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Placer Ranch’s focus on job creation and business growth has its roots in the Sunset Industrial Area Plan. Placer Ranch is located in the Sunset Industrial Area, which has been planned for development based on its strategic location near Placer County’s fastest growing cities. One of the Plan’s main goals is to reduce the number of Placer County residents commuting to other areas for work by increasing the number of primary wage-earner jobs available in the County.
Placer Ranch is proposing a blend of office space, business parks and light industrial space to meet the needs of various business types. AC Martin Partners, the firm that worked with Placer Ranch on the community’s Master Plan and the design of the Sacramento State branch campus, extended the “pedestrian-first” focus to the business element.
“Placer Ranch’s Master Plan ensures each piece works together to create the community,” said David Martin, design principal and co-chairman of AC Martin. “When we started designing the business aspect, we looked at successful examples of university-business links for design cues. Cal Poly Pomona is a good example, with its Innovation Village Research Park and a variety of housing and recreation options.”
One key element of Placer Ranch, the Sacramento State branch campus, contributes to job creation in many ways. It provides campus-based employment for permanent, part-time and student jobs, attracts businesses for public/private partnerships, and offers opportunities for County residents to improve their skills. It will also allow current and future students to reduce their commuting to the Sacramento campus, encouraging students to stay in the County upon graduation.
The business park and office/professional space is located near the University and close to open space and neighborhood commercial uses. The majority of the business space and residential units are within a five to 10 minute walk to commercial and recreational uses, including stores, open space and parks, schools, and public uses such as places of worship. Businesses like dry cleaners, restaurants and boutique stores are ideal for neighborhood commercial sites, which allow people to reduce car usage by completing multiple errands in one location.
“We spent a lot of time determining the best locations for business uses in the overall design,” said Alan Porter, AC Martin’s director of Urban Design and Planning for Northern California and director of the Sacramento office. “Employees will be able to walk on trails encircling open space near their office or walk to a restaurant on their lunch break. The more we can integrate land uses to be complementary, the more enjoyable it will be to work and live at Placer Ranch."
Roseville’s Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to supporting businesses of all sizes in the greater Roseville and Granite Bay area. Chamber CEO Wendy Gerig joined the organization in 1993 and has seen it grow from 700 members then to 1,650 members today.
“I strongly believe that the Chamber is as successful as it is because of the caliber of volunteers willing to get involved,” said Gerig. “Our goal is to keep Roseville business-friendly and we have a lot of people who are committed to that and to improving our community.”
The Chamber has taken a special interest in K-12 education, starting with Business, Educators, Community Organized to Maximize Education (BECOME). The committee involves all five local district superintendents to keep the Chamber updated on activities in each district. The Chamber also holds an annual event recognizing students who have overcome adversity and become a better student for it. This year’s event honored 45 students.
The Chamber believes that bringing higher education to Placer County is crucial to attract businesses to relocate or expand in the area. “Roseville’s quality of life is a major attractor to businesses, and part of that is the availability of an educated workforce,” said Gerig.
Regionalism has become increasingly important to Placer County’s Chambers of Commerce to maintain quality of life and attract businesses. Four Placer County Chambers of Commerce are collaborating to further economic development in the area: Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin and Roseville. The Chambers jointly sponsor events and meetings, believing that regionalism needs to start in the proverbial “backyard.”
“We need to ensure we stay relevant to our members’ needs, engage them in community activities, and help further their careers,” said Gerig. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in the County over the past few years and it’s important that we work together, and with our Cities, to encourage future economic development.”
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