Planning commission hears update on Peabody‑Allison specific plan

City planning staff updated the Vacaville City Planning Commission on the Peabody‑Allison specific plan, an effort to guide future development and streetscape improvements in the Peabody, Elmira and Allison corridors.

The presentation, given by staff member Noah (project presenter), explained that the city designated the Allison area as a Priority Development Area (PDA) in October and accepted a $1,200,000 planning grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). Noah said the city executed a contract with Environmental Science Associates (ESA) in July to prepare what staff are calling the Peabody Allison Specific Plan (PASP).

The consultant team completed an existing‑conditions report during phase 1. Noah said the report found the plan area is largely multifamily residential and suburban commercial, and that “there is an unpleasant walk‑in experience in the plan area due to a lack of trees in some areas, very narrow sidewalks, and also a lack of public amenities.” He also reported that, according to the analysis, “approximately 43% of those households are considered low income with another 32% being at high risk of near term displacement.”

Commissioners pressed staff on practical outcomes. Commissioner Beaumont said walking and biking in the corridors feel unsafe and asked “how much can you really do to improve this to a point of where it's actually people want to walk, people wanna bike.” Noah and another staff member, Aaron, responded that the consultant team will identify constrained and feasible improvements and that many property owners expressed interest in adding gathering spaces inside shopping centers. Aaron added the plan will examine street cross sections and rights‑of‑way to identify options for repurposing space currently devoted to cars.

Staff summarized community engagement to date: a project website, pop‑up outreach at County Square Market and Vacaville Common Shopping Center, targeted outreach with Willsewood High School students, business walks, follow‑up business interviews, and roughly 2,016 mailed notices to area residents and businesses. Common themes from outreach included desire for public gathering places, traffic and pedestrian safety concerns, and business interest in beautification along aging corridors.

Noah outlined next steps: develop focused land‑use and streetscape alternatives, share those alternatives with the public later this fall (including a virtual community meeting and another study session with the planning commission and city council), use public feedback to identify a preferred plan, release a draft specific plan in spring of next year with an in‑person community meeting and additional study sessions, and aim to bring the plan to the commission and council for adoption in summer of the following year. Staff recommended the commission receive the informational presentation; the item was informational only and no formal vote on the plan was taken that evening.

The presentation referenced the contract with ESA, MTC/ABAG grant funding, the PASP existing conditions report, and outreach materials available on the city project website. Commissioners and staff said future phases will include analyses of water, sewer and drainage capacity and possible eligibility for state or federal grants to phase infrastructure investments.

The planning commission will receive future study sessions and outreach notices as alternatives are developed and the draft plan is prepared.