Davis voters to decide fate of 1,800-home Village Farms project in June

Davis voters will decide in June if a proposed 1,800-unit housing development on the city’s northern edge can be built, the City Council decided in a unanimous Tuesday night vote. The decision came after nearly six hours of public comment, with more than 50 speakers divided between support for expanding housing in Davis and concerns about the project’s pace and scale.

The development, known as Village Farms and located north of East Covell Boulevard between the Cannery development and Pole Line Road was first proposed in April 2023 by the North Davis Land Co. In addition to market-rate housing, Village Farms would include 280 affordable units and 80 units designated for moderate-income households.

The council certified the project’s environmental impact report, clearing the final hurdle before the development’s fate is placed before voters in a June 2 special election.

The June vote is mandated by Measure J/R/D, a voter-approved city ordinance first passed in 2000 and renewed in 2010 and 2020, that requires residents to approve zoning changes that convert agricultural or open-space land to urban use. The measure has complicated Davis’ efforts to build enough housing to satisfy their housing element, leading the state Department of Housing and Community Development to encourage the city to amend it.

The project “represents a thoughtful approach to long-term, measured growth,” the Village Farms development team said in a statement. Because the site is almost entirely surrounded by existing developments, “the project fits naturally within Davis’ established borders, making it a true infill development rather than peripheral sprawl.” The development will bolster the city’s tax base by more than $1.2 billion, according to the statement.

The 498-acre proposal would set aside about 75 acres for open space and roughly 210 acres for housing. The development would also include a day care center, a nature preserve, a community park and playground, and land reserved for a future fire station.

“I strongly urge you not to approve the EIR,” Marianne Hernandez, a 30-year Davis resident, said during public comment. “It has been fast-tracked through a process that has prioritized the developer’s wishes over the community’s need for a fair process and a legally adequate EIR.” Hernandez also cited flood risk, pollution, traffic impacts and long-term infrastructure costs.

Some residents said the development could disturb contaminants from a former landfill adjacent to the site, while others questioned whether the project’s flood mitigation plans were sufficient.

“Complexity breeds risk,” Margie Longo, who represents the North Central Wildhorse Neighborhood Association, said. “What’s proposed here combines large-scale earth moving, proximity to a former burn dump and landfill, and relocation of a major stormwater channel.”

Others framed Village Farms as a response to UC Davis’ conitnued growth and what they described as a missing generation of families in Davis — a gap they say has contributed to declining school enrollment and housing shortages.

“The university has continued to expand dramatically, and the city has not responded to make room for new generations — those who purchase housing, create families, build businesses, and invest in the future,” Lois Wolk, a former Davis mayor and state Senator, told the council members Tuesday.

“I believe we are looking at a truly smart growth opportunity with Village Farms,” said Heather Caswell, the owner of The Wardrobe boutique downtown and a city resident. “It’s time for the council to move this development to the people of Davis to vote on it.”

This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 1:43 PM.

Daniel Lempres

The Sacramento Bee

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Daniel Lempres is an investigative reporter at The Sacramento Bee focused on government accountability. Before joining The Bee, his investigations appeared in outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.