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Consultants map multi-site downtown and riverfront vision for Yuba City
Summary
Perkins Eastman presented conceptual designs for a downtown 'necklace' of catalyst sites linked by a greenway and waterfront activation, recommending staged redevelopment, sports facilities and partnerships with county and landowners to capture an estimated $1.5 billion in unmet local demand.
Perkins Eastman consultants presented a conceptual economic vision for Yuba City on March 3, urging a coordinated, multi-site approach to strengthen downtown and activate the Feather River waterfront.
City Manager Robert Bendorf prefaced the presentation by stressing the concepts are illustrative, not commitments, and cited consultants’ estimate that the region shows about "$1.5 billion in demand" in retail, dining and related categories that Yuba City currently does not capture. "One community, endless possibilities," Bendorf said, noting the intent is to keep more family spending local.
Planner Kate How described the consultants' method: identifying catalyst opportunity sites, treating downtown as an ecosystem and mixing land uses to create a more walkable, day-and-night destination. "Treating downtown as an ecosystem, a mix of smaller-scale development, retail, dining, entertainment," she said, adding that focused sites can inform future zoning and general plan updates.
Von Davies of Perkins Eastman outlined five priority sites and a unifying greenway: reclaiming an abandoned rail corridor as a park-and-connector to link Plumis Avenue, Tower Park and the levee waterfront; redeveloping Bridge Street warehouses for entrepreneurial and event uses; remaking the county-owned Kmart parcel as a mixed-use node facing Golden State Highway; and testing urban blocks on a 62-acre "hard" site with residential, sports and event-driven amenities.
Davies recommended staged implementation, a mix of pragmatic and visionary projects, and active outreach to landowners. He said the greenway and waterfront interventions could support hotels, restaurants and upper-level residential buildings that open visual and physical access to the levee.
Council members broadly praised the concepts and repeatedly highlighted a regional sports complex as an early catalyst to attract tournament traffic and hotel demand that currently bypasses Yuba City. Several council members asked staff and consultants about strategies to engage legacy property owners and about sequencing to achieve incremental wins while preserving the long-term district strategy.
County officials in the audience — including acting Sutter County CEO Todd Rzoff — expressed support for regional coordination. Local business and downtown stakeholders, including Sandy Drown of the Yuba City Downtown Board, urged strong two-way communication with property owners to translate concepts into buildable projects.
The presentation concluded with staff describing next steps: further concept development, outreach to property owners, potential code and zoning changes, and identifying which ideas have "legs" for near-term work and which require longer-term partnership or financing.
