. For nomination criteria and forms, visit elkgrovecity.org or City Hall at 8401 Laguna Palms Way. Awards will be presented during a City Council Meeting in April. For questions, contact Carolyn at ccohen@elkgrovecity.org or 916-478-2201.

Kids…Treat Your Family to a Fun Day! Saturday, April 16 Noon to 4 p.m. | Old Town Plaza

Kids can treat their family to an afternoon of fun at this FREE event featuring carnival games, music, activities, and more! Food trucks will be on site, so grownups will want to bring money for food purchases. For more details about Family Fun Day, a Youth Commission-sponsored event, visit elkgrovecity.org/youth-commission.

INSIDE:

City Public Art Collection Continues to Grow with New Sculpture at District56

Our City’s newest sculpture—“Cultivation”— provides visitors to The Preserve at District56 a moment to appreciate and reflect on Elk Grove’s agricultural history.

The sculpture portrays a seed pod sprouting leaves. The leaves of this dynamic sculpture move with the wind, similar to the leaves on the trees in the adjacent pistachio orchard.

Created by Ride Art Studio, “Cultivation” is located at the corner of Big Horn Boulevard and Lotz Parkway. Learn more about the City’s public art program by visiting elkgrovecity.org/publicart.

elkgrovecity.org

Page 2 • Invest in Our City, Invest in Our Planet • Elk Grove’s Built Environment • Disposable Water Bottles • Charter for Compassion • Shop Local • Medication Disposal • Used Mattress Recycling • Tire Recycling Events • Your Guide to Elk Grove Services Page 3 • Erasing Food Waste • Organics Recycling • See. Click. Fix. Page 4 • Farmers Market Returns to Old Town • New Informational Signage Installed Around City • Upgrades Complete on Grant Line Road Project • Fly Fit 2022 • Going on Vacation?

Earth Day—Friday, April 22 Invest in Our City, Invest in Our Planet The world’s largest environmental day of celebration—Earth Day— gives Elk Grove the opportunity to reflect and take pride in the steps our city has taken towards building a sustainable and healthy community. Elk Grove is committed to helping nurture a community that is truly sustainable—one that balances environmental impacts, the economy, and our way of life without compromising the needs of future generations. This commitment takes form in the many sustainable initiatives planned or already in place in our city, including:

Medication Disposal 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.

Elk Grove’s Built Environment: The City’s public building projects incorporate green building techniques and best management practices for design, construction, and renovation. Highlights include:

Used Mattress Recycling Keep your old mattress out of the landfill by recycling it—up to 80 percent of an old mattress can be recycled. Through this program, parts of mattresses are recycled and turned into everyday products such as carpet padding, mulch, and appliances. Call one of the participating recycling locations to confirm your drop-off: • Kiefer Landfill 2701 Kiefer Blvd | 916-875-5555 • Florin Perkins Public Disposal 4201 Florin Perkins Road | 916-443-5120 • Imperial Mattress 3440 La Grande Boulevard | 916-394-2828 • Sacramento Valley Mattress 4160 14th Ave | 916-454-4052

Drop-off at Elk Grove Police Department 8400 Laguna Palms Way Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Leave prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original bottles.

Mark out any personal information you wish to conceal while keeping the medication name visible. Place medications in the marked bin located in the lobby.

• The District56 community center, a LEED Gold-certified building, is sustainable and energy efficient.

• The District56 campus will provide enough energy to power the entire facility, creating a net zero energy site with a new solar array that will be completed in late spring.

• The Special Waste Collection Center, a LEED Gold-certified building, is the first of its kind in the nation powered by solar energy.

• Other City facilities are powered through a SolarShares agreement with SMUD (since 2017).

Disposable Water Bottles: City purchases of single-use plastic water bottles have been replaced with refillable, reusable bottles or biodegradable cups—this saves up to 20,000 single-use water bottles every year!

Tire Recycling Events Special Waste Collection Center 9255 Disposal Lane Elk Grove tire recycling events have March 6–9 and April 10–13 diverted nearly 10,000 tires 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. over the last three years!

