County Supervisor Report January 2019
By Susan Peters
January 2020
Passing the Torch
Priorities will continue until end of term
Filing to run for county supervisor closed last month. The election has been moved to March to be held at the same time as the 2020 California presidential primary.
For the past four elections my name has appeared on the ballot. But this year I opted not to run for re-election, having decided it was time to retire after 16 years in public office. Thank you for allowing me the honor to be your representative on the Board of Supervisors and the opportunity to speak on behalf of the unincorporated area.
While the five-member Board of Supervisors usually reaches general consensus on matters, there have been issues over the years where the vote has split. With respect to those differences, I have always prioritized road paving over diverting more funding to Regional Transit and supported curtailing the proliferation of marijuana retail sales in our commercial corridors. I have opposed budget cuts to law enforcement that would affect sheriff patrols for our neighborhoods and argued against measures that would increase density which puts at risk the quality of life of our suburban neighborhoods.
Our suburban values will probably be put to a test in the coming election and the result could impact the future of the unincorporated area. While you won’t see my name on the ballot, I’ll remain in office until January 2021. And I will continue to press forward on issues I have always made a priority.
SPEED CONTROLS
Sacramento County’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program provides a systematic approach to addressing neighborhood traffic concerns. The program encourages residents to identify traffic issues and initiate requests to treat the problems, as well as get involved in developing and approving a neighborhood traffic management plan.
To start the process, residents circulate a petition regarding a specific street. The Transportation Department evaluates the street using criteria such as average speed, accident history, closeness to schools, etc. A proposed traffic plan is developed in coordination with residents. Survey cards are mailed to residents and property owners to seek consensus on the plan, which is presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
That approach was used for several streets in Arden-Arcade and, as a result, the Board of Supervisors authorized installing speed controls for Bell between El Camino and Marconi, Lilibet between Tallyho and Westporter, Whitney between Toledo and Watt, and Pasadena between Auburn and Norris.
The speed-control installations are expected to occur by the end of this month. If you are interested in participating in NTMP for your street, visit sacdot.saccounty.net.
FAIR OAKS BLVD FINAL PHASE
The third and final phase is underway for improving Fair Oaks Boulevard between Landis and Marconi avenues in Carmichael. This phase will fill the gap between improvements made at the Marconi intersection in 2012 and between Engle Road and Landis in 2017.
The final phase will move utilities underground and add continuous sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaped medians and LED street lighting. Traffic signals will be upgraded at the intersection of Angelina Avenue. A new signal will be installed at Robertson Avenue, and a pedestrian signal near Fair Oaks Boulevard and North Avenue. This phase is expected to be completed in September.
GOT SANDBAGS?
Sacramento County operates self-serve sandbag sites at various locations during the winter storm season.
The Department of Water Resources supplies the sand and bags, but you must bring your own shovel. There are no staff on site to assist.
Locations are County Branch Center at 3847 Branch Center Road and Orangevale Community Center at 6826 Hazel Ave. Additional sandbag sites may open depending on weather forecasts and the possibility of flooding.
If your property has a history of flooding or standing water (such as water building up at the garage or back patio), you are encouraged to get sandbags in advance of the rain and have them on hand throughout the winter.
Bags and sand also are available, inexpensively, at most hardware and home-improvement stores. For more information, visit waterresources.saccounty.net/stormready.
ELECTRONIC EYE
Help improve the odds of catching perpetrators by participating in the Sheriff’s Electronic Eye (S.E.E.) Camera Registry Program.
Through the S.E.E. program, citizens and business owners register the locations of their video-surveillance systems with the Sheriff’s Department. Based on the locations of the registered cameras, the Sheriff’s Department emails citizens when a crime has occurred. The email asks citizens to check their surveillance systems for videos capturing a suspect, getaway car, crime, etc. If citizens find any possible video evidence, they can contact the S.E.E. program to make arrangements for video retrieval.
Those who register with S.E.E. receive a window sticker to show they are participating in the program. For more information, visit sacsheriff.com/see or contact the Sheriff’s Department at see@sacsheriff.com.
MLK CELEBRATION
The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration dinner will be held Saturday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. in the University Ballroom at Sacramento State.
This dinner brings together civic and community leaders, elected officials, judicial and legal community members, college and high school students, educators, and nonprofit and business people to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For more information, visit mlkcelebrationsacramento.org.
BEFORE YOU BURN
In effect now through February, wood burning is restricted in the unincorporated area, as well as the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova and Sacramento.
The restrictions apply to fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits and chimneys. These restrictions have helped reduce pollution and allowed our area stay in compliance with federal air-quality standards.
Before you burn, check the daily wood-burning status by calling 1-877-No Burn-5 or visit airquality.org.
Susan Peters represents the Third District on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. She can be reached at susanpeters@saccounty.net. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
