Campbell's, growers and industry groups press for larger buffer and disclosure in Dixon campus hearing

Several representatives of Campbell Soup — including the Dixon site manager and senior agricultural representative — and their legal counsel told the Planning Commission they were encouraged by revisions that moved residential uses away from the plant but asked for continued attention to buffers, noise, air quality and disclosures to protect long‑running industrial operations and nearby farms.

John McCowen, site manager for Campbell Soup's Dixon tomato processing plant, described the company’s long presence and asked the commission to “ensure an adequately zoned buffer between residential uses and the Campbell plant” so the facility can continue operations. Counsel Michael Schonafelt and Campbell's land‑use counsel on Zoom emphasized technical concerns including air quality/odor and cited regulatory guidance suggesting larger buffers for certain processing uses; they asked staff to confirm the retention basin will remain a non‑residential buffer and for clear disclosure to future buyers.

Applicant and city staff responded that the site plan was revised after meetings with Campbell's and other stakeholders, that the retention basin footprint was upsized to accommodate basin functions for the broader Northeast Quadrant, and that changes to disclosure language were acceptable as a council‑level condition. City staff and CEQA counsel also told the commission the final EIR and subsequent addenda include responses to Campbell's noise comments and additional noise analysis in the packet.

Why it matters: Campbell's operates a major seasonal tomato processing plant that purchases local crops and employs hundreds; any incompatibility or early exit could have regional economic impacts. The commission's recommendation to expand disclosure and to preserve the retention basin footprint were forwarded to the council as part of the overall recommendation.