Land use changes in Dixon usually happen through a combination of long-range planning and individual property owner decisions. The City cannot require a landowner to sell their property for development. In most cases, if farmland is being considered for a different use, it is because the property owner has chosen to pursue that option and requested a change in land use designation through the City’s planning process.
Any landowner can request a General Plan Amendment, whether the property is inside city limits or in the broader planning area. Those requests are then reviewed through public hearings and evaluated based on the City’s long-term growth plans.
At the same time, preserving agricultural land is an important consideration in how Dixon plans for the future. The City looks at where growth makes sense over time while also considering how to maintain open space and farming where appropriate. This is part of a broader effort to guide growth in a planned and orderly way rather than on a case-by-case basis without context.
It is also worth noting that land outside city limits is governed by the County, which has its own approval process and land use designations. That means agricultural land can still be affected by different types of development decisions even if it is not annexed into the City.
Yes, in some cases. For larger development projects in Dixon, the City can negotiate community benefits with developers. These can include things like parks, open space, recreation areas, trail connections or other public amenities. The exact mix of improvements depends on the size and type of project as well as what is feasible within the site and surrounding infrastructure.
The City also looks at how a project fits into long term community needs, including opportunities to add or improve public gathering spaces like community centers where appropriate. These types of features are typically considered during the review and negotiation process for larger projects rather than being guaranteed for every development.
Resident input is an important part of this process. Community members can share feedback during public meetings, workshops and formal planning hearings. Input early in the process is especially helpful since it can influence how projects are shaped before final decisions are made.
To stay involved and share feedback, visit DixonGrown.com/Get-Involved/.
Public safety capacity is reviewed with new development to make sure response times stay within standards as Dixon grows.
The City focuses on both staffing and how existing fire stations are deployed, not just building new facilities. Station locations are based on response times and where service gaps exist, such as the Homestead area where Station 82 was placed to improve coverage.
Railroad crossings are also considered because they can affect travel times between parts of the city.
Major infrastructure tied to development, such as the Parkway Blvd. Overpass is considered in planning to support circulation and emergency access for larger projects like Harvest.
The City is also required to complete a Municipal Services Review, which evaluates the capacity of public safety and other city services to support future growth. This study is managed by the City but funded by developers as part of the development process. The review helps identify recommended staffing levels, facility locations and response time needs as the community grows. In addition, the City is working with AP Triton on an updated fire and emergency services study to help guide future planning decisions.
Overall, public safety planning is coordinated with growth to help maintain service levels citywide.
Dixon is planning ahead by clearly defining where future growth should and should not happen. In the Notice of Preparation (NOP), the green line represents a proposed long-term growth boundary, sometimes called an urban growth limit. It helps show where the city intends to focus development over time.
Just as important, it also shows where the city does not plan to grow. The areas outside that line are intended to remain agricultural or open space, creating a buffer between Dixon and surrounding development. This kind of intentional agricultural buffer can help preserve rural character, protect farmland and maintain separation from large-scale regional projects.
The City uses tools like its Sphere of Influence to guide these decisions. While Dixon does not control regional projects outside its boundaries, it can plan thoughtfully within its own area and advocate for local priorities.
Dixon is located in a strategic and highly desirable area, along Interstate 80 and potential 113 relocation, and growth is inevitable. Already, other agencies are exploring growth on the north side of the freeway in areas currently outside the City limits and sphere of influence to serve their needs for economic development . For this reason, it is important for the City to plan in order to control its own destiny, plan the future and ensure Dixon and its residents benefit from growth.
By identifying a clear edge to growth, Dixon can be more proactive. This allows the City to plan for things like connected trails, open space and infrastructure, while helping ensure that any new development fits with the community rather than happening in a reactive way.
Dixon Unified School District (DUSD) and the City of Dixon are separate entities, so the school district makes its own decisions about when and where to build or expand schools.
As new housing is proposed, the City shares that information with DUSD so it can plan ahead. Developers are required to pay school impact fees for every new housing unit and commercial development that help fund facilities. Some larger projects may also set aside land for a future school site.
