Several members of the public urged Sacramento City Council members on Tuesday to slow or reconsider review of the Airport South Industrial project, a proposed industrial development near North Natomas that speakers said would place millions of square feet of warehouses adjacent to residential neighborhoods and sensitive habitat.

Why it matters: Residents and environmental volunteers said the proposal conflicts with the North Natomas Community Plan and poses risks to birds and other wildlife in the Natomas Basin. They asked the council to ensure adequate public review before the project moves forward.

Public comments and concerns

Lynn Lindsey, a 23‑year Natomas resident, said the original North Natomas Community Plan set expectations for quality of life and did not call for “6,000,000 square feet of warehouses in residential neighborhoods.” She urged the council to revisit land‑use decisions and prioritize separating incompatible uses.

Edith Thatcher, a volunteer with ECOS (the environmental council of Sacramento), said the parcel proposed for Airport South Industrial is an active ecosystem where local residents have observed as many as 40 species of birds, coyotes and Swainson’s hawks. “This is an ecosystem where a lot is going on that’s important,” Thatcher said. She asked the city to address specific questions previously submitted by ECOS and to allow more time for public review.

Community process and next steps

Speakers told the council they appreciated staff scheduling an information session and asked for more time to read the project documents. Thatcher thanked staff for planning an informational meeting in November and noted that the council would vote on the item in December; other commenters urged the same schedule so the public could fully review the project’s roughly 900‑page environmental document.

Council response

Mayor Pro Tem and staff acknowledged the concerns and said there would be “ample debate on this topic in the coming weeks,” and that the project will receive additional public outreach and hearings before the council votes.

Ending

Speakers representing neighborhoods and environmental organizations asked the council to use the information session scheduled for November and the subsequent December hearing to answer questions about habitat impacts, the need for warehouses in that location, and alternatives that avoid placing large industrial uses next to homes and schools.