County Gambles on 25,000-Person Natomas Project Despite City's Loud No

In a move that has deepened a years-long rift between Sacramento County and the city, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to green-light the Upper Westside development—a sprawling 2,000-acre project that could bring nearly 9,400 homes and roughly 25,000 new residents to farmland near Natomas and Garden Highway. The catch? The Sacramento City Council already went on record opposing it, and the list of concerns from both city officials and residents keeps growing.

This isn’t exactly a surprise plot twist. The Upper Westside saga began in 2018, and the tensions are rooted in a much older disagreement—a 2002 agreement between the city and county about how growth should happen in the Natomas farmland. City leaders argue the county is ignoring that deal, which was designed to protect agricultural open space. But here’s the rub: once you step outside city limits, Sacramento County holds the planning cards. So the supervisors, armed with that jurisdiction, can essentially move forward even when city council votes 8-1 against the project.

The opposition runs deep. Councilmember Karina Talamantes, who represents part of Natomas, raised red flags about traffic, water supply, schools, and emergency services—basically asking how the county expects to handle 911 calls from a community that doesn’t yet exist. Drew Marshburn, a Natomas resident, framed it starkly for supervisors:“Adding 20,000 residents to the Natomas Basin puts current and future residents in serious danger.”Environmental groups, including the Natomas Basin Conservancy, have flagged concerns about Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat near the Sacramento River. Even former Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo weighed in, questioning how the project plans to address water reliability and transportation infrastructure.

On the flip side, supporters see this as a housing solution Sacramento desperately needs. The region faces a genuine shortage, and boosters like Lila Brazil made the case that Upper Westside would generate jobs and thousands of new homes, many affordable. Supervisor Phil Serna, who represents Natomas and backed the plan, dismissed the criticism as stalling tactics. He framed it as an opportunity the area should have pursued years ago.

But not everyone in the supervisors’future is convinced. Flojaune Cofer, who won the primary to replace Serna next year, cut to the heart of a tension many feel:“Developers purchased farmland that was not zoned for development, and then they asked elected officials to change the rules for them.”It’s a fair read on how these things often play out.

Here’s the real kicker: even with Tuesday’s approval, construction isn’t imminent. The project still needs additional permits and approvals. Which means the fight—over water, roads, habitat, and who pays for services—is far from over. This could drag on for years, and the city’s resistance suggests pushback will continue at every turn.