Growth can also support school funding for operations over time. In California, much of school funding is tied to student attendance, so more students can help maintain teachers, programs and extracurriculars. Declining enrollment can lead to reduced funding and potential program cuts.
Currently, DUSD has not identified a confirmed need for a new school in Dixon, but the City will continue to inform and work with DUSD on new applications and await their determination on school needs.
In Dixon, new development is generally structured so it pays for both the cost of city staff and consultant time associated with the processing of applications, as well as infrastructure and services it requires instead of relying on funding from our existing residents.
One of the main ways this happens is through development impact fees. These are one-time payments from developers, averaging $70,000 per new single family home, that help cover the cost of infrastructure needed to support growth like roads, sewer systems and public safety services.
In some new neighborhoods, there are also Community Facilities Districts, sometimes called CFDs or Mello-Roos. These are special taxes paid by property owners in those specific areas to fund and maintain local improvements such as parks, streets and other neighborhood infrastructure.
New development also contributes ongoing revenue through property taxes and increased local spending at businesses. Over time, this helps support City services more broadly.
There are also costs associated with the review and processing of applications, which are fully funded by an applicant or developer. This includes staff or consultant time to review proposals, coordinate with other agencies and manage the entitlement process.
Together, these funding tools are designed to make sure new growth pays its own way. This approach helps avoid shifting costs to existing neighborhoods so local services and maintenance in older areas are not reduced or redirected to support new development.
Population growth could have a noticeable impact on both local businesses and job opportunities in Dixon. As more residents move in, there is typically more day to day activity and foot traffic, which can help existing businesses stay viable and potentially expand.
A larger population also makes the area more attractive for new businesses like grocery stores, restaurants and retail since they need a strong customer base to succeed. In Dixon, much of the current commercial activity is located along Interstate 80, and nearby vacant land does not yet have the population density needed to support additional large scale retail development. As growth continues, it could help balance that by creating more opportunities for local shopping and services closer to where people live.
On the jobs side, new development and business growth can bring additional employment opportunities during both construction and long term operations. Information about anticipated job impacts is shared through the City’s “Proposed Project Snapshots” webpage.
Overall, growth tends to strengthen the local economy by supporting both existing businesses and creating conditions that attract new employers to the area.
The Question: Are we just using new developer money to fix old problems? What happens when the building stops?
The Context: Modern California planning follows a strict “New Growth Pays Its Way” model.
- Infrastructure: One-time developer fees pay for the new fire stations, pipes and roads required by that specific project.
- Maintenance: To ensure the rest of the city isn’t burdened, new development must pay its own way. Developers pay “impact fees” for city-wide infrastructure, and new neighborhoods are annexed into Community Facilities Districts (CFDs). Funded exclusively by those new homeowners, these CFDs pay for local infrastructure and provide an annual fee to cover essential ongoing services like Police, Fire and city administration. If you see weeds in a newer park, it’s usually a matter of maintenance enforcement against a specific contractor, not a lack of funding in the system.
Dixon Grown is an independent, City-led resource made possible by a voluntary funding commitment from the developers for the Harvest and Lombardo Ranch projects. We appreciate this investment in community engagement, as it allows the City to provide high-quality, fact-based information and workshops without using taxpayer dollars. This funding allows the City to provide deep-dive resources and community input opportunities that would otherwise be limited. While these private contributions cover the logistical costs of the initiative, the City of Dixon independently manages the content and outreach. This allows the City to provide a neutral roadmap for our future, while upholding our principle that the costs of potential new development should not be shouldered by current residents.
Growth in Dixon is shaped through a long-range planning process that helps ensure development happens in a steady and manageable way. Large projects are typically approved with phased buildouts spread over many years rather than being built all at once. This allows housing and development to come online gradually so infrastructure and services can keep pace over time. There is also market driven absorption that dictates supply and demand, which factors into development pacing.
Development is also tied to infrastructure readiness. Roads, water, wastewater and public safety capacity all factor into when and how projects move forward, which naturally influences the pace of construction and occupancy.
At the same time, the City does not directly control exactly when homes are built. After a project is approved, the timing is largely driven by the developer and market conditions. Financing, construction costs, housing demand and interest rates all affect how quickly development actually occurs. Because of this, even large approved projects are usually built in phases over a long period of time rather than all at once.
