Land Use/Open Space Archives - Page 132 of 158

Planning Commission to Hear Proposal to Change Second Street Crossing

By David GreenwaldSeptember 12, 201222 comments

Targetindavis Tonight the Planning Commission will hear an application by developer Dan Ramos to revise the Development Agreement to allow for TJ Maxx to move into one of the four adjacent building pads at the Target site.

Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission forward to the City Council the revision “to the Development Agreement, Preliminary Planned Development, and Design Review approval for the four pad buildings at the Second Street Crossing (Target) development, to reduce the minimum sizes of some retail uses and make minor adjustments to the site plan and elevation, based on the findings and subject to the Conditions of Approval contained in this staff report.”

Davis Diamonds Finds A New Site; This Time with No Controversy or Fanfare

By David GreenwaldAugust 24, 20123 comments

After all of the troubling developments surrounding the 3-2 decision by the Davis City Council to grant a conditional use permit that would allow for the construction and move of Davis Diamond Gymnastics to a location on the Davis Auto-Center, the project died due to financing problems.

The original conditional use permit was approved on a contentious 3-2 vote in January, with the three council members facing reelection voting to support it and then Mayor Joe Krovoza and Mayor Pro Tem Rochelle Swanson dissenting.

Council Not Ready to Kill Plastic Bag Ban

By David GreenwaldAugust 23, 201237 comments

City staff, citing the status of state legislation as well as concerns from the business community, recommended the council delay final policy direction at this time, until the results are known of the currently active state legislation for a statewide ban on the use of single-use carry-out bags.

“Thereafter, staff would return to City Council seeking final City policy direction,” the consent item’s staff report advised.

Staff Attempts to Delay Consideration of Plastic Bag Ordinance

By David GreenwaldAugust 19, 201246 comments

Forty-nine agencies in California have recently adopted at least some form of local ordinance discouraging the use of plastic bags and encouraging the use of reusable bags, but if staff gets its way, Davis won’t be one of them any time in the near future.

On this week’s consent agenda, staff notes that two city commissions have weighed in on this topic: “The NRC [Natural Resources Commission], which believes that moving forward now with an ordinance is prudent for the environmental benefits; and the BDEC [Business and Economic Development Commission], which believes proceeding with caution is warranted and is concerned about possible local business impacts from such a policy.”

RHNA Numbers Take Peripheral Growth Further Off Davis’ Table

By David GreenwaldJuly 31, 201233 comments

SACOG (Sacramento Area Council of Governments) has released their draft of the Regional Housing Needs Plan (RHNP) for 2013-2021. Davis’ allocation is a relatively low number, 1065 units over the next eight years.

According to the cover letter: “SACOG is near the final steps in adopting its 2013-21 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), a state requirement to determine the number of housing units cities and counties must plan for in their housing element updates.”

The USDA Wildlife Services Contract

By David GreenwaldJuly 18, 20124 comments

The Vanguard has acquired a copy of the contract between Yolo County Cities and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.

According to Deputy City Manager Kelly Stachowicz, the contract is between West Sacramento and the USDA. Davis was not a direct party to the contract but billed by West Sacramento on a quarterly basis.

Council Voids Blank Check to USDA

By David GreenwaldJuly 18, 201210 comments

After listening to more than an hour of passionate, often personalized stories from the community about Davis’ values regarding wildlife, Mayor Joe Krovoza had heard enough.

“The city moves to discontinue the use of USDA animal services at this time and direct staff to come back to us with alternatives for wildlife management services in the city,” Mayor Krovoza moved on Tuesday night.

City Wildlife Specialist Concerned About Killing of Coyotes in North Davis

By David GreenwaldJuly 17, 201250 comments

Anger and outrage are growing in the city of Davis over the decision by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services to have the Yolo County Agriculture Department’s trapper kill five coyotes last month in Davis. A special 9:30 pm public session has been scheduled at tonight’s city council meeting to allow the public to speak out on specifically this issue.

“I am deeply concerned about the taking of the coyotes, and the complete lack of public process and concern for community interests that proceeded the killings,” Mayor Joe Krovoza told the Vanguard in a statement.

Chamber Executive Director Supports Bringing in Green Guru

By David GreenwaldJuly 10, 201215 comments

In an open letter from Davis Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kemble Pope, he endorses the city’s proposal to contract with William McDonough + Partners on a “Vision for Sustainable Davis Economy.”

William McDonough is best known for designing the Ford Motor Company’s plant with a vast green grass roof and more recently with his book Cradle to Cradle, he has, according to Forbes Magazine, “unleashed a design revolution that began examining not just what things look like, but also the chemical makeup of things: water bottles, carpet, countertops.”

Sunday Commentary: Competing Visions For Economic Development

By David GreenwaldJuly 8, 201253 comments

Does Davis Need Green Guru Riding in White Horse to Save Us?

In Sunday’s Davis Enterprise, the members of the ChamberPAC once again get editorial space in the local paper to promote their vision for economic development.

They write: “To compete regionally and create true community sustainability, we have no choice but to nurture and promote Davis economic development.”

Parkview Housing Approved Despite Some Objections From Neighbors

By uptownstudiosJune 29, 201214 comments

by Ramon Solis

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the development of Parkview Place Apartments on 337 D Street. The project would demolish the existing Peña House and would create room for four-housing units and a work space on the ground floor.

