One of the last wildlife sanctuaries along the Lower American River is in danger of disappearing forever.The City of Rancho Cordova is poised to fill in 20 acres of the American River floodway raising the grade 10 feet in order to mass 29 million-dollar homes along the bluff overlooking the River and Parkway. The remaining acreage on the lower terrace will be developed with an additional 188 dwellings instantly obliterating approximately 350 trees including an historic walnut orchard. To Parkway advocates, this proposed development plan is an egregious breach of the public trust. The plan:
While the upper 21 acres of the former Kassis property adjacent to Folsom Boulevard are ideal for development, the lower 20 acres adjacent to the lower American River, a State and Federal designated Wild and Scenic River, must be protected. Save the American River Association is working in partnership with Preserve the American River to stop this development. August 2023 Update:On December 21, 2022, Trumark withdrew its original development proposal and replaced it in June 2023 with a development application pursuant to SB 330 to build even more homes. On August 25, 2023, Trumark's application was deemed complete by the City of Rancho Cordova. From this date, the City of Rancho Cordova has 60 days to review the application package for consistency with the City’s adopted standards. SB 330 limits City discretion to deny a proposed development. See Trumark's application on the City of Rancho Cordova's website.
HOW YOU CAN HELPHelp us stop Trumark from paving over 20 acres of an historic walnut orchard critical to the Parkway's wildlife. 1) Sign the petition.
2) Make a donation.
3) Contact the City of Rancho Cordova about unblocking public easements on the property.
4) Visit Preserve the American River for templates of messages you can send to elected officials and government agencies.
A WILDLIFE REFUGEThis land is home to the river's bald eagles, deer, bobcats, foxes, hawks, owls, and many more of the Parkway's wild residents. Endangered Swainson's Hawks have been spotted in the vicinity. Fisherman routinely find their way to the base of this property to stand quietly in the pursuit of steelhead. Here is where the wildlife escapes to when the river floods their homes on the American River Parkway. The property has approximately 350 trees, the majority consisting of walnut and pecan trees that are part of an historic orchard critical to the Parkway's wildlife. The proposed project would remove ALL the trees (except a few directly on the river bank) of which 150 are protected trees subject to tree mitigation fees.
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An overview of the proposed project site
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SUPPORTING ARTICLES AND DOCUMENTATION
Celebrating the American River - Grapevine Independent, October 29. 2021
"Nature walks showcased public easements that traverse the adjacent Kassis property."
Cooley Focuses on Rancho Cordova - The Independent, June 25, 2021
"I think that is just an absolutely unique piece of ground that is a part of our community,” Cooley said. “It’s something that the City Council will need to struggle with, what is the right way to balance development with access for something that serves the interests of the entire community. That, of course, is the true mark of serving in public life, this balancing act, of reconciling public values with private values.”
E-mail from ECOS, Sierra Club Sacramento Group, and SARA to Central Valley Flood Protection Board: Request to schedule a future public workshop to discuss the need for either regulation changes or new policies relating to the appropriateness of development within the floodway of rivers, August 13, 2021
As vote looms over Rancho Cordova’s last open space, city’s mayor and vice mayor took money from the developer aiming to build over it - Sacramento News & Review article, March 24, 2021
Rancho Cordova residents rally to save one of the city’s last pieces of open space - Sacramento News & Review article, January 27, 2021
Letter from Rosemont Community Association to City of Rancho Cordova - January 1, 2021
Planning Underway for Housing on 42 Acres of Open Space East of BRECA Area - By Jim Morgan, December 2020
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It is in the best interests of the American River & Parkway ecosystem, & its long-term viability as the metro area population & Parkway recreation increase, for the lower ~20 acres to be purchased for Sacramento County Regional Parks as part of the American River Parkway, where it will be managed & protected in perpetuity.
As a state & federally-designated Scenic River, these acres of high ecological value, with its rich riparian & associated habitat, meets all criteria for protection by the State of California under the jurisdiction of Sacramento County Regional Parks.
It is in the best interests of everyone who values the magnificent natural resource snaking through the center of the Sac Metro Area that we fondly call “the river” or “the Parkway,” to give enough of their time to speak out as requested above. This effort isn’t solely for us here today, but for our children & our children’s children into the future. Sadly, it takes many, many of us constantly making noise & standing as a sizable presence for as long as it may take to possibly be heard & persevere over the gold nuggets of developers & politics of city & county jurisdictions. When a community of citizens wins its fight for right, the feeling is priceless, for what was won benefits all into the future, whether directly or indirectly.
This is the ONLY shot we have at obtaining additional river-adjacent land for the Parkway & protecting this ecologically-substantive habitat by bringing it into our Parkway.
Thank you for reading. If you didn’t already care or see the importance of this effort, I hope I convinced you. ;-)