Together, these factors help create a more predictable pattern of growth that aligns with infrastructure capacity and long-term planning goals.
Construction timelines vary depending on the size and type of project. Smaller individual projects are often built within one to three years. Larger master planned developments are not built all at once. Instead, they are phased over many years, sometimes 10 to 30 years, so growth happens gradually rather than all at once.
How quickly anything is built also depends on market conditions. Even when projects are fully approved, they do not always move forward right away. Developers typically build in response to demand for homes and commercial space, financing conditions and other economic factors. Because of this, the actual pace of construction can be slower or faster over time, even within the same approved project.
If larger projects under consideration were fully approved, construction would still be spread out in phases. That means only a portion of homes or streets would be built at any given time rather than the entire project happening at once. As a result, home construction would be distributed across multiple phases over many years instead of concentrated in a single large buildout period.
To reduce disruption, Dixon requires detailed construction management plans that set rules for work hours, dust control, noise and truck routes to help protect nearby neighborhoods during active construction. Developers are also required to post performance bonds to ensure infrastructure improvements are completed as approved.
To learn more, visit the Development Overview webpage.
The Question: The City took legal action to stop the Blu Haven project. Why can’t we do the same now to slow things down?
The Context: The planning framework and legal landscape in California has changed significantly in the last 20 years, and have imposed various demands upon cities and limits to their local control. Under the Housing Accountability Act (SB 330), cities are strictly prohibited from a “moratorium” (pause) on housing applications. In the specific situation of the Blu project by Haven, the property they were proposing to build on is not currently in the city limits, but only in the City’s Sphere of Influence. Therefore, any development of the site would necessitate annexation into the City, as well as other entitlements. The City explained to the developer that SB330 is not applicable when a property is not within city limits since the City does not control annexation, and it ultimately would require a tax sharing agreement with the County as well as LAFCo approval. The developer did not agree and continued to file its SB330 application with the City. The City evaluated its options and chose to seek injunctive relief from a court confirming that SB330 was not applicable for that specific situation. Ultimately, the court agreed with the City that SB330 was not applicable or valid to use in annexation situations. The application was then withdrawn.
The Question: If a homeowner can’t rezone their house into a drive-thru, why can a farmer rezone their land into a subdivision?
The Context: Any property owner has the legal right to ask the City to change their land’s designation through a General Plan Amendment. This applies whether the land is inside city limits or just outside them in the Sphere of Influence. While the legal mechanism is the same for a drive-thru or a large development, the likelihood of approval is worlds apart due to how urban planning works.
1. Spot Zoning vs. Planned Growth
- The Drive-Thru: Placing a commercial business in a residential neighborhood is considered “Spot Zoning.” Cities generally avoid this because it creates a mismatch with the surroundings and can negatively impact neighbors’ property values and safety.
- The Subdivision: A project like Harvest isn’t squeezing into an existing neighborhood; it’s proposing to expand the city’s boundaries. Cities view this as “Planned Growth.” Even if land is currently farmed, the City’s long-term vision usually includes plans for where new housing or shops could go as the population grows.
2. The Duty to Process
- For a House: The City can typically deny a drive-thru quickly if it clearly violates the health, safety and welfare of the existing neighborhood.
- For a project like Harvest: Because it is a large proposal for the city’s future, the law requires a rigorous and transparent process. The City cannot say “No” on day one based on a feeling; it must follow the development process, which includes CEQA, to factually determine how the project would affect traffic, water and agricultural land. Part of that process can include providing measures to help mitigate those impacts.
3. The Vision as a Living Document
- The General Plan isn’t set in stone. Every few decades, cities update it to address needs for housing or tax revenue.
- The Drive-Thru: Rarely adds a public benefit that outweighs the disruption to a neighborhood.
- The Subdivision: Developers often propose specific public benefits, such as new parks, improved roads, updated infrastructure or affordable housing, to argue the change is worth it.
The Question: I’ve heard we have 510 more units than the State requires right now. Doesn’t that mean we can stop new development?
