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Council approves Fairview at Northgate amendments to add 67 homes and a modernized Costco; residents raise affordability and traffic concerns
Summary
The council approved a CEQA addendum and zoning amendments to increase Fairview at Northgate from 178 to 245 units, add retail anchored by a new Costco and require public-access easements for HOA‑maintained parks. Public commenters urged affordable housing requirements and raised traffic and displacement concerns.
The Vallejo City Council on May 26 introduced an ordinance and adopted resolutions approving amendments to the Fairview at Northgate master plan that increase the residential component from 178 to 245 units, correct the zoning map and authorize related vesting-tentative-map, design and landscape reviews.
Planning staff told the council the project site is a 51.3-acre parcel at Admiral Callaghan Lane and Turner Parkway. The developer, Lewis Group of Companies, described updated product types intended to diversify the housing mix — 119 detached single-family homes and 126 “cluster” bungalow-style detached homes with alley-loaded garages — and detailed community amenities including a neighborhood park, a linear park with a dog park, street trees and a signalized intersection at Turner Parkway to improve pedestrian access to the retail center.
The commercial component includes a relocated, expanded Costco as the anchor tenant and smaller retail pads for tenants such as Raising Cane’s and Wells Fargo. The applicant said construction of the Costco pad is set to begin imminently with a target month for opening and larger road work scheduled later in the year.
Public testimony centered on two themes: housing affordability and traffic/road safety. Several residents and advocates pressed the council for affordable-housing units, pointing to Vallejo’s RHNA obligations and saying “attainability by design” is not a substitute for deed‑restricted affordable housing. A community member said, “Attainability by design… it’s not affordable housing,” and urged the city to adopt inclusionary requirements. Staff and the applicant said the original project was approved in 2020 and staff is drafting an inclusionary housing ordinance that is out for public review but is not yet adopted; staff also noted the city cannot retroactively apply requirements to earlier approvals.
On traffic, councilmembers and residents asked about signalization, speed and a right‑in/right‑out driveway; the developer and traffic engineer said one secondary entrance will be limited to right‑in/right‑out and that a new signal will be installed at Turner Parkway to mitigate conflicts. The council adopted the requested addendum and amendments in a unanimous vote.
Why it matters: The project adds housing supply and a major retail generator that the developer said will increase sales‑tax revenue, but it drew strong public concern over the lack of deed‑restricted affordable units, potential displacement and nearby traffic safety. Council members and staff said those policy gaps will be addressed through a pending inclusionary ordinance and future budget and planning work.
Next steps: The council introduced the ordinance and adopted resolutions; construction sequencing was described (land development late 2026; housing construction in 2027) and the staff‑recommended conditions include pedestrian connectivity, pre‑construction road surveys and construction‑management plans to reduce dust and impacts to adjacent neighborhoods.
