Dixon, California

DI XON, CAL I FORNI A will put us on the map. Right now, they go to Sacramento because it has a little more cachet than Dixon, but we’re easier to deal with and cheaper to live in. And there’s a large portion of land that’s within eight miles of Davis to use for a biomedical component, or a research facility, or even a university village, which, I think, would change the face of our city in a positive way and be a great opportunity for the region.” Homebuilding is quite active in Dixon. It hasn’t experienced a slow-down like other regions. The city is currently processing close to 200 new home permits, with another couple hundred on line. Downtown Dixon, while being cute and cozy, is mostly single-story buildings and isn’t as vibrant as it needs to be. As part of the General Plan, a priority area has been designated within the downtown that would look at intensification of density and how to create additional residential opportunities. Like many other older downtowns, Dixon also has a situation where only a few people own a lot of the properties – and they own them outright. So, getting them to make capital improvements is a little more difficult. Tasini explains, “We are a town where transition is difficult, but we do have policy makers that have been supportive in making changes happen so Dixon can reap the benefit of all of the growth in the area. We are examining the possibility of providing more sidewalk space for outdoor dining and bicycle paths through downtown attracting visitors to our charming downtown. The challenge has been that our Main Street is also a State corridor, so we must coordinate with Caltrans, the state’s transportation authority, in order to change the road configuration. I think our demographics are completely changing which has led to new businesses in downtown. For instance, we have a wine bar that’s opening; we have brand new restaurants opening such as Rosemary’s Organic Restaurant, and a place called the Barn and Pantry (all local, organic farm food) that is now offering live music and spoken word downtown.” These venues are creating a lot of buzz in the region; a lot of younger people are coming from Sacramento and Davis for the music in the evenings. TEC