The Context: While it’s true that Dixon is meeting its current 8-year state mandate for housing (RHNA), planning for a city doesn’t happen in 8-year chunks — it happens in 20-year visions through our General Plan. The State updates housing requirements every eight-year housing cycle. The current cycle is for 2023-2031. If we stop planning now, we risk falling behind in the next cycle. When a city fails to plan or demonstrate it can meet its share of new housing, the State can trigger the “Builder’s Remedy,” a law that strips the City of its power to deny high-density projects, effectively handing our local control over to Sacramento.
In addition, new housing is also a means to increase Dixon’s population and attract more commercial, retail and industrial uses. Most commercial entities use housing and census data to evaluate if areas meet their property metrics for a new commercial use. Many of the types of commercial uses that residents desire in Dixon are not currently feasible and do not meet the commercial/retail company economic, population or census threshold to pursue a new location in Dixon.
The State of California requires that cities plan ahead for housing needs. Every eight years, the State assigns a target number of homes to every city and county in the State through a process called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA. Dixon does not build these homes directly, but it is responsible for planning and zoning enough land so they can be built.
For the current cycle, 2023 to 2031 (6th Housing Element cycle), Dixon was required to plan for 416 new housing units across different income levels.
To show it can meet these requirements, the City must update its Housing Element every eight years and receive state certification of the Element. The Housing Element is one of the required elements (chapters) of a General Plan. State law also requires the City to continue processing housing applications and does not allow a full pause on reviewing them.
If a city does not meet these requirements or have a certified Housing Element, it can lose its compliant status with the State. In that situation, there are many negative implications to a CIty, including, but not limited to:
- Susceptibility to litigation from developers or State resulting in significant financial penalties
- “Builder’s Remedy,” which prohibits local control over zoning and design standards like density, height or city process for qualifying housing projects that include affordable units
- Loss of grants or state funding
Overall, these rules are intended to ensure cities plan for a range of housing types to meet regional needs over time.
Keeping Dixon the same size might sound appealing, but it comes with some trade-offs that are worth understanding.
Over time, the cost of maintaining things like roads, utilities and public safety tends to go up due to inflation. Even if the city doesn’t grow, expenses like asphalt, electricity and equipment still get more expensive. If revenue stays about the same while costs increase, the city may eventually need to look at options like increasing taxes or fees just to keep services at their current level.
Infrastructure is another important part of the picture. Many city systems — things like water, sewer and drainage — need regular maintenance and occasional replacement, which can be expensive. When new development happens, it often helps pay for some of those costs. In some cases, developers also add improvements that benefit the whole community. For example, if a developer builds a new water well as part of a project, that can add more water to the system, improve reliability during busy times and help create a more stable water supply for everyone, not just the new homes. Without that added funding and investment, more of the cost would likely fall on existing residents.
Growth can also play a role in the local economy and to attract new types of uses, like retail, grocery stores, services, entertainment and job-producing uses. Commercial developers and businesses each have their own proprietary criteria to help them decide where to build or locate business. Some businesses look for a certain population size or income levels in a trade area or economic factors like leakage from a specific segment of the economy before deciding where it is economically viable to locate a new business. As a result, staying the same size may limit the types of shops, restaurants or services that residents might continue traveling to nearby cities for the amenities they want, which also means more sales tax dollars are spent outside our community instead of supporting local services and infrastructure and having the tax dollars benefit Dixon.
None of this means growth is the only path forward — but it does highlight the balancing act. A community that stays the same size may need to find other ways to keep up with rising costs, maintain infrastructure and support local services over time.
New development brings two main types of benefits: one-time improvements paid by developers and ongoing annual revenue after projects are built.
One-time improvements and fees (paid by developers):
When a project is approved, the City requires developers to fund or build specific improvements to not only serve their development, but often oversize infrastructure for the future. These are one-time contributions tied to that project.
They can include:
- Roads, utilities and drainage improvements
- Water wells and conveyance
- Parks, trails or open space
- Public safety facilities like fire stations or police expansions
- Development impact fees to help upgrade and renovate public facilities.
- Every new development pays its fair share as one time impact fee to offset its impact to parks, transportation, fire, police, wastewater, water, drainage and public works/administration.
