Yolo County’s draft general plan aims for major development by 2030

Friday, October 10, 2008

Yolo County plans its unincorporated future

County’s draft general plan aims for major development by 2030

Sacramento Business Journal - by Celia Lamb Staff writer

Yolo County has unveiled a draft general plan that would allow 13,400 new residential units and 1,900 acres of new commercial and industrial development in the unincorporated county by 2030.

For at least four years, county officials and developers have discussed a radical expansion of Dunnigan in the north county. The plan, covering 2,312 acres, bears that out. The truck-stop town, population 952, would add 22,000 people. That’s three times more than the current population of Winters, the county’s fourth-largest city.
The general plan’s land-use maps identify the growth areas in gray. There’s no breakdown showing whether it would have single-family homes, apartments, shopping centers, offices or industrial buildings.

“With a community of this size, it’s all of the above,” said Seth Merewitz, an attorney with McDonough, Holland & Allen PC who represents Elliott Homes Inc. and two other large landowners in that area. “We’re working on a specific plan.”
The general plan envisions slightly less growth in Madison, west of Woodland. The town of 384 people would receive 1,388 new residential units and 120 acres of commercial and industrial development.

The Madison specific plan area covers 411 acres.
Kaufman Properties Inc. owns the land on the east side of County Road 89 that would be developed for commercial and industrial use, co-owner Dan Kaufman said. Landowners on the west side of the road would build housing, and the development on the east side would create jobs for those residents, Kaufman said.

There is one potential obstacle to that plan. On Sept. 12, a creditor filed a default notice for a loan on 214 acres owned by Dunmore Homes Inc. just west of Madison. The creditor claims Dunmore is $15.7 million behind on payments.
One of the biggest commercial developments in the general plan would be built on 320 acres along Interstate 5, just west of the Sacramento River. The Ramos family wants to build a commercial and industrial complex on 100 acres it owns there, including a hotel to serve visitors who arrive at Sacramento International Airport.

County planners handed the draft general plan to the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 16.
A public comment period opened Tuesday and closes Nov. 20.

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