Californians generate tens of millions of waste tires each year. You can help reduce this waste by dropping your old tires off during a Tire Recycling Event. Recycling these tough and durable tires conserves landfill space; converts materials into useful products, such as tire-derived fuel, rubberized asphalt, playground surfaces, and more; and it prevents the spread of diseases from rodents and mosquitoes that proliferate in discarded old tires.

Charter for Compassion: The City adopted a Charter for Compassion in 2020, recognizing the interconnectedness between residents and the natural environment. Learn more at elkgrovcity.org/compassioncharter.

Shop Local: Shop Local programs encourage shopping at local businesses or the NeighborGood Market, which helps support the local economy, provides local jobs, and reduces our environmental footprint through reduced transportation of products.

Check out more information or see updates as new activities are added by visiting elkgrovecity.org/sustainability.

YOUR GUIDE TO

Elk Grove Services

Erasing Food Waste Elk Grove residents will soon join the mandatory statewide effort to reduce emissions of climate pollutants by erasing food waste through a new organics recycling program. Beginning July 1, food scraps and organic materials will be taken to a recycling processor to be composted, rather than going to the landfill. By separating and recycling our food waste collectively, we will be diverting about 300,000 tons of food waste per year from landfills and reducing methane emissions.

Organics Recycling • Food Waste Disposal: Place food waste in your green waste bin starting July 1. Your current green waste bin will become your organic waste bin and service will increase from biweekly to weekly (this is currently your gray cart but you will receive new carts after service begins). Do not start organics recycling until July 1. The current process and uses for green waste disposal do not yet support food waste.

• Separating Food Waste: When separating food waste, it’s helpful to have a separate kitchen collection container available during meal prep and meal time. Place scraps and leftovers in the container as you go. Containers can be as simple as a bowl, a paper towel, or old newspaper. Specialized kitchen compost containers for your countertop, under the sink, or to hang on your cabinet door can also be purchased. This summer, you can request a FREE countertop compost bin through the City. Counter top containers can be lined with a paper bag, napkins, or other compostable paper. Plastic bags, including compostable or biodegradable bags, are not allowed as they are not compatible with the composting method used by our hauler.

• Odor and Pest Reduction: Decomposing food will produce a foul odor in the organics waste bin, as well as attract pests, as it did in your trash bin. Several methods can help reduce odor and pests, including freezing food scraps before emptying them into your organics waste bin; covering food scraps with yard trimmings after placing them in your organics waste bin; and lining the bottom of your bin with newspaper sprinkled with baking soda to absorb smells and moisture. After July 1, your organics waste bin will be collected on a weekly basis to help ensure the contents are removed in a manner that meets public health and safety guidelines.

For details about SB 1383, erasing food waste, and the organics recycling program, visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle. To speak to the City’s residential program coordinator, Nathan Arechiga, call 916-627-3646.

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

Emergency Services

Fire-Medical-Police Emergency Police Non-Emergency Fire Department (Non-Emergency) 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance

(916) 478-2254 (916) 687-3042 (916) 478-2265 (916) 687-3005 (916) 683-8726 (916) 389-7877 (916) 687-3023 911 (916) 714-5115 (916) 405-7100 (916) 687-3005

(Street Hazards, Flooding, Traffic Signals, Streetlights)

Poison Control

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE City Council March 9, 23; April 13, 27 6 p.m.

Arts Commission March 17; April 21 6:30 p.m.

Disability Advisory Committee March 16; April 20 6 p.m.

Historic Preservation Committee March 14; April 11 6:30 p.m.

Diversity and Inclusion Commission March 15; April 19 6 p.m.

Planning Commission March 3, 17; April 7, 21 6 p.m.

Trails Committee March 21; April 18 6 p.m.

Youth Commission March 8; April 12 6 p.m.

CITY MEETINGS CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY

Public meetings will continue to be held virtually, subject to change with revised state orders. Individual agendas provide details on how the public can participate. Links to all meeting agendas are available at elkgrovecity.org.

ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen bsinghallen@elkgrovecity.org Vice Mayor Darren Suen | District 1 dsuen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Patrick Hume | District 2 phume@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Kevin Spease | District 3 kspease@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Stephanie Nguyen | District 4 snguyen@elkgrovecity.org

TTY/TDD (888) 435-6092 TTY/TDD (California Relay) 711 Popular Services

Beginning July 1, Elk Grove residents will no longer be allowed to throw away food scraps or other organic material in their trash bins as mandated by SB1383.

• Types of Acceptable Organic Waste: In addition to yard waste, organic waste includes anything you eat and any by product of your meals, including food-soiled paper, coffee filters, and paper plates. The City will provide more detailed information about acceptable organics prior to July 1.

elkgrovecity.org/residents

Ask Elk Grove, City Information Line (916) 691-CITY (2489)

2

Visit Recycling and Waste at the NeighborGood market on April 21 to pick up some recycling goodies and talk about your favorite thing about Earth Day.

(800) 222-1222

Utilities

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

Things to Do

Cosumnes Community Services District Parks and Recreation Elk Grove Aquatics Center Explore Elk Grove Senior Center of Elk Grove Teen Center USA Wackford Community & Aquatics Complex

Education

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

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?

(916) 685-3556 (888) 742-7683 (800) 743-5000 (916) 635-2500 (916) 875-7246 (916) 875-6730 (916) 405-5600

(916) 883-2782

exploreelkgrove.com

(916) 685-3160 (916) 686-6942 (916) 405-5600

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

SEE. CLICK. FIX. There’s a new mobile app to help you report issues.

For the desktop version, visit elkgrovecity.org/seeclickfix

DOWNLOAD NOW

3

Earth Day—Friday, April 22 Invest in Our City, Invest in Our Planet The world’s largest environmental day of celebration—Earth Day— gives Elk Grove the opportunity to reflect and take pride in the steps our city has taken towards building a sustainable and healthy community. Elk Grove is committed to helping nurture a community that is truly sustainable—one that balances environmental impacts, the economy, and our way of life without compromising the needs of future generations. This commitment takes form in the many sustainable initiatives planned or already in place in our city, including:

Medication Disposal 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.

Elk Grove’s Built Environment: The City’s public building projects incorporate green building techniques and best management practices for design, construction, and renovation. Highlights include:

Used Mattress Recycling Keep your old mattress out of the landfill by recycling it—up to 80 percent of an old mattress can be recycled. Through this program, parts of mattresses are recycled and turned into everyday products such as carpet padding, mulch, and appliances. Call one of the participating recycling locations to confirm your drop-off: • Kiefer Landfill 2701 Kiefer Blvd | 916-875-5555 • Florin Perkins Public Disposal 4201 Florin Perkins Road | 916-443-5120 • Imperial Mattress 3440 La Grande Boulevard | 916-394-2828 • Sacramento Valley Mattress 4160 14th Ave | 916-454-4052

Drop-off at Elk Grove Police Department 8400 Laguna Palms Way Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Leave prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original bottles.

Mark out any personal information you wish to conceal while keeping the medication name visible. Place medications in the marked bin located in the lobby.

• The District56 community center, a LEED Gold-certified building, is sustainable and energy efficient.

• The District56 campus will provide enough energy to power the entire facility, creating a net zero energy site with a new solar array that will be completed in late spring.

• The Special Waste Collection Center, a LEED Gold-certified building, is the first of its kind in the nation powered by solar energy.

• Other City facilities are powered through a SolarShares agreement with SMUD (since 2017).

Disposable Water Bottles: City purchases of single-use plastic water bottles have been replaced with refillable, reusable bottles or biodegradable cups—this saves up to 20,000 single-use water bottles every year!

Tire Recycling Events Special Waste Collection Center 9255 Disposal Lane Elk Grove tire recycling events have March 6–9 and April 10–13 diverted nearly 10,000 tires 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. over the last three years!

