Open Space Program
Although still evolving, the City of Davis Open Space Program includes planning, land acquisition, site development and management activities. An Open Space Commission serves as the focal point that helps unify all of the various projects and programs spread across the Parks and Community Services, Planning and Public Works Departments.
Highlights of the City’s activities include:
- Developing and adopting an Open Space Acquisition & Management Plan
- Citizen-based planning such as the General Plan Open Space Element Revisions to try to strengthen and clarify the City’s Open Space objectives.
- The Yolo County Habitat Conservation Plan that has brought the local governments in Yolo County together to mitigate for future wildlife habitat losses.
- The Davis Farmland Preservation Ordinance which requires the conservation of agricultural land in the Davis Planning Area and land use buffers as a mitigation for new urban development land conversion. The ordinance has been codified in the Davis Municipal Code as Chapter 40A, Right to Farm & Farmland Preservation.
- A wildlife habitat lands acquisition and site development program which includes the South Fork Preserve natural area on Putah Creek and the Davis Wetlands Project associated with the city’s water pollution control plant.
- Active pursuit of state and federal grant funds, cooperative partnerships and other creative funding arrangements that have brought over twelve million new dollars to City of Davis open space projects over the last eight years.
- Open space components of the city’s internal network of greenbelts, parks and street corridors. Learn more about these open space areas throughout Davis.
- Innovative dual use management of the city’s storm water detention ponds and drainage canals as wildlife habitat and open space areas.
- Continuing experimentation and training to develop new vegetation management expertise and the adaptive use of low maintenance and water conserving native plant materials as part of the urban landscape.
- Development of public access, volunteer and environmental education programs that will help increase the community’s appreciation and opportunities to enjoy the Open Space system.
