Measure J

As Dixon Pursues Major Peripheral Growth, Davis May Soon Face Similar Housing Questions

By David M. GreenwaldJuly 18, 202638 comments

Dixon has commenced environmental review for a significant expansion proposal, encompassing the Harvest Master Plan and Lombardo Ranch Master Plan, projected to add up to 7,125 housing units and annex approximately 2,033 acres into the city over two decades. This initiative underscores the divergent strategies local governments, including neighboring Davis, are employing to address California’s escalating housing production mandates.

Sunday Commentary | After Measure V, the Question Isn’t Whether Measure J Works — It’s Whether the State Will Continue to Allow It

By David M. GreenwaldJune 21, 202646 comments

The defeat of Measure V in Davis reaffirmed the structural impediments to peripheral housing development, despite the city’s acknowledged need for additional housing units. The Village Farms proposal, which included up to 1,800 housing units, was rejected by a margin of less than one percentage point, underscoring the enduring impact of Measure J, which mandates voter approval for such projects. This outcome intensifies scrutiny regarding the efficacy of local approval processes, particularly from entities such as the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which has previously identified Measure J as a potential constraint on housing production.

Could California Strip Local Governments of Housing Approval Power?

By David M. GreenwaldJune 16, 20264 comments

California YIMBY leader and housing policy analyst M. Nolan Gray proposed the creation of a state-level entitlement pathway, arguing it would allow qualifying housing developments to bypass local resistance, protracted delays, and what he described as ‘plainly illegal denials.’ This mechanism, Gray contended, holds significant implications for communities such as Davis, potentially altering traditional land-use approval processes.

Davis Voters Appear to Reject Measure V, Blocking Village Farms Development

By David M. GreenwaldJune 13, 202645 comments

According to the latest unofficial results released by Yolo County, Measure V, a ballot initiative proposing the Village Farms development north of Covell Boulevard, appears to have been defeated. The measure, which sought to amend the city’s General Plan to allow up to 1,800 housing units on agricultural land, garnered 11,181 votes in favor against 11,451 opposed, resulting in a 270-vote deficit. This outcome, with a 1.2 percentage point gap, marks another defeat for a peripheral-growth housing proposal under Davis’ Measure J framework, despite being one of the closest such contests in the city’s history.

Op-ed | Much Ado about Crossings

By Sandy WhitcombeMay 16, 202612 comments

Project representatives for Village Farms Davis affirmed the feasibility of the proposed bicycle overcrossing, stating it would be financed entirely through project contributions and impact fees, thereby incurring no taxpayer expense. They underscored a demonstrated capacity to navigate Union Pacific Railroad’s guidelines, citing prior engineering plan approval for a larger grade-separated crossing at the Nishi development.