Willowgrove would occupy a 232-acre parcel under Yolo County jurisdiction, just outside Davis's northeastern city limits. It is bordered by the Wildhorse neighborhood and the Palomino Place development on the west, East Covell Boulevard on the south, and farmland on the north and east. The plan includes 1,250 homes of various types and densities, a community park, a mini park, a neighborhood retail site, greenbelts and an agricultural buffer. In May the council certified the project's environmental impact report and approved its land-use entitlements, contingent on approval by voters under the city's Measure J/R/D. The project is on the Nov. 3 ballot as Measure W.
On Oct. 6, as part of a consent calendar that passed unanimously, the council approved at least 374 acres of farmland owned by Bullseye Ranches, northwest of the city and less than a mile from city limits, as the project's farmland mitigation. City rules require developers to permanently protect two acres of farmland for every acre they convert to urban use, and Willowgrove would convert 187 acres. The developer would buy a conservation easement on the land and donate it to the city and the Yolo Land Trust, which would co-own, monitor and enforce it; the developer pays all costs, including the purchase price. The city's Open Space and Habitat Commission recommended approval on Sept. 14. Staff said the developer sought approval before the vote so it could move as fast as possible if voters approve the project.
City rules first call for protecting the farmland along a project's edge. That isn't possible here, staff said: one neighboring property is already partly protected, and the owners of the other two are not willing to sell conservation easements. The rules allow alternative land of comparable value instead. Appraisals the city commissioned, paid for by the developer, valued the Bullseye land at $13,494 an acre, compared with an average of $14,010 for the three neighboring parcels. Staff said the land also borders three existing city conservation easements.
On Oct. 20, on a consent calendar that passed with no votes against, the council approved a property tax exchange agreement with Yolo County, which state law requires before annexation. After annexation, property taxes from the site that now go to the county's general fund and capital outlay fund, and to its road fund, would be split evenly between county and city, and the East Davis County Fire Protection District's share would go entirely to the city. Staff estimated $1.4 million in new property tax for the city. The city also gave assurance that the project will be maintained to minimize flooding effects on Channel A, a stormwater channel that crosses the site, and agreed to work with the county on sharing road repair costs. The agreement takes effect only if Measure W passes and the site is annexed.
The council also approved a resolution asking the Yolo Local Agency Formation Commission, an independent agency that approves annexations to cities in the county, to add the site to the city's sphere of influence, which does not now include it, and to annex it to the city. Staff said the applicants will pay for the process and that applying as a city, with the property owner's consent, keeps the city actively involved. Under the tax agreement resolution, the city will submit the annexation request if Measure W passes.
The farmland easement and the tax agreement both depend on voters approving the project, as do the council's May approvals.