Behrman Bears Good News Regarding Development Along Elk-Grove Florin Road 

At the Elk Grove City Council meeting on December 12, interim City Manager Jason Behrmann gave the news that the City of Elk Grove has been selected to participate in a Sacramento Area Council of Government program to help develop a shopping strip along Elk Grove-Florin Road. This Civic Lab, as SACOG calls it focuses on creating “vibrant commercial corridors throughout the region.”

“Civic Lab is a regional effort that aims to address issues of regional importance through action at the local level. SACOG will work with partner agencies, local experts, national leaders, decision makers, and innovators to find creative solutions to some of the bigger issues facing the region today, and in the future.” (Excerpted from SACOG’s website)

Behrmann announced, “The city will be partnering with the Chamber of Commerce to connect with property owners and residents to explore opportunities to improvements for the Elk Grove-Florin corridor from Elk Way to Elk Grove High School.”

Certainly, the area along Elk Grove-Florin Road is in great need of development. The majority of shopping centers along Elk Grove-Florin do not have national retail chains that would draw in more consumers. Consequently, during times when the U.S. economy is lagging, the retail stores and restaurants in the strip malls by Elk-Grove Florin Road often struggle to make ends meet.

In contrast, the shopping centers around Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road and Elk Grove Boulevard and Bruceville Road have a great deal of national retail businesses and restaurants. Starbucks, Target, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Jamba Juice, Kohl’s, and Trader Joe’s are all examples of national or international chains that draw consumers to corridors off of Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road and Elk Grove Boulevard and Bruceville Road.

The City of Elk Grove is developing at a rapid place. Let us hope that this project will be more successful that the Promenade Outlet Malls project.