DIXON, CA (MPG) – An update was provided about the proposed Harvest at Dixon development project during the May 6 Dixon City Council meeting. It was not an action item but rather an opportunity for council to provide input and hear public comments.

The proposed development is located just off Pedrick Road and Parkway Boulevard, southeast of Dixon city limits. The proposal includes a request for annexation into the city boundaries as well as applicable rezoning.

The project would be built on 836 acres, with more than 6,000 residential units planned over the next 20 years, with up to 325 built per year. More than 18 acres are planned for a neighborhood retail center and 140 acres for parks, open space and recreation areas. Other proposed improvements include new roadways, sewers and drinking water infrastructure, as well as a new elementary school site.

The developer has hosted various outreach meetings since 2024 and the city hosted two this year. If eventually approved, construction of Harvest at Dixon would begin in 2027 to 2028, with the first homes available in approximately 2030.

The guiding principles for the project include maintaining Dixon’s small-town feel, creating a successful urban/rural interface, and developing walkable neighborhoods with a variety of housing options.

The review process will include an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) as well as engineering and planning studies that will take approximately 12 to 18 months. Details about the project can be found at cityofdixonca.gov/harvestatdixon and the developers have a dedicated website at harvestatdixon.com.

Councilmember Kevin Johnson said the small-town feel is hard to define but “we have a feeling of family here.”

While new development is “inevitable,” Vice-Mayor Thom Bogue said, creating green spaces helps maintain the small-town feel. However, Bogue expressed concern about so much farmland being developed for residential uses.

“Development is going to come one way or another but the key is keeping local control,” Mayor Steven Bird said.

New infrastructure comes through residential development, Bird said, and “then the businesses come. So the amenities, the commercial opportunities, the jobs come after that. So it’s a very fine line to balance. But I think the key is don’t grow faster than you can meet the needs and services that the community demands.”

During public comment, many residents expressed concerns that the development would destroy Dixon’s small-town feel by losing too much farmland and making the city feel like a suburb of Sacramento or the Bay Area. They worried that the development of so many new houses would expand the population at a rapid rate, creating too much traffic and urban sprawl.

However, one resident said the project could create more jobs in Dixon. Another resident pointed out the challenges of the housing market and said if Dixon youth are expected to stay and raise families here, there needs to be available homes they can afford. They added that the only way to address the high cost of housing is to increase the supply.

Councilmember Jim Ernest said there are various state housing mandates that the city must meet, so they are trying to balance those legislative requirements while ensuring new developments are carefully planned.

Councilmember Johnson said that the council has a professional obligation to review the project and the community feedback helps the developers update their project plans to ensure it fits the community’s needs.

“The market is going to determine the need,” Johnson added.

Councilmember Don Hendershot said that he has received calls from residents who support and those who oppose the project. He added that his home was built in an area that had been rezoned for residential and he is grateful that the area was developed so his family had the opportunity to move to Dixon.

Mayor Bird said he has seen many development plans “come and go” over the years, and with the project’s process beginning, “the discussion will continue.”

The council also continued their discussion on possible shade solutions at Pardi Plaza, which was completed in 2022. The city has held successful events at the plaza but the summer sun in the afternoon/early evening shines directly onto the stage, making it very uncomfortable for performers.

The city previously looked at constructing a shade structure and the project was estimated at $300,000. Staff have now identified a potential alternative: shade sails that can be installed and adjusted throughout the summer.

Public Works Director Louren Kotow explained that poles can be installed in the turf and there would be multiple attachment locations for clipping in the shade cloths, which will be anchored on the stage’s roof. The height of the shades can be adjusted depending on the sun’s angle, and the entire system can be removed and stored the rest of the year.

Kotow requested a $50,000 project budget for the necessary supplies and she clarified that staff would conduct a feasibility test with other materials before making the official purchases.

The council voted to approve the Pardi Plaza shade project.

The next regular Dixon City Council meeting is scheduled for May 20.