DIXON, CA (MPG) - Plenty of change is in the future of Dixon according to reports at the last couple of Planning Commission Meetings where Raffi Boloyan, Community Development Director for the City of Dixon, reviewed happenings.

He announced that they received a use-permit for a Whiskey Bar for the old Bank of America building at the corner of North First and B Streets. That building has been vacant several years but has a nice-size “backyard” area and parking lot.

Bank of Stockton has also submitted a pre-application for a project at the corner of First Street and Vaughn.

“It is a proposal for the bank at the corner, and two separate retail buildings, which would host retail, food or drive-thrus (no tenants or specific uses identified at this time for those buildings,)” he said.

There was some discussion on the dental business going in at the corner of Lincoln and North First Street for changes in aesthetics and a pre-application for the proposed development on the large piece of land on the corner of East A Street and Pedrick behind the Archer Way/Place homes.

The developer of the Milk Farm project has closed on the purchase of property and is continuing to seek businesses interested in growth there.

“Yes, we own it,” said Ross Hillesheim, CFO and Partner of California Capital Group out of Oakland. Hillesheim is also owner of Keylock, a group actively looking for Northern California commercial real estate development opportunities that focus on retail fuel, convenience stores, and quick service restaurants. He presented his vision for the Milk Farm back in August last year to the City Council and reports he’s been in the Dixon History Museum to check out the Milk Farm display and talked to several businesses about what the Milk Farm meant to this town.

“We have a couple of businesses that are really interested, but we also know the reality of the major infrastructure needed to make things happen out there,” he explained. The state is big on alternative fueling and he said they’re having “positive discussions with a couple EV Developers” that are also noting the port of Oakland trucks would be in the right place for charging in Dixon"'that would be the nugget to help get the infrastructure funded.

“The whole thing about restoring the Milk Farm"'the restaurant, the ice creams, and the entertainment revolves around this component of alternative fueling” he said. “It’s important for the community to know that I’m easily accessible, and we want to work collaboratively with all the stakeholders"'including the City. We want to know from the residents here what kind of feel would the modern-day Milk Farm have? There needs to be some historical elements and if the community had a say in that, they’d be more invested.”

Another development aiming at Dixon is another large housing project at the corner of East A Street and Pedrick which includes a park. The former Gymboree building which is leased by the state wants to expand 125,000 square feet to the south, according to Boloyan and the Homestead affordable housing project is now in design review with the city.

That would be in Phase 2B and the development agreement requires affordable housing, he explained. There will be 131 affordable 2 and 3-story units for residents with 80 to 100-percent of medium income levels based on Solano County. There will be apartments for 69 seniors and 62 families.

The next City Planning Commission Meeting is set for Tuesday, Feb. 8 and will be held at 7 pm in the Council Chambers, 600 East A Street.