Just when I thought the story about public access to the Sacramento River Parkway was winding down, losing its punch, along comes the Central Valley Flood Protection Board to restore the outrage.
The useful idiots at the flood board spent a month this summer agonizing over four property owners who want to build permanent fences across the levee top in Pocket and Little Pocket.
The fences will barricade the city’s forthcoming Sacramento River Parkway bike trail. But don’t worry. The fences will come down soon after they’re built.
Call it another absurdity in a story that began in 1975, when the bike trail was proposed.
For months, several flood board members, led by Mary Jane Griego, indicated they want no more levee fences. But after hearing legal threats from a few property owners near the levee, the board flipped. It green-lighted new barricades.
This sounds like a massive setback for the city, an insult to public access, a slap in the face to anyone who wants to connect Sacramento’s rivers with a first-class bike trail, Folsom to Freeport.
True, the flood board’s behavior is cowardly and unnecessary. The board—a state agency with members appointed by the governor—acts like a private security company for a handful of property owners who hate bike trails.
Fearing lawsuits, the flood board prioritizes private grievances over its duty to serve public interests. A smarter board would sit back and ignore requests to build levee fences.
But here’s the good news. It doesn’t matter.
The city recently gained federal environmental approval for the Sac River bike trail. Now the city can instantly use eminent domain to take levee easements from spiteful property owners.
Eminent domain is a lovely thing. Just by filing a notice and posting a bond, the city takes possession of the levee top in Pocket and Little Pocket. Property owners can’t stop eminent domain. They can only moan.
Eminent domain requires the city to pay reasonable prices for levee easements. But negotiations happen down the road, after the city takes the levee. The city files legal paperwork, delivers documents to the county recorder, and builds the bike trail.
Step one: rip out new levee fences at Clipper Way and Piedmont Drive.
The inevitability of eminent domain terrifies homesteaders who spent decades conniving to block the Sac River bike trail.
At flood board meetings this summer, property owners begged board members to let them keep their fences after the city takes possession of the levee. As always, the flood board was sympathetic.
But once the city unleashes eminent domain, the game’s over.
The flood board’s lawyer admitted as much in June. He said the city could wrap up the eminent domain process in one afternoon.
Which means the Sac River bike trail now runs on the city’s clock. The only question is when.
R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram: @insidesacramento.
