Research & Technology Park questions get answered
It would be located on farmland southeast of Woodland and would grow over several decades into a community of more than 2,000residents.
Using feedback from a pair of February forums, the city of Woodland has compiled a list of questions and answers on the upcoming Research & Technology Park project.
“Approximately 150 questions were submitted by webinar attendees during the presentations,” according to a press release. “City staff and the applicant team responded live to a majority of the questions received, however, due to time constraints, the team was unable to address every question. As such, all 150 questions were sorted into 35 unique topic areas which are now addressed on the project’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) webpage.”
During the first community session, City Manager Ken Hiatt and business development liaison Erika Bumgardner explained the proposal that could ultimately see dozens of new businesses and thousands of new residents.
Hiatt said the proposal picked up steam as Woodland started coming out of the Great Recession because it meant the city had to refocus on how to become more resilient.
“We lost some industrial base,” Hiatt said previously. “There was an acute need about how we plan for our economy and not be just a passive, but active partner.”
Hiatt said the desire to diversify the job base is also an effort to break away from traditional business models such as retail, which are good, but can’t be counted on to add enough jobs or tax base, allowing the city overall to become more prosperous.
Bumgardner said the Research & Tech Park provides state-of-the-art opportunities for people to live, work and play in Woodland in that it can attract Woodland Community College graduates, who wouldn’t have to relocate to find a career.
It would be located on farmland southeast of Woodland and would grow over several decades into a community of more than 2,000 residents of more than 2 million square feet of offices and retail space.
The FAQ can be found at cityofwoodland.org/1282/ Frequently-Asked-Questions.
Some highlights include:
When will the Technology Park start construction? What is the anticipated timeline for plan area build out?
It is anticipated that phase one of project development could begin as early as 2022, upon adoption of the Specific Plan by the Woodland City Council. The 350-acre plan area will likely build out over 15 to 20 years and depend on market demand.
How much will it cost to build out the project? How is it being funded?
Full development costs are unknown at this time. The plan area will be funded by the developers and property owners through a combination of equity, debt and financing districts. A Financing Plan is currently under development. The Financing Plan will outline how public infrastructure/improvements will be funded as well as ongoing maintenance and public service costs. The Financing Plan will ultimately inform the project Development Agreement and is subject to City Council review and approval concurrent with or immediately following plan approval.
Will UC Davis be a development partner, like with Aggie Square in Sacramento?
UC Davis does not have a formal development partnership in the project and unlike Aggie Square, they do not own the land. However, the project will provide opportunities for UC Davis to develop facilities and/or programs aligned with the project plan should they desire to do so. The city and development team have had preliminary discussion with University representatives and once a project is entitled will reengage to explore potential opportunities to partner.
How is it ensured that the Tech Park builds out the way it is envisioned today?
Development within the Technology Park Specific Plan area will be subject to the approved land use plan, zoning and development requirements outlined in the document. The project development team in partnership with the City carefully considered the appropriate mix of land-use types, development requirements and residential densities based on anticipated market demands and in consultation with regional developers familiar with similar projects. The Specific Plan incorporates flexibility to allow for changing market conditions while still retaining the core vision for the plan area. As such, it is not anticipated that substantial modifications to the Specific Plan will be required. However, if plan modifications are requested by future property owners or as a result of new technologies, those changes would require approval by the Planning Commission and/or City Council at a public hearing, and may require additional environmental review, also subject to a noticed, public hearing and governing board approval.
For more information on the project, visit cityofwoodland.org/ResearchPark.