Elk Grove · CA
Southeast Policy Area, Elk Grove: Neighborhood Guide
The Southeast Policy Area covers about 1,200 acres at Elk Grove's southern edge along Kammerer Road, planned in 2014 for jobs and new homes and still being built.
What is the Southeast Policy Area?
The Southeast Policy Area, often shortened to SEPA, is the newest growth area at the southern end of Elk Grove. The City of Elk Grove calls it the last large-scale development area within the urbanized part of the city. It covers about 1,200 acres directly south of Laguna Ridge, with Kammerer Road along its southern side and Highway 99 to the east.
Unlike the neighborhoods to the north, it is planned around jobs first. The city calls it an employment-oriented development, with homes at a range of price points meant to sit near future workplaces and shops.
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How did the Southeast Policy Area come about?
The city flagged this land when it adopted its General Plan in 2003. It declared a special policy area and barred individual projects until a full master plan was done. Landowners started a specific plan in 2007, but it was never finished as the economy cooled.
On July 25, 2012, the City Council directed staff to plan the area again. After two years of outreach and study, the council adopted the SEPA Strategic Plan on July 9, 2014. That package included a community plan, zoning and design rules, master plans for water, sewer, drainage and traffic, and an environmental impact report.
What kind of homes are in the Southeast Policy Area?
The homes are new, with more coming. The largest residential project is Souza Dairy. The city approved its maps in August 2015 for about 375 acres of village center, mixed-use and residential land. A 2022 state environmental filing covers master home plans for 435 single-family homes in Souza Dairy Units 1, 3 and 4.
Another project, Bruceville Meadows, proposes about 320 single-family lots on roughly 114 acres and was listed as in review on the city's page. Expect active construction, model homes and streets that are still filling in. Some homes for sale will be resales of houses only a few years old.
What will be built in the Southeast Policy Area besides homes?
The area will have workplaces, if the plan holds. The city's page says most of the job land lines Kammerer Road between Lotz Parkway and points west of Big Horn Boulevard. Those roads still need widening or extending, and sewer work is needed before that land can be used. A triangle of land south of Whitelock Parkway next to Highway 99 already has infrastructure nearby.
East of SEPA lies the Lent Ranch planning area. Sky River Casino, built by the Wilton Rancheria, opened in Elk Grove in 2022 on the site of a mall that was never finished.
How do you get around the Southeast Policy Area?
Highway 99 is the main route north to Sacramento and south toward Lodi. Kammerer Road, Bruceville Road, Big Horn Boulevard and Poppy Ridge Road are the local arteries, and the city's roadway fee program covers backbone roads in and around the plan area. Expect road work for some years.
Which school district serves the Southeast Policy Area?
The Southeast Policy Area is served by Elk Grove Unified School District. In a growth area, attendance boundaries can shift as new campuses open. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
What draws buyers to the Southeast Policy Area?
Buyers are drawn to brand-new construction inside Elk Grove, with a builder warranty and current building codes. A buyer here can often choose a lot and finishes. The trade-off is living near construction while the area fills in.
Buying from a builder is different from buying a resale. The builder's sales agent works for the builder. Having your own agent and your own loan quote lets you compare the builder's preferred lender against the wider market. As a mortgage broker, Maggie B. Hopkins shops loans across a network of approved lenders. Get a quote from us and compare it with anyone, or bring your own lender.
What should buyers and sellers in the Southeast Policy Area know?
Read the tax bill closely. The city says SEPA has fee programs for drainage, parks and trails, adopted in 2019, and is also subject to other fee programs and special assessments. The city's police services district applies to new residential projects outside Poppy Ridge, and every address in Elk Grove sits in the school district's CFD No. 1. We pull the full special tax for each home before you offer or list.
Sellers of a newer SEPA home compete with the builder down the street. Price against both resales and current builder incentives. Surroundings can help on either side. See buying a home in Elk Grove, selling your home in Elk Grove, or talk with Maggie.
Elk Grove neighborhoods near the Southeast Policy Area
Compare the more finished streets of Laguna Ridge to the north or East Franklin to the northwest. The full Elk Grove guide covers the rest of the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Southeast Policy Area in Elk Grove?
It is at the southern end of the city, directly south of the Laguna Ridge Specific Plan area, with Kammerer Road on its southern side and Highway 99 to the east. The city puts its size at about 1,200 acres.
When was the Southeast Policy Area plan adopted?
The Elk Grove City Council adopted the SEPA Strategic Plan on July 9, 2014, after two years of outreach. The area was first designated a special policy area in the city's 2003 General Plan.
What is Souza Dairy in Elk Grove?
Souza Dairy is the largest residential project in the Southeast Policy Area. The city approved its maps in August 2015 for about 375 acres, and a 2022 filing covers plans for 435 single-family homes.
Why is it called a policy area?
In 2003 the City Council declared this land a special policy area, which required a full master plan before any project could be approved. That plan became the 2014 SEPA Strategic Plan.
Do new homes in the Southeast Policy Area have special taxes?
Expect them. The city says SEPA is subject to drainage, park and trail fee programs and to other fee programs and special assessments, so check the tax bill or the builder's disclosure for each home.
Should I use the builder's lender for a new Elk Grove home?
You are free to choose any lender. Compare the builder's offer, including any incentive tied to its lender, with outside quotes, and look at the APR next to every rate.
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