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Project Details

Davis is a thriving, unique and diverse community with a population of 64,000. It has an wonderful quality of life and an active downtown. The community's focus on slow, well-planned growth is a logical approach, seeking to continually balance new housing with available jobs and retail opportunities while preserving the benefits Davis offers today.

Cannery Park, the proposed infill neighborhood for the previous Hunt-Wesson cannery site, raises the bar for environmentally appropriate development while meeting important Davis objectives. By qualifying as one of a select few projects accepted into the U.S. Green Building Council's Pilot Program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND), Cannery Park would again place Davis in a cutting-edge role for smart, controlled, "green and sustainable" growth.

"Just as other LEED® systems have improved building efficiency and energy performance, LEED-ND will reward efficient use of land and the building of complete and walkable communities," said John Norquist, President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism. "It is helping to reinforce a more complete understanding of sustainability that extends all the way from the individual building to the neighborhood and community."

As Cannery Park proceeds through its regulatory and city commission reviews and continued outreach activities with the Davis community, this website will provide an opportunity for Davis residents to learn about:

  • Lewis Planned Communities and the Lewis Group of Companies,
  • information on the long-term benefits of good community planning,
  • where the project stands in the planning process, and
  • how supporters can help bring this "Green and Sustainable" neighborhood to life.
Cannery Park Map

Using the latest trends for "growing smart" as illustrated by the "Blueprint" principles defined by SACOG and LEED-ND, Lewis Planned Communities has carefully blended a wide variety of residential home styles, balanced with new mixed-use and business park/office opportunities, in a compact land use plan.

Located in north central Davis on the north side of East Covell Boulevard at J Street, the current vision for the 98.4-acre Cannery Park master-planned neighborhood includes these elements:
(Click here to enlarge map)

  • 20 +/- acres (approx. 21% of site) of business park/office/mixed-use providing approximately 210,000 square of new office space
  • 47 +/- acres (approx. 47% of site) of residential providing 610 new homes, ranging from stacked-flat condominiums to single-family homes (122 affordable, 70 middle-income and 418 market-rate for-sale housing units; housing densities range from 8.5 to 22 dwelling units per net acre)
  • 21 +/- acres (approx. 21% of site) of new public parks/greenbelts and new passive recreation/naturalized areas
  • 10.5 +/- acres (approx. 11% of site) of new public roadways to serve Cannery Park

In 2005, the Davis City Council approved an ordinance requiring that 20% of homes in new developments of more than 50 units be made affordable to middle-income buyers, while projects with less than 26 units have no requirement to provide middle-income housing. As proposed, Cannery Park would be the city’s first opportunity to realize the benefits of this ground-breaking strategy to provide a significant amount of new housing affordable to Davis workers.

Each year the city’s defined middle-income and affordable ownership housing price ranges vary based on a percentage of current Yolo County Median Income, adjusted for Household Size.

PROJECT MILESTONES

November 2007

Members of the General Plan Housing Element Steering Committee using the identified "Overarching Goals and Housing Location Principles" place the Cannery Park site second behind the PG&E Service Center site in their ranking of possible housing sites greater than 25 acres in size. The Cannery Park is the only site greater than 25 acres that is within the city of Davis that does NOT require a Measure J citizens vote and is ready for redevelopment today.

Lewis works collaboratively with city staff to formulate a Request for Proposals (RFP) to find a qualified consultant to prepare a feasibility analysis of potential non-residential development on all or a portion of the Cannery Park site. The city's Business and Economic Development Commission (BEDC) reviews and provides comments to staff on the RFP. City staff subsequently issues the RFP to prospective consultants.

October 2007

The Davis City Council votes to allow the processing of Cannery Park to begin. By unanimous vote (5-0), the council directs staff to commission the preparation of a non-residential viability study of the site to help determine the most appropriate and viable amount of Business Park land use for the nearly 100-acre site. With a vote of 4-1, the council also directs staff to begin collaborative community outreach with Lewis and begin the technical review of the Cannery Park proposal. Additionally, the council votes unanimously not to begin the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process until technical review and evaluation of the non-residential viability study are complete. Lewis begins working closely with staff on the next level of outreach to engage the community in the on-going visioning process for Cannery Park.

August 2007

The General Plan Housing Element Update (GPHE) Steering Committee ("Committee") completes its first round evaluations for all sites identified by staff for potential residential development. The Committee initially ranks Cannery Park "High" as a potential site to provide housing through June 2013. The Committee also votes in support of a designated range of 500 to 800 total units and an average overall density of 15+/- units/acre net for the residential portion of the site. The Cannery Park proposal with a total of 610 proposed new homes with an average density at 15+/- units/acre, and 20+/- acres of Business Park/Office uses, is consistent with the Steering Committee's initial determination regarding a "mix" of uses for the previous industrial cannery site.

July 2007

The GPHE Steering Committee members vote unanimously to dismiss the need to analyze the viability of a light industrial or business park development on the Lewis and adjoining Covell Village parcel.

Cannery Park accepts LEED-ND Pilot Program invitation to participate as a "focus group" project.

June 2007

Cannery Park is selected as one of a small group of projects accepted into the LEED-ND pilot program for Neighborhood Development, recognizing its focus on smart and sustainable growth principles.

Lewis completes on-site construction of deep-aquifer replacement water well begun in August 2005. The new well begins providing water to Davis' water system and has the ability to accommodate the future development of the cannery site.

February 2007

The Davis City Council votes unanimously to place Cannery Park "on-hold" pending the newly appointed General Plan Housing Element Update Steering Committee's selection of the "Preferred Alternative" prioritizing sites for new housing in the 2006-2013 time period. The council directed the Steering Committee to evaluate the most appropriate sites for smart and controlled growth to meet the city's regional "fair share" housing requirements (RHNA), as well as the city's defined annual 1% growth management objectives. The selection of the "Preferred Alternative" is identified as occurring in July/August 2007.

February 2007

The citizens Steering Committee, formed by the City Council in January, begins the General Plan Housing Element Update process.

November 2006

Lewis submits a formal application to the city of Davis requesting a rezoning and general plan amendment for the Cannery Park mixed-use neighborhood proposal.

Lewis completes the demolition and recycling of the functionally obsolete cannery buildings.

Summer/Fall 2006

In an effort to gain feedback, ideas, and critiques to help shape the vision for Cannery Park, Lewis organizes an extensive public outreach effort with workshops and presentations to residents, real estate and business leaders. Notices are mailed to more than 3,200 nearby residents, with more than 200 members of the public attending these meetings in June, July and September and providing their comments. In September, the city posts outreach materials and application documents on its web page to increase public awareness of the Cannery Park proposal and provide additional support to the public review process.

July 2004

Lewis Planned Communities purchases the Hunt-Wesson cannery site and presents an early land use concept plan to the city of Davis. The planning team continues to meet with city leaders, staff and community members to better define Davis' community needs and the shared vision for Cannery Park.