Here are two examples:
- The Homestead project — as part of their approval and negotiation of the Development Agreement, was required to provide, in addition to the standard impacts fees, park dedications and other requirements for new development, the following additional benefits:
- 180 units of affordable housing
- Land dedication for the new fire station
- Enhanced parkland dedication beyond the minimum required for the development
- A flexible grant fee of nearly $3,600 for every new housing unit above the regular impact fees to be used for capital projects
- Railroad separation fee of nearly $5,000 for every new housing unit above, in addition to the traffic impact fee, to help fund the parkway overcrossing
- The Campus project — as part of their approval and negotiation of the Development Agreement, was required to provide, in addition to the standard impacts fees, park dedications and other requirements for new development, the following additional benefits:
- Increased detention basin to accommodate more drainage than required for the development
- Accelerated infrastructure phasing to ensure timely delivery of services to the northern portion of the site, supporting the advancement of approved industrial and research-and-development uses
- Oversizing the roadway along the Pedrick Road frontage beyond development requirements and advancing the construction of the new Professional Parkway to support the timely development of approved industrial and research-and-development uses in the northern portion of the site
- Contribution of $2 million dollars as a public benefit fee, above the regular impact fees to be used for capital projects
- Generation of nearly $59 million dollars in city impact fees
- Aggregation of all city impact fees, as a single per unit fee to allow the City more flexibility to invest those resources into capital projects. This agreement will allow the City to accelerate the funding of the new fire station #82 and police department second floor expansion
These benefits only happen if the projects are approved and built.
Ongoing annual revenue:
Once development is completed, it also generates ongoing revenue through property taxes, sales taxes and local fees. The City receives a portion of property tax and sales tax, while other government agencies receive the majority of those taxes.
The City also recently initiated a new citywide Community Facilities District (CFD) to offset the impacts of new housing development on City services and operations. The new CFD is required for any new housing development approved after 2023 and will fund the expected costs of City services and operations attributable to new development that are not otherwise funded through revenues the City collects in the form of property taxes, sales taxes and other similar revenue sources.
The annual fee was based on a fiscal impact analysis conducted to identify the funding gap between traditional annual revenues and the cost of serving a new housing unit. These ongoing revenue sources fund services such as police, fire protection, road maintenance, parks and general local government operations over time.
The Green Line is a proposed long term boundary that helps define where Dixon plans for future urban growth to end. It also serves to provide notice to other governmental agencies that the City is interested in any proposed land use changes within this boundary. By including it in the Notice of Preparation (NOP), the City is setting a clear framework for planning ahead instead of reacting to ongoing, project-by-project development requests.
For residents, it provides a clearer sense of where urban development is intended to stop and where lower density or rural land uses are intended to remain, which helps reduce uncertainty about how the Dixon community may evolve over time.
For agricultural areas, it helps reinforce that certain lands are intended to stay in production and not transition into urban development, which supports long term preservation of farming uses in this area.
For the City, it creates a more stable planning boundary for infrastructure decisions regarding water supply, sewer service and roadway development. That makes it easier to design systems efficiently because planners are working from a defined growth area rather than a constantly shifting city footprint.
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.
Dixon has several major capital projects moving forward that are funded through a mix of development impact fees, negotiated public benefits and grant funding. These projects are also guided by the City’s General Plan, which outlines long-range infrastructure priorities.
The Parkway Boulevard Overcrossing is currently in advanced design, with funding supported by a $25.2 million federal grant and local development fees. It is expected to go out to bid in Fall of 2026, with construction planned to begin shortly after.
The Police Department expansion at 160 S Jackson St. has successfully gone through the bidding process, has been awarded to a construction firm, and construction will start in June 2026. It is being funded through impact fees and a negotiated public benefit contribution.
Fire Station 82 in the Homestead area is in final design stages and is expected to go out to bid after completion of updated plans in mid-2026. Funding comes from impact fees, bonds and project-specific contributions.
To ensure these projects are delivered, the City uses a combination of secured funding sources, phased planning and formal construction bidding processes, along with oversight through the City Council and capital improvement program.
In new developments, you may notice that homes are sometimes built closer together than in older neighborhoods. This is largely tied to how land is planned and zoned.
