GALT, CA (MPG) - Galt’s roots trace to the 1850s, when Gold Rush-era settlers arrived in Sacramento County and established ranches and large landholdings, including those of city pioneers Dr. Obed Harvey and John McFarland. 

According to the Galt Historical Society, the community was formally established in 1869 after Harvey secured the Central Pacific Railroad to lay track near his property. The early farming settlement, built on beef and dairy production, gradually developed into the town known as Galt today. Traditions such as the annual Fourth of July and Christmas parades continue to reflect the small-town character long cherished by residents.

In recent years, however, new development projects across the city have sparked concern among residents. From public comment at City Council meetings to online discussions, a common sentiment has emerged: Galt is growing.

To provide insight into the city’s growth, The Galt Herald connected with the City of Galt’s planning division. In the conversation, Assistant City Manager Amie Mendes and Community Development Director Jenny Carloni shared information on population, housing, community planning and economic development, noting that growth has been slow and highlighting the city’s focus on careful planning for the future.

GH: How would you describe Galt’s population growth over the past several years? What key factors are influencing the city’s trajectory moving forward?

 

 

This chart, provided by Assistant City Manager Amie Mendes and Community Development Director Jenny Carloni, shows Galt’s population growth since 2011, reaching 26,092 residents in 2025. Graphic courtesy of City of Galt

City of Galt: Historically, Galt has been a very slow-growing community. As shown in the graph, the city has averaged approximately 0.66% annual growth over the past several decades. Over the past 15 years, our population has increased by only about 2,300 residents. Today, Galt has surpassed 26,000 residents; well below the 50,000 projected at full buildout under our current 2030 General Plan.

While we are sensitive to community concerns about change, it is important to recognize that cities must grow in order to remain fiscally sustainable.

Housing growth helps ensure that the city can maintain service levels, fund public safety, maintain infrastructure such as roads and parks, and keep pace with rising operational costs. Without growth, cities face increasing financial pressure, which can lead to service reductions or deferred maintenance.

Additionally, housing growth is a key factor in attracting the retail amenities our residents consistently express interest in. Retailers carefully evaluate market viability, particularly in smaller communities and especially since the 2008 recession. They need confidence that there is sufficient population, along with drive-through traffic, to support their investment. Galt is a smaller city, and demonstrating steady housing growth is essential to convincing retailers that a location here will be successful.

The recently approved Galt Ranch Commercial project is a good example. The city has been marketing that property for more than 10 years. Retailers are selective, and without demonstrating both population growth and regional traffic exposure, it is difficult to attract quality commercial investment.

In short, Galt’s growth has historically been slow and deliberate. While the current pace of construction may feel accelerated, it reflects projects that have been long in the making rather than a sudden shift in policy or direction. Thoughtful growth remains necessary to ensure the city’s long-term fiscal health and to provide the services and amenities our community desires.

Q: With major residential and commercial developments progressing after years of planning, how does the city anticipate these projects will influence economic conditions/overall community development?

A:  The city prides itself on smart development, working hard to bring a range of housing types and price points for the community as well as much needed commercial uses for residents. Many housing developments currently under construction have been in the planning stages for years. For example, the Fairway Oaks subdivision was originally entitled in the 1990s, and Liberty Ranch was approved in 2016.

While it may feel to some residents that growth is happening all at once, the reality is that much of this development has been in the pipeline for decades. Construction activity simply happens to be occurring at the same time after long periods of inactivity.

As mentioned previously, we are especially optimistic about the Galt Ranch Commercial project finally coming to fruition after more than 10 years of working with the developer. This is a monumental project for Galt, given the projected sales and property tax revenue it is expected to generate.

Galt is in a uniquely fortunate position because a large-scale development like Galt Ranch will not only generate the City’s 1% general sales tax, but it will also generate an additional 1% special tax under Measure Q, which is dedicated to Parks and Recreation, as well as a 0.5% special tax dedicated to public safety. These additional sales tax dollars are allocated directly to funding new parks, park maintenance, landscaping, special events, recreation programming and critical public safety services.

Measure Q has already been instrumental in delivering tangible community improvements, including the new waterslide at the Gora Aquatic Center (scheduled to open in May), expansion of the ball fields at Walker Park and development of a new skate park. As commercial activity increases, these dedicated funding streams grow alongside it, directly reinvesting in the quality of life of our residents.

In addition to tax revenue, the Galt Ranch project is anticipated to create hundreds of new jobs. That level of job creation is significant for a community of our size. Expanding local employment opportunities benefits our residents by offering jobs closer to home, reducing commute times and keeping more of our workforce within the community during the day.

When residents are able to work locally, it strengthens the local economy, supports other small businesses and enhances overall community vitality.

Currently, Galt loses more than $5 million annually in sales tax revenue because many residents purchase goods and services outside the city. Those tax dollars benefit neighboring communities, such as Lodi and Elk Grove, rather than being reinvested locally. With a project like Galt Ranch, our hope is that the retail and restaurant mix will be strong enough to keep residents shopping locally.

When people stay local, they spend local, and that benefits everyone. It strengthens the city’s fiscal health, enhances amenities and services, and supports our existing small businesses by increasing overall consumer activity within the community.

