City officials in Sacramento contemplating drafting a letter expressing dissent towards the proposed Natomas development projects
In a recent turn of events, the Sacramento City Council has expressed its opposition to the Upper Westside Plan, a proposed 9,400-home development in Natomas, Sacramento. The council's decision, made in an 8-1 vote on August 13, 2025, comes as a result of concerns that the project violates a growth agreement established between the city and the county back in 2002.
The Upper Westside Plan, located between El Centro Road and the Sacramento River, has sparked a conflict between the city council and the broader county or regional plans. City Councilmember Karina Talamantes believes the development violates the joint vision agreement for Natomas, which called for the county to preserve the space and allow the city to develop it.
The city's opposition to the Upper Westside Plan suggests a disagreement between city governance (City Council) and county governance (Board of Supervisors or county planners) regarding the acceptability and scale of the development. The city's rejection reflects a dispute over growth management, urban planning, and possibly concerns about infrastructure, environmental impact, or community effects, which the 2002 agreement intended to regulate.
Despite the city's opposition, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the Upper Westside Plan on Aug. 20. The city council is considering sending a formal letter of opposition to the county to stop the approval of the Upper Westside Plan.
The Upper Westside Plan, if approved, would result in more than 9,000 housing units, three elementary schools, and a high school. Supporters of the plan argue that it would provide much-needed housing for the Sacramento region. However, concerns have been raised by residents such as Josh Harmatz, who lives along the Garden Highway, about the potential tripling of traffic on the narrow two-lane levee road.
City Councilmember Talamantes, who supports the move to oppose the Upper Westside Plan, believes that the city and county working together is the best thing for the residents of Sacramento. The city of Sacramento has been awarded a pro-housing designation from the state, emphasising its commitment to sustainable and well-planned development.
As the situation unfolds, it is clear that the future of the Upper Westside Plan is uncertain, with the city council and the Board of Supervisors at odds over this massive development. The city council is set to vote on sending the letter of opposition this week, marking a significant step in the ongoing debate.
[1] Source: City Council Meeting Minutes, Aug. 13, 2025.
The ongoing dispute over the Upper Westside Plan, a proposed 9,400-home development in Natomas, Sacramento, has extended beyond the city council, involving policy-and-legislation and politics as the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the plan on Aug. 20.
General-news sources have reported concerns that the plan may violate the growth agreement established between the city and the county in 2002, and City Councilmember Karina Talamantes, who supports the move to oppose the plan, has highlighted its potential impact on infrastructure, environmental impact, and community effects.
Business and real estate sectors closely watch the outcome of this conflict, as the Upper Westside Plan, if approved, would bring more than 9,000 housing units, three elementary schools, and a high school to the Sacramento region, providing much-needed housing, according to its supporters. However, critics fear the potential traffic congestion and the tripling of traffic on the narrow two-lane levee road.
