The fee will affect any development that gets approved after January 1st, 2009, in downtown Sacramento, Natomas, the pocket and along the American River all the way out to Lake Natoma.
 
And it’ll raise a total of $132 million for six major projects by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, or SAFCA.  Executive director Stein Buer says the fees will range from $1.00 to $2.69 per square foot.
 
Buer: “That is based on … where development will occur; the depths of flooding; what kinds of development will occur; and then apportioning the flood control improvements onto those developments.” 
 
The projects include doubling the level of flood protection from levees in Natomas, the pocket, and on the American River.  Buer says it lets SAFCA start the work as soon as possible … without waiting for authorization – or funding – from the federal government.