This has been a big year for Sacramento and especially for South Sacramento, where development projects flourished and neighborhoods saw improvements on nearly every corner.

“No one hears about South Sacramento unless there’s been a murder or a shooting,” said City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell, who represents south area neighborhoods in District 8. “We have so much more going on, though.”

Pannell has represented one of the two southern-most districts of the city since 1998, and in those 12 years she has been behind projects ranging from neighborhood beautification to housing to commercial development.

“There was nothing at Freeport and Meadowview when I came on (to council),” Pannell said. “Now there’s the Home Depot, IHOP, Wendy’s and the new Walgreens right there.”

There will soon be a new veterinary hospital, too, Pannell said, and more new retail to come in the next year.

At the beginning of 2011, Pannell’s goals for her district included installing decorative fencing along Mack Road at Center Parkway to increase pedestrian safety, developing a regional sports complex at Luther Burbank High School and work with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency to build or refurbish housing in the area.

All of that has been accomplished, Pannell said – and always with strong community involvement.

“My communities are excited about all of the work,” Pannell said. “They are involved in all projects, from beginning to end.”

Jesse Reese, president of the Meadowview Neighborhood Association, said Friday that Pannell and her staff have been receptive to the association’s input over the years.

“We try to get things built around the types of design that we want to see,” he said. “If we need a restaurant or a grocery story, we put it out there (to Pannell).”

In addition to regular contact with Pannell, Reese said his and other associations in the district meet once a year with Pannell and developers and show them land and areas for potential development.

“We are looking for anything that will enhance the area,” Reese said.

Two things that the area needs are coming very soon: a grocery store and light rail.

A new Fresh & Easy grocery store will soon be under construction at the corner of Mack Road and Franklin Boulevard, Reese said. The South Line extension of light rail is almost completely funded, and ground has been broken for the garage that will mark the end of the line at Cosumnes River College.

Having light rail access to the south area will be an important improvement for the community, Reese said.

“(Light rail) will allow a way (for people) to get to some of the places that are being developed,” Reese said. “If you want to talk about minimizing your carbon footprint, it helps to get people out of cars.”

For a district that has seen the second-highest growth in the city over the last decade in terms of population – Natomas takes first place – the changes in the area haven’t seen much fanfare outside the district, Pannell said.

But that is going to change in 2012, Pannell said – especially when the 960-acre Delta Shores development gets under way.

This housing, retail and commercial center has been in the works for a few years, and the key to getting the first brick laid, Pannell said, is getting the Cosumnes River Boulevard-to-Interstate 5 interchange approved.

The item is expected to be on the City Council agenda in early January and, once approved, it will be a tremendous step in the right direction for a very large project in the south area, Pannell said.

“If we can get the interchange started,” Pannell said, “the developer will start the construction of 1.4 million square feet of commercial property.”

“And when it’s open for business, that means jobs, jobs, jobs,” Pannell said.

Delta Shores could break ground as early as March, and the South Line RT project is expected to be started early in 2012 as well, Pannell said.

“We’ve gotten things done and we’ve involved the community,” Pannell said, “But there’s always more work to do so we’re just going to keep plugging along.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.