Sacramento, CA Loses Key Planners

As Sacramento County grapples with difficult growth decisions, particularly in the recently incorporated areas, it must also deal with the loss of two top planning officials. Thomas W. Hutchings and Tricia Stevens, who have nearly 50 years ofcombined planning experience, are leaving their positions with the Planning and Community Development Department, creating a huge void for the county. In the past, the department has been accused of being pro-development. Environmentalists are hoping for a "new planning chief to uphold provisions of the county's 1993 general plan, which establishes a boundary on urban growth and promotes development near transit routes."