A Cities General Plan and Zoning Ordinance establish a maximum density that is allowed for an area, which translates to the number of units per acre that are allowed. In some areas of Dixon, primarily in the mixed use areas, a minimum density is also established. Each development is reviewed for consistency with the maximum density and is approved with a maximum number of homes allowed. Maximum density sets the upper limit of how many homes could be built on that land, but it does not mean every project will reach that maximum. In certain areas, developers often build fewer homes than allowed based on market demand, financing, design preferences or construction costs. In other areas that are typically more developed and have higher land costs, greater density is necessary for a project to be economically viable. This is typically the case with development of infill lots.
The City reviews and approves the overall plan, including density ranges and design standards, but developers are responsible for the specific layout and construction. That’s why spacing, lot sizes and street design can vary from one neighborhood to another.
Projects that are closer together are usually smaller size homes and use less land than more spaced our developments., thereby providing more units on less land. Given that a significant factor in the rent or sales price of a home is the size of the home and cost of land, smaller units on less land are less expensive. This is something that is referred to as affordable by design. In terms of future growth, approved projects represent potential capacity, not guaranteed outcomes. Even when a project is fully entitled, it may be built in phases, adjusted over time or not fully built out depending on economic conditions.
Why do we see fast food and gas stations built instead of the “walkable cafés” developers visualize?
The Question: I see developers show pictures of beautiful cafés, but we end up with car washes and fast food. Why does that happen?
The Context: The City controls zoning (what can go there), but the market determines what actually opens. A boutique café or a specialty market needs a specific number of daily customers (“rooftops”) within a certain radius to pay their rent and staff. They also evaluate census data, economic data and leakage reports to evaluate their criteria and determine if there is demand to support their investment. If a developer builds a “walkable area” but there aren’t enough local residents to spend money there, those shops stay empty or become service-based businesses. This is why managed growth is a balance: you need enough residents to support the high-quality amenities the community wants.
Measure B was suspended in 2023 as part of the Housing Element update because it conflicted with California state housing laws that restrict local limits on housing growth. During the State’s review of the City’s Draft Housing Element, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) noted that the City’s Measure B conflicted with the recently adopted “Housing Crisis Act” (codified at Gov. Code, § 66300), which was part of SB-330, and became effective in 2019. The City explored various options to explore the exceptions to the law and challenge and question the HCD comments. Ultimately, in order to have its housing Element certified and minimize the risk of loss of local control and/or enforcement and litigation by the state, the City suspended Measure B through the current Housing Element cycle (through 2031).
The proposed growth areas are typically identified based on a mix of factors like available land, infrastructure capacity and where services such as roads, water and sewer can be extended most efficiently. In Dixon, the City’s wastewater plan is located over a mile south of the current city limits. It is also important to recognize that development is largely driven by private property decisions. The City does not control where developers purchase land or where property owners decide to sell, but it can guide how growth happens once proposals are brought forward.
Growth in one part of the city does not automatically take away from downtown. In fact, planning efforts often aim to strengthen connections between new neighborhoods and the existing downtown so businesses continue to serve as a central hub for shopping, dining and community activity. The City encourages development proposals that connect to existing amenities through features like trails, sidewalks and roadway connections. For example, projects such as Harvest include walking and biking connections into areas like Hall Park, helping residents more easily access downtown and other parts of the community.
In Dixon, the goal is to support both areas at the same time. New neighborhoods can increase the overall customer base while investments in roads, connectivity and design standards help maintain a small-town feel and keep downtown accessible and active.
In some ways, yes. In the City of Dixon, development is tied to transportation improvements through required fees and infrastructure commitments. Those funds can help support larger projects like the Parkway Blvd. Overpass and other roadway improvements over time.
New development also contributes to changes in the road network. In many cases, developers are required to build or improve nearby streets, intersections and access points to support the added traffic. This can include new connections or relief roads that help spread traffic across multiple routes instead of concentrating it on existing streets.
The City reviews each project to make sure roadway changes are consistent with local plans and transportation standards. Construction management plans are also required to help keep construction traffic on designated routes and minimize impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.