Dixon set to land Flying J

Dixon set to land Flying J
By Melissa Murphy/ MMurphy@TheReporter.com
Posted: 07/30/2009

Flying J, a truck stop and travel plaza, has a green light from the City Council to land in Dixon.

City leaders on Tuesday tentatively voted in favor of the $1 million project to be built in the city's Northeast Quadrant, which is south of the Interstate 80 and Pedrick Road intersection.

City Manager Nancy Huston said that some minor hiccups in the development agreement and conditional use permits still need to be ironed out before final approval at the council's next meeting, on Aug. 11.

Huston added that the public hearing on the matter has been closed so the council will be voting on the item as part of unfinished business.

Still, the tentative approval of the project came down to finally building the much-needed infrastructure (water, sewer and other utility lines) for development in the Northeast Quadrant, which CFJ properties and Flying J promise to do with its project.

"The infrastructure is the key to developing the Northeast Quadrant," said Marshall Drack, the attorney for Flying J.

He also explained that, because utilities will finally be available in that area of the city, values in the properties surrounding the project will increase.

Drack and others are breathing a sigh of relief that the project was finally approved.

"This has been so long in coming," Drack said and admitted that the whole process has been rather draining. "So many issues were brought up by the city and through tough negotiations we will have the final documents at the next meeting. It's been a long, tough and comprehensive struggle to make things right."

Although proposed by the city, Flying J and CFJ properties will not have to build an extra shade structure, nor will it have to change its exit for trucks leaving the property.

Huston agreed that Flying J will help with other development in the city.

"It's definitely going to jump start things with the infrastructure," she said. "During this economy, we are very fortunate to have one developer willing to invest in Dixon."

The 23-acre travel plaza and truck stop proposal involves developing 27 acres in the city's Northeast Quadrant. The proposed project includes two pump islands, a combination convenience market, truckers' lounge and restaurant, and parking for trucks, passenger vehicles and recreational vehicles.

The project, according to a staff report, also would be responsible for construction of significant infrastructure improvements for water, sewer, storm drainage and traffic circulation.

It also includes building a retention/detention basin on the east side of Pedrick Road.

Drack also pointed to more benefits of the project: 90 employees will be hired and almost $500,000 in revenue will be generated each year once the project is up and running.

Still, a big concern with traffic still remains.

Although Flying J will contribute its share of road improvements on its frontage to Pedrick Road and Professional Drive, Caltrans may have to step in and redo the intersection of Interstate 80 offramp and Pedrick Road.