Elk Grove booms with growth as city says it is prepared for expansion
ELK GROVE – Elk Grove is exploding with growth with new construction on nearly every undeveloped corner.
The second-largest city in Sacramento County will soon be welcoming a zoo and an expansion to the Sky River Casino.
City Manager Jason Behrmann told CBS13 that this is all positive growth that they are prepared for.
"We want good, steady growth," Behrmann said. "We don't want to explode with growth because it's hard to keep up with the infrastructure."
Rafael and Elena Galvan have lived in Elk Grove for over 50 years and have watched the community they call home grow.
"All this was just farmland," Rafael said.
There has been booming retail, restaurants, housing, entertainment and more. Behrmann said the city's been growing at a rate of 1-2% over the past few years.
"The traffic is going to be disgusting, but oh well," Elena said.
How is Elk Grove preparing for expansion?
Traveling through town is not how it once was, but Behrmann said traffic signals are being synchronized and new roads are being built. The goal is for the developers – not taxpayers – to flip the bill for new infrastructure.
"New growth, new development pays for itself," Behrmann said. "Making sure when a new home comes in they are paying the requisite to build the new roads, to put the fire station, do all they can so it doesn't result in a burden to the existing taxpayers."
In the early 2000s, Elk Grove was issuing 4,000-5,000 new single-family home permits each year. That number dramatically dropped with the Great Recession. In recent years, it has been back up to 600-800 permits. In 2024, the city is on track to issue over 1,000 home permits.
"We're excited about the zoo," said David Clark, who moved his family to Elk Grove four years ago. "We're going to make a donation so the project happens."
He currently has a 4-year-old daughter who will be starting school in July.
"The school district is what really drew us in," Clark said.
Elk Grove Unified School District is currently creating a new 10-year plan that includes new schools plus modernization and expansion of existing ones.
Over the past 10 years, it has used $476 million in Measure M money to create change to improve the experience for students, educators and the community.
"It keeps them out of the streets," said Jas Dee who lives in Elk Grove and has two teenagers. "It keeps them playing sports and other things like that."
The growth is giving people a sense of pride in Elk Grove.
"We still enjoy it," Elena said. "There's so many new places we go quite often."
Safety is also a priority as the city continues to expand. Elk Grove Police have been getting new technology like drones and a new fire station just opened.
Safewise also recently ranked Elk Grove as one of the top 20 safest cities in California, ranking it 14th.