Two weeks ago the Elk Grove City Council appointed Mackenzie Wieser to the Elk Grove Planning Commission. We caught up with Mackenzie earlier this week to find out a little bit more about Elk Grove’s newest planning commissioner.
How long have you lived in Elk Grove and what brought you here?
I have lived in Elk Grove since January of 2005 (12 years). I moved up to Northern CA from the San Diego area, for love. I’m so glad it brought me to Elk Grove because I met the love of my life and we are happily married with three kids. We have a daughter- Alexis (14), and two sons- Benjamin and Landon (13, & 4). I coach my daughter’s competitive soccer team, FC Elk Grove, I love coaching the girls year round. My kids attend three different schools right now: Franklin High, Toby Johnson Middle school, and Laguna KinderCare off Peets Street. Our lives pretty much revolve around keeping our kids safe, educated, healthy and happy!
I currently work for the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research at the Strategic Growth Council, an agency focused on granting funds throughout California’s most underserved communities. Our grants are focused on sustainability and reducing greenhouse gasses throughout the state.
What made you decide to apply for the planning commission?
Working for the Office of Planning and Research I have spent a lot of time communicating the great work that our State is doing with regard to General Plan Guidelines (revision), CEQA and granting funds for affordable housing and transportation related projects across the state. It has spurred my interest in seeing how this plays out at the local level. I helped out last year during the General Plan update, and that further peeked my interest in spending more time learning about city planning. I have a deep love for Elk Grove and I recognize that the entire state is growing in population and we need to begin thinking about how to plan for this growth.
What are some important issues, from a planning perspective, that you feel Elk Grove is facing?
What are some things that you feel the city can improve on? Bike trails and safer cycling?
There are quite a few other things we can improve on: Traffic, filling our strip malls that have vacant spaces with vibrant shops and businesses that cater to our community, connecting the East and West side of Elk Grove with some centers that would draw residents together. Entertainment plazas filled with excellent restaurants and shops, possibly a performing arts theatre. This is the beauty of being a newly incorporated city, there’s a lot we can still do and many areas we can work together on to improve.
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