Californians generate tens of millions of waste tires each year. You can help reduce this waste by dropping your old tires off during a Tire Recycling Event. Recycling these tough and durable tires conserves landfill space; converts materials into useful products, such as tire-derived fuel, rubberized asphalt, playground surfaces, and more; and it prevents the spread of diseases from rodents and mosquitoes that proliferate in discarded old tires.

Charter for Compassion: The City adopted a Charter for Compassion in 2020, recognizing the interconnectedness between residents and the natural environment. Learn more at elkgrovcity.org/compassioncharter.

Shop Local: Shop Local programs encourage shopping at local businesses or the NeighborGood Market, which helps support the local economy, provides local jobs, and reduces our environmental footprint through reduced transportation of products.

Check out more information or see updates as new activities are added by visiting elkgrovecity.org/sustainability.

YOUR GUIDE TO

Elk Grove Services

Erasing Food Waste Elk Grove residents will soon join the mandatory statewide effort to reduce emissions of climate pollutants by erasing food waste through a new organics recycling program. Beginning July 1, food scraps and organic materials will be taken to a recycling processor to be composted, rather than going to the landfill. By separating and recycling our food waste collectively, we will be diverting about 300,000 tons of food waste per year from landfills and reducing methane emissions.

Organics Recycling • Food Waste Disposal: Place food waste in your green waste bin starting July 1. Your current green waste bin will become your organic waste bin and service will increase from biweekly to weekly (this is currently your gray cart but you will receive new carts after service begins). Do not start organics recycling until July 1. The current process and uses for green waste disposal do not yet support food waste.

• Separating Food Waste: When separating food waste, it’s helpful to have a separate kitchen collection container available during meal prep and meal time. Place scraps and leftovers in the container as you go. Containers can be as simple as a bowl, a paper towel, or old newspaper. Specialized kitchen compost containers for your countertop, under the sink, or to hang on your cabinet door can also be purchased. This summer, you can request a FREE countertop compost bin through the City. Counter top containers can be lined with a paper bag, napkins, or other compostable paper. Plastic bags, including compostable or biodegradable bags, are not allowed as they are not compatible with the composting method used by our hauler.

• Odor and Pest Reduction: Decomposing food will produce a foul odor in the organics waste bin, as well as attract pests, as it did in your trash bin. Several methods can help reduce odor and pests, including freezing food scraps before emptying them into your organics waste bin; covering food scraps with yard trimmings after placing them in your organics waste bin; and lining the bottom of your bin with newspaper sprinkled with baking soda to absorb smells and moisture. After July 1, your organics waste bin will be collected on a weekly basis to help ensure the contents are removed in a manner that meets public health and safety guidelines.

For details about SB 1383, erasing food waste, and the organics recycling program, visit elkgrovecity.org/recycle. To speak to the City’s residential program coordinator, Nathan Arechiga, call 916-627-3646.

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

Emergency Services

Fire-Medical-Police Emergency Police Non-Emergency Fire Department (Non-Emergency) 24-Hour Emergency Maintenance

(916) 478-2254 (916) 687-3042 (916) 478-2265 (916) 687-3005 (916) 683-8726 (916) 389-7877 (916) 687-3023 911 (916) 714-5115 (916) 405-7100 (916) 687-3005

(Street Hazards, Flooding, Traffic Signals, Streetlights)

Poison Control

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE City Council March 9, 23; April 13, 27 6 p.m.

Arts Commission March 17; April 21 6:30 p.m.

Disability Advisory Committee March 16; April 20 6 p.m.

Historic Preservation Committee March 14; April 11 6:30 p.m.

Diversity and Inclusion Commission March 15; April 19 6 p.m.

Planning Commission March 3, 17; April 7, 21 6 p.m.

Trails Committee March 21; April 18 6 p.m.

Youth Commission March 8; April 12 6 p.m.

CITY MEETINGS CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY

Public meetings will continue to be held virtually, subject to change with revised state orders. Individual agendas provide details on how the public can participate. Links to all meeting agendas are available at elkgrovecity.org.

ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen bsinghallen@elkgrovecity.org Vice Mayor Darren Suen | District 1 dsuen@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Patrick Hume | District 2 phume@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Kevin Spease | District 3 kspease@elkgrovecity.org Councilmember Stephanie Nguyen | District 4 snguyen@elkgrovecity.org

TTY/TDD (888) 435-6092 TTY/TDD (California Relay) 711 Popular Services

Beginning July 1, Elk Grove residents will no longer be allowed to throw away food scraps or other organic material in their trash bins as mandated by SB1383.

• Types of Acceptable Organic Waste: In addition to yard waste, organic waste includes anything you eat and any by product of your meals, including food-soiled paper, coffee filters, and paper plates. The City will provide more detailed information about acceptable organics prior to July 1.

elkgrovecity.org/residents

Ask Elk Grove, City Information Line (916) 691-CITY (2489)

2

Visit Recycling and Waste at the NeighborGood market on April 21 to pick up some recycling goodies and talk about your favorite thing about Earth Day.

(800) 222-1222

Utilities

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

Things to Do

Cosumnes Community Services District Parks and Recreation Elk Grove Aquatics Center Explore Elk Grove Senior Center of Elk Grove Teen Center USA Wackford Community & Aquatics Complex

Education

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

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?

(916) 685-3556 (888) 742-7683 (800) 743-5000 (916) 635-2500 (916) 875-7246 (916) 875-6730 (916) 405-5600

(916) 883-2782

exploreelkgrove.com

(916) 685-3160 (916) 686-6942 (916) 405-5600

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

SEE. CLICK. FIX. There’s a new mobile app to help you report issues.

For the desktop version, visit elkgrovecity.org/seeclickfix

DOWNLOAD NOW

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

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.

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE

Farmers Market Returns to Old Town Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

9615 Railroad Street

Grand Opening Sunday, May 1 Enter the raffle for your chance to win prizes!

Celebrate the return of the Old Town Farmers Market! Beginning May 1, dozens of vendors will once again fill the Plaza at 9615 Railroad Street, offering their bounty of locally grown produce, baked goods, fresh proteins, gourmet prepared foods, handmade specialty goods, flowers, and more. Operated by the Living Smart Farmers Markets, this weekly Sunday market also features live music, family entertainment, special events, and quarterly onsite chef demonstrations. A portion of all sales helps support the Living Smart Farmers Markets, a non-profit that specializes in the education of youth and families in health, business, financial management, and life skills. For more details, visit ILoveMyFarmersMarket.com.

New Informational Signage Installed Around City

New digital signs have been installed at various City facilities, providing a continuous stream of real-time news and updates on upcoming events, meetings, and activities. The 100% solar-powered kiosks look something like a big Kindle with a 42-inch display. Funded with federal grant dollars, the signs can be found at District56 in The Preserve and on The Avenue, in front of City Hall, at the Old Town Plaza, and at the Elk Grove Animal Shelter.

4

Upgrades Complete on Grant Line Road Project

Construction is now complete on the 1.5-mile segment of Grant Line Road between Waterman Road and Bradshaw Road. Upgrades include a separated roadway with median and two additional lanes, a multi-use trail, sound walls, and signalized intersections at Bradshaw Road and Mosher Road. The project, which is part of the Capital Southeast Connector, was funded by the City’s Roadway Fee Program, Developer In-Lieu fees, and California’s Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB-1). For more information, visit grantline.org.

Fly Fit 2022 FREE 6-week Fitness Program Begins May 25

Kids (age 5+), teens, and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, and their families, are invited to participate in Fly Fit 2022. This FREE 6-week fitness program is designed to help participants learn to move better, get stronger, feel better about themselves, and build community bonds. Fly Fit is a collaboration between the Fly Brave Foundation, the Elk Grove Police Department, Visions in Motion, and AMPT Fitness. For more information or to register, visit flybrave.org.

Going on Vacation?

The Elk Grove Volunteers in Police Service will keep an eye on your home while you’re away. For details or to submit a request, visit elkgrovepd.org.