Planning Commission to weigh downtown plan draft

The Downtown Specific Plan, aimed at improving downtown Vacaville, is getting closer to going into effect. The final draft is available, and the Planning Commission will make a determination at its Tuesday meeting on whether to recommend the City Council adopt it.

The plan, in the works for nearly three years, aims to improve the downtown’s aesthetics and mobility while still maintaining the area’s small-town feel. Potential projects outlined in the plan include installing public art, creating more bicycle lanes, instituting more signs to help people find their way around downtown and repairing aging sewer and water pipelines.

In a staff report, Senior Planner Tyra Hays wrote that downtown commercial districts are typically the cultural and economic centers of the community. However, changes in the rail industry have led to downtown districts losing their vibrancy, she wrote. Vacaville was no exception.

“Despite Downtown Vacaville’s small town charm, natural beauty, and handful of popular restaurants, bars, specialty retail stores, and service-oriented businesses, it is floundering because it cannot compete with big box retailers and easy freeway access,” she wrote.

Something that downtown Vacaville could provide that big-box retailers could not was a “destination location” that people would choose to visit during their downtime, Hays wrote.

“Downtown Vacaville reflects Vacaville’s history with its historic buildings and its easily walkable blocks, adjacent to the natural beauty of Andrews Park and Ulatis Creek,” she wrote. “Much of Downtown’s existing charm was enhanced over the past… two decades with the construction of Town Square, the Town Square Library, the McBride Senior Center, the Creekwalk , and Carroll Plaza in Andrews Park.”

Thus, she advised that one of the main goals of the Downtown Specific Plan was to build upon downtown Vacaville’s positive aspects and turn the downtown into a destination location to economically support new and existing businesses.

The first part of the Downtown Specific Plan consists of five chapters guiding public policies, goals and visions for the downtown. The second portion, chapters 6 to 14, will consist of development standards and guidelines.

There are also 14 appendices consisting of strategy documents previously shared with the commission during preparation of the Downtown Specific Plan.

The commission will conduct a public hearing at Tuesday’s meeting. Should the commission decide to move forward with the project, it will then go to the council for a hearing at its Jan. 25 meeting and be considered for approval at its Feb. 8 meeting.

In other business, the commission will vote on a meeting schedule for 2022.

The commission will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting can be viewed on Channel 26 or on the city’s YouTube page at Youtube.com/channel/UCLC4Gd7Z4rwlWOciZVhlJJw. Viewers who would like to participate in the meeting can join at Cov.zoom.us/j/95836284733?pwd=Z1lQWm5xRnAzMEZIR2pxUFpTNlhmdz09 using the password “677771” and the “Raise hand” function.

They may also join by phone at 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499.