Downtown Sacramento Railyards

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Case Study

Downtown Sacramento Railyards

Client: Southern Pacific Transportation Co. and, subsequently, Union Pacific Railroad

Lead Attorney: Roy Brewer

Secured eight consecutive unanimous approvals in the 1990s, including the first ever approval of a Specific Plan for ground known to contain contaminated soil and groundwater, and approvals obtained in advance of Remedial Action Plans having been approved or implemented for all of the property. The firm conducted 160+ community meetings and public hearings, including adjacent residential neighborhoods and business districts, various stakeholder interest groups and the Sacramento Environmental Commission, among others.

Approvals included certification of:

  • EIR
  • Railyards Specific Plan
  • Special Planning District Zoning Ordinance
  • 1st Tentative Map and Conditions of Approval for the same
  • 1st Infrastructure Financing Plan and the 1st Implementation Ordinance
  • 1st Development Agreement for the Railyards
  • Three-party MOU between SPTCo, DTSC and the City of Sacramento related to protocols to guide development of the property and the extension of 7th Street through an active railyards
  • Successfully negotiated the transfer of SPTCo property to the City for eventual transfer to the US General Services Administration for construction of the Federal Courthouse
  • Successfully negotiated an agreement defining the terms by which the 7th Street corridor would be remediated on an accelerated schedule and railroad bridge crossings constructed to ensure uninterrupted rail traffic while 7th Street was constructed
  • Successfully negotiated a four-party agreement commissioning the initial arena feasibility study
  • Assisted the client managing the consultant team during preparation of revisions to the 1994 Railyards Specific Plan and contributed to that effort as land development counsel
Downtown Sacramento Railyards