Four Sacramento council members will discuss ideas for growing the number of community gardens in the city on Tuesday afternoon. City Council members Jay Schenirer, Sandy Sheedy, Darrell Fong and Steve Cohn sit on the Law and Legislation Committee, which analyzes ideas for local ordinances. The committee will examine ways to regulate community gardens and increase their presence. Councilman Rob Fong spurred the committee’s discussion, according to a city staff report. The city should do everything it can to encourage community gardening and to explore urban farming, Fong said Monday. “I just think we need to utilize our spaces well,” Fong said. Committee members will evaluate a propose

The Sacramento Planning Commission gave the green light to plans to re-zone parts of North Sacramento to attract future development. The commission made a recommendation, Thursday night, to the City Council to vote on plans that will allow for more commercial development near a Regional Transit line. City staff formally refer to the plans as the Northeast Line Implementation Plan. Areas near a light rail line that has stations at Globe Avenue and Del Paso Blvd, and at Arden Way and Del Paso Blvd, are the focus of the proposals. The city’s plans also cite areas around Royal Oaks Drive and Arden Way. The City Council is expected to vote on the plans next month. The commissioners approved

The Sacramento Planning Commission on Thursday applauded a development team's plan for the 700 block of K Street. D & S Development, Inc., and CFY Development Inc. – led by David Miry and his son, Bay Miry, and Cyrus Youssefi and his son, Ali Youssefi – propose a mix of adaptive reuse and new construction for the south side of the block. Since it was introduced, the plan has grown to incorporate Sacramento's historic underground and plenty of outdoor living space, while keeping its residential component smaller and less expensive. The project would also restore historic building façades to help preserve the legacy of K Street, which was once the thriving heart of the city. The plan call

Local medical marijuana dispensaries must face a lengthy list of fees under the city’s new medical pot regulations. The Sacramento City Council approved new rules and fees for medical marijuana dispensaries on Tuesday. Depending on the medical marijuana dispensary, fees of roughly $33,000 or $39,600 will be paid in the application process for the first year of operation, said Joy Patterson, the city’s principal planner. The medical pot shops will pay these total amounts only if they successfully navigate the application process by meeting the city’s new rules, she said. The city’s 39 registered medical pot shops will be sent to the Planning Commission or the zoning administrator dependi

Lawyer Patrick Kennedy described himself as a rare City Council candidate because local business and labor groups are backing his campaign. Kennedy is endorsed by the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the Sacramento Metro Chamber. “Both (organizations) have worked with me,” Kennedy said. “They see that I’m fair.” The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election. Kennedy, 42, is running against four candidates for District 5, the seat held by Lauren Hammond. She is running for Assemblyman Dave Jones' seat. Oak Park, Curtis Park, Colonial Heights and Tahoe Park West are among the neighborhoods in District 5. Kennedy, a fourth-generation S

It’s the end of December — a time for holiday celebrations, not public hearings. But the democratic process begins anew in early January, with many issues to be debated at local government meetings. The Sacramento Press has created the following schedule for residents who want to exercise their right to weigh in on public issues. Sacramento City Council: The council is not meeting Dec. 29. Its first meeting in the new year will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at City Hall, 915 I St. Sacramento County Board of Supervisors: The board’s first meeting of 2010 will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12. A second 2 p.m. meeting will be held Jan. 12. Sacramento City Planning Commi