Infill development, building on vacant or underused land within the city, is an important part of Dixon’s long-term plan. The City supports this type of development, especially projects that combine housing, shops and services.
The Dixon General Plan 2040 references “40% vacant land” within the CIty, but that figure is outdated since the Plan was adopted in 2021 and the figure stems from the conditions that were present in 2015. As development has occurred, the amount of vacant land has dropped significantly. Today, about 19% of land within city limits remains undeveloped, and less is truly available once you account for projects that are already approved or underway. In the past 10 years, the City has experienced infill development, particularly along the N 1st St corridor, including the new Popeyes, Quick Quack Car Wash, Rotten Robbies, Independence Residential Community, Bank of Stockton Retail Center, the Panda/Verizon/Grocery Outlet and Easy Auto.
Not all vacant land is the same. Much of the remaining infill land is zoned for commercial, industrial or mixed-use development rather than single-family housing. The City encourages mixed-use projects in these areas, but what gets built and when depends on property owners, developers and economic market conditions.
While the City establishes the zoning and long-term plans, the CIty does not build commercial development. Development is built by the private market and development is only built when it is economically feasible to build and viable for continued operation. The economy and commercial developers or business control the timing or type of private development. As a result, some infill sites may take time to develop even when the City is supportive and the rules allow for a wide variety of commercial uses.
Furthermore, although infill sites may be vacant and along established infrastructure, the development of the infill site may necessitate upgrades to infrastructure that is harder and more costly to perform in already developed areas.
Lastly, infill development on smaller sites can be economically challenging to develop given the higher cost of land and significant construction and infrastructure costs.
It’s also common to ask whether the City can wait until infill sites are built before considering other growth. Under state law, including the Housing Accountability Act (SB 330), cities cannot pause or delay housing projects that meet established standards while waiting for other sites to develop.
Infill is one part of the overall approach to growth, but it typically happens in smaller projects. On its own, it may not be large enough to support some amenities residents often request, such as grocery stores, restaurants or larger community facilities, which usually require a broader customer base. Smaller projects can also make it difficult to justify major infrastructure investments. In some cases, improvements like new roads, utility upgrades or water system expansions come with costs that developers are more willing or able to take on as part of a larger project.
For that reason, the City continues to encourage infill, especially mixed-use development, while also planning for other opportunities that support infrastructure, services and long-term economic health.