The 2003 Natomas development plan, in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, earmarked this farm, at the end of W. El Camino Ave., to be a wildlife preserve. When the owner is ready to sell, The Natomas Basin Conservancy is ready to buy.
However, Supervisor Serna is advocating to his four Supervisor colleagues that they should flout the Endangered Species Act and change the zoning to residential.
The reason Supervisor Serna is making this bold move is profit for two band buddies. Supervisor Serna plays bass guitar for Unsupervised. The trumpet player and lead guitar player are insiders in the Upper Westside developer's organization.
The Upper Westside development is egregiously located in the Hawk Zone. Most importantly, the 2003 development plan's implementation agreement contains a poison pill on page 30. Any development in the Hawk Zone, "will trigger a reevaluation of impacts[.]" Any development in the Hawk Zone will put at risk the entire structure that enables Natomas farms to become Natomas neighborhoods.
When an Upper Westside resident calls 911 for police protection, then a sheriff's officer will likely have to drive from Carmichael to respond.
The Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant is owned and operated by the City of Sacramento. On October 7, 2025, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors passed a $183,736 supplemental appropriation to pay Environmental Science Associates. Environmental Science is tasked to figure out how to convert farm irrigation water into drinking water. The supplemental appropriation raises the County's research expenditure for Upper Westside to $1,583,505.
The sinister component of the Upper Westside development is its location. Because it is located west of the Natomas interior, there is no 50% mitigation tax.