“We think it will be one of the best examples of sustainability that will be visible in the country,” said Dick Bourne, representing the group of seniors who plan to move into Parkview.

More DACHA Charges: Claims That City Attorney Omits DACHA Docs to AG

By David GreenwaldApril 27, 201233 comments

David Thompson of Neighborhood Partners and Twin Pines Cooperative, and one of the principals that have filed a lawsuit against the City of Davis, is alleging new improprieties this week.

In a statement sent late last night, Mr. Thompson alleges, “63% of the testimony provided to the City of Davis by Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation (TPCF), Neighborhood Partners (NP) and other parties for the DACHA Dissolution Hearing were omitted by the City Attorney from submission to the California Attorney General.”

Commentary: Torturous Site-by-Site Evaluation Process Consuming Tremendous Time and Energy

By David GreenwaldApril 11, 201214 comments

The council spent another nearly five hours going over the proposed locations for the Crown Castle communications array. The process was slow, arduous and painful.

The type of discussion that was taking place seemed much better geared for private negotiations that could then be brought back to council for final approval. But according to representatives to Crown Castle, this occurred after lengthy negotiations reached very little agreement.

Council Takes Another Whack at Crown Castle

By David GreenwaldApril 10, 201229 comments

At some point the council is going to move forward, but this has been a long and very arduous process, as the council went through each proposed cell tower location, on a site-by-site basis, in painstaking fashion.

The city is running into the April 16^th deadline, after which without a written extension from Crown Castle, their time would expire to make further decisions.

Commentary: City Wants to Tell Crown Castle Where To Stick It… But Can’t

By David GreenwaldApril 5, 201246 comments

I greatly sympathize with the predicament both the city and residents are in with regard to the Crown Castle proposal. On the one hand, I believe in local control and that a city and a community should have the right to determine whether or not we need a communications array. That’s why the city had the foresight to create its Telecommunications Ordinance.

Unfortunately, and I think the speakers on Tuesday were largely correct, that strong monied interests were able to lobby Congress and the State Legislature to give these telecommunications companies special status and usurp the right of local control.

Public Remains Adamantly Against Crown Castle Project

By David GreenwaldApril 4, 201220 comments

The City Council moved slowly through a site by site analysis of the project. They have pushed the major questions off to a special council session next week.

The Council continues to believe that this the battle is one that they cannot win. However, the public believes otherwise and many came forward urging the fight.

Commentary: If Not Now, When?

By David GreenwaldApril 3, 201255 comments

If you want to argue that issues like the budget, water, and perhaps economic development are the most important issues facing the City of Davis at this time, it would be difficult to quibble with that point. However, some have seemed to have suggested that economic development is the most important issue and perhaps the only issue we face.

For reasons stated on Sunday, I very much disagree with that position. The immediate crisis in this community is not going to be solved by economic development, certainly not in the short term even if you believe we can increase our per capita sales tax generation.

How Cool Are We?

By uptownstudiosMarch 31, 20128 comments

by Lynne Nittler

The CoolCalifornia Challenge begins Sunday. In the next few months, we’ll find out just how cool we really are in Davis, one household at a time.

“It’s a fun competition,” says Chris Granger, one of the key Cool Davis organizers. “Every individual or household can sign up online now. Over the next few months they will record their household energy use and transportation practices. It’s like taking your temperature. As enough citizens sign up, we’ll get a baseline on how we’re doing in Davis.”

Study Shows Net Zero Davis is Possible and Needed

By uptownstudiosMarch 28, 201256 comments

by F. Mark Braly

Davis is the first city in the nation to adopt the goal of carbon neutrality by the middle of this century. This ground-breaking goal will entail a three-step process – net zero electricity, net zero energy, and finally net zero carbon. This is a finding of a white paper issued today by the UC Davis Energy Institute and the Valley Climate Action Center.

All of these “net zero” goals are achievable through maximum cost-effective reductions in demand for energy, supplemented by renewable energy – solar, wind, bioenergy, and geothermal heat stored in the ground.

NRC Moves Proposed Single-Use Bag Ordinance Forward

By uptownstudiosMarch 27, 2012118 comments

Nearly Identical to Ordinance Passed in San Luis Obispo County – Next Step is Environmental Review

by Alan Pryor –

In a 4-2 vote, last night the Davis Natural Resources Commission (NRC) approved a Staff proposal to begin preparation of the environmental review necessary for the City Council to consider the proposed Single-Use Bag Ordinance after their summer recess. Those voting against the ordinance expressed minor reservations about provisions in the proposed language defining affected stores while agreeing conceptually with the concepts of restricting distribution of single-use bags.

Staff initially presented their proposed ordinance which was prepared after consultation with the NRC, the Davis Downtown Business Association and some of their members, the advocacy organization Californians Against Waste, and the California Grocers Association. The entire text of the proposed ordinance can be viewed at http://cityofdavis.org/pw/NRC/pdfs/Draft-Carryout-BagOrdinance.pdf with additional descriptive information on the City’s website at http://cityofdavis.org/pw/NRC/bags.cfm.

by Ramon Solis

by Lynne Nittler

by F. Mark Braly

Nearly Identical to Ordinance Passed in San Luis Obispo County – Next Step is Environmental Review

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