Economic development and community development are closely linked. A large-scale commercial project like Galt Ranch can positively change the trajectory of Galt; from stabilizing revenues and improving infrastructure to creating jobs, enhancing recreational opportunities, strengthening public safety funding and improving overall quality of life.

 

City planning officials told The Galt Herald that incoming economic development helps to fund public services through Measure Q, a voter-approved 1% special tax that supports improvements to parks and recreation facilities such as the Gora Aquatic Center and a new skate park. Photo by Idaly Valencia

Q: How do state-level housing policies and regulations influence development in Galt?

A: Over recent years, new legislation and an increased Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) have steered residential growth and local regulatory abilities. The RHNA is the number of housing units that the State of California and the Sacramento Council of Governments (SACOG) assigns a community to plan for during its eight-year Housing Element cycle.

The city’s 2021-2029 Housing Element must identify enough parcels to accommodate 1,926 new housing units. This is an increase of 1,247 dwelling units from the prior cycle. The state oversees the Housing Element, and the city must report progress toward it each year.

While the city does not physically build housing, we must show the ability to accommodate this number of housing units throughout our community and ensure there are no barriers for developers to construct those new housing units.

In addition, new housing-related legislation over the past 10 years has focused on promoting streamlined development, allowing certain types of housing developments to be permitted by right or with limited discretion, and encourages new flexible housing types (such as accessory dwelling units). While these new laws hinder local control, Galt staff works diligently with developers to encourage well-planned developments with high-quality architecture and materials.

A: What aspects of Galt’s growth do you feel are often misunderstood by residents, and what opportunities exist for the community to engage with or better understand new development?

Q: We addressed many common misunderstandings about growth in my response to your first question; particularly the perception that Galt is growing rapidly, when in reality we have historically experienced very slow, measured growth.

Much of what residents are seeing today reflects projects that have been planned and entitled for many years, not sudden or unplanned expansion.

One aspect of growth that is often misunderstood is the process itself. New development does not happen overnight. It involves years of planning, environmental review, public hearings and approvals before construction ever begins. By the time ground is broken, those projects have typically already gone through extensive public review.

We often hear comparisons suggesting that Galt is “turning into Elk Grove,” but such claims are neither accurate nor plausible. Galt’s General Plan boundaries strictly limit our outward expansion. At buildout of the current General Plan, which expires in 2030, the city was projected to reach approximately 50,000 residents.

Even now, with significant vacant land still remaining within our Sphere of Influence we are only at roughly half that projected capacity. [According to Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), the Sphere of Influence is a planning tool that defines future physical boundaries and service areas of a city or special district.]

Growth in Galt is both measured and geographically constrained. The city will begin planning the 2050 General Plan later this year, and we would encourage residents to get involved in community workshops on that topic.

 

Completed housing units in the Liberty Ranch development, approved in 2016 and located off Marengo Road. City staff cited the project as an example of developments planned years ago that are only now seeing construction. Photos by Idaly Valencia

For residents seeking to better understand or engage in community activities, there are numerous opportunities to stay informed and involved.

We encourage community members to follow the city’s official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor, where we post regular updates on projects, events and city initiatives. By far, our most informative publication is our bi-weekly Connect with Galt newsletter. It is packed with valuable updates and important information for residents. The newsletter is published on our social media channels, on the city’s website and can also be delivered directly to residents’ email inboxes.

Another effective way to stay engaged is to attend or follow City Council and Planning Commission meetings.

Nearly all new development projects begin with a public hearing and approval by either the Planning Commission or the City Council. Residents can sign up to receive meeting agendas via email. City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 380 Civic Drive. Planning Commission meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m., also in the Council Chambers.

For those who prefer to participate remotely, City Council meetings are live streamed on the City of Galt YouTube Channel at @CityOfGaltChannel and on Metro Cable. The city’s website also features a button on the homepage labeled “City Meetings and Agendas,” which links users to all Council, Committee and Commission meetings.

In today’s social media environment, it can be easy to form opinions quickly without having all of the facts. We would encourage residents to seek out accurate information through official city channels, attend meetings and ask questions before drawing conclusions.

Our staff members are deeply committed to this community. They care deeply about Galt and work diligently every day to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of our residents.

We welcome engagement and appreciate residents who take the time to stay informed and involved.

 

Councilmember Shawn Farmer, who serves on the Cities and Schools Together (CAST) committee, said projections show the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District will not need another school for at least 10 years, with McCaffrey Middle School expected to operate at about 65% capacity by 2032. Photo by Idaly Valencia

A Look at Galt’s Schools

Councilmember Shawn Farmer, a longtime resident who has served in local office since 2018, also addressed concerns about how population growth could affect local schools.

Farmer, who serves on the Cities and Schools Together, or CAST, committee for the City of Galt, said data from the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District shows enrollment is projected to increase by about 5% over the next six years, a relatively low rate of growth.

According to district projections cited by Farmer, the district does not anticipate needing another school for at least 10 years. He also noted projections show McCaffrey Middle School, the city’s only middle school, is expected to operate at about 65% capacity by 2032.

Farmer added that enrollment in the Galt Joint Union High School District has only recently surpassed its previous peak since the district transitioned to two campuses. Each high school currently has fewer than 1,000 students, compared with about 1,900 students at Galt High School when it was the city’s only high school.