The City of Davis holds second General Plan meeting on April 30

The event ran from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Center

On April 30, the City of Davis held its second General Plan workshop at the Veterans Memorial Center, at 203 E 14th St., from 6 to 8 p.m.

The workshop invited community members to share input on the Davis General Plan update, an ongoing process that will guide how the city grows and develops over time. The General Plan is a state-required document that sets the city’s long-term vision for issues including jobs, infrastructure, housing, bike lanes and public services.

During the workshop, city staff and consultants connected those long-term decisions to issues such as housing needs, land constraints, commuting patterns and the relationship between jobs and housing.

The workshop presentation featured Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) Superintendent Matt Best and city-employed development firm Raimi + Associates consultants Eric Yurkovich and Melissa Stark.

City staff and consultants also noted that UC Davis falls outside the city’s direct jurisdiction, though the city can coordinate with the university and share information as the planning process continues.

This meeting covered the second phase of the process, which focuses specifically on land-use and mobility. The first phase centered on gathering input from residents, local commissions, city staff and other public meetings to identify key concerns and priorities.

City of Davis Principal Planner Dara Dungworth said that the second workshop was designed to return that earlier feedback to the public in a more developed form.

“This is what we’ve heard,” Dungworth said. “Now we’re circling back to the community and asking, ‘What do you like? How do you balance that? How do you prioritize trees over roads, housing over open space?’”

The draft concepts presented at the workshop were not meant to have attendees choose between one option or another, according to Dungworth. Instead, they were intended to help community members think through different priorities and trade-offs as the city moves forward with the planning process.

The workshop included a presentation, activity stations and closing remarks. During the activity portion, attendees were able to view draft maps and planning concepts, ask questions directly to city staff and consultants and provide feedback through sticker dots, written notes or an online survey.

The three draft land-use concepts explored different approaches to growth: concentrated development, filling in housing gaps and employment-focused expansion. One concept focused on building higher in certain areas while using less land. Another would allow more housing types in lower-density residential areas and expand the downtown boundary. A third focused more heavily on employment growth, including expanding employment in the Downtown Davis area.

The concepts also considered areas outside city limits, including possible urban limit lines, open space designations and design guidelines for future neighborhoods. City staff noted that attendees did not have to choose between one concept or another, but rather select elements from each.

Yurkovich discussed the relationship between housing and employment in Davis, noting that 56% of residents commute elsewhere for work, while many people who work in Davis commute into the city.

“Thinking about how we connect our jobs and housing can really help us match up our transportation system,” Yurkovich said.

During the presentation, Best connected land-use decisions to schools and other community services, noting that Davis has seen a decline in families living in Davis.

“We’re also seeing change here in Davis,” Best said. “In our schools, there are fewer students and fewer young families living in Davis [and] raising children.”

Best said the district is projected to decline by more than 1,000 students in the coming decade and has already declined by about 350 students at Davis Senior High School.

The update comes more than two decades after the city’s last comprehensive General Plan, which was completed in 2001 and later amended in 2007. Davis has not undergone a full revision in over 20 years, despite California state guidelines recommending that city plans be updated every 10 to 15 years.

As a result, the current process represents a significant update aimed at shaping the city’s development for the coming decades.

The city is still in the early stages of the General Plan update. Future steps will include additional workshops, online surveys and other community engagement opportunities before a final version of the plan is completed and presented for approval.

Dungworth said public participation will continue to guide the process.

“The community is writing this plan,” Dungworth said.

The event also included Spanish interpretation, refreshments and activities for children to help make the workshop more accessible to community members.

tten By: Sahar Sumrein— city@theaggie.Wriorg