The Rio Linda/Elverta Community Planning Advisory Council at it's meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2001, made it unanimously clear that it's message to the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) that it was not in favor of SAFCA's levee alternative plans that were laid out by Butch Hodgkins, Executive Director that would involve more levies being built, roads raised, or berms made around the Rio Linda Airport.

While Hodgkins did do an excellent job of explaining SAFCA's position about the project that will be submitted to the SAFCA Board for approval, the CPAC's decision was that they would prefer a "No Project Alternative". The decision made by the CPAC was made after testimony from various audience members in attendance.
Erwin Hayer made an excellent presentation opposing the project that as he explained how the flood levels have been improperly reported by the County. He said the proposed levees may exacerbate the flooding conditions here rather than mitigate them. Speakers from the audience were allowed three minutes to voice their objections. However, after Hayer had used up his 3 minutes, Debbie Bryne (CPAC Chair) who was obliged to cut him off, did allow other opposition speakers to donate their time to Hayer who, even according to Hodgkins, is the most knowledgeable person pertaining to local flooding information.

The following are some of the (paraphrased) statements made by Hodgkins: Dry Creek Road will be raised 1?2 feet near Bell Aqua; G Street will be raised to 50' elevation; In the event of a flood, 10th Street will be blocked off if necessary in the vicinity of Rio Linda High School; It is intended that Rio Linda shall receive the same level of flood protection as North Sacramento and Natomas; Sacramento people feel it is unfair for Rio Linda to not pay for flood protection when Sacramento has to pay; SAFCA admits it raised the flood level "slightly" in Rio Linda; The Rio Linda levees would not be required now if the previous work (protecting Sacramento and Natomas) was not done; The levees are designed to handle the Placer County runoff even if Placer County doesn't implement detention areas; 1986 is the American River "Storm of Record"; The present project only needs to buy (or condemn) one house; Tonight is the first time Hodgkins has heard any concern for toxics in the runoff; SAFCA's position is that the proposed project meets all 55 conditions of the State Reclamation Board's Permit 16033?A BD dated September 19, 1997.

The SAFCA portion of the CPAC meeting was from approximately 7 to 8:30 pm with around 50 people in attendance.

The SAFCA Board meeting on the levee issue will be held on January 18, 2001, at 2:00 pm in the Sacramento County Board of Supervisor's Chambers. At that meeting, which is open to the public, the SAFCA Board will determine Rio Linda/Elverta's fate concerning flooding.