Overview

The City and UC Davis are partnering on a wetlands habitat restoration project on a 32-acre parcel of land owned by the Regents of the University of California along the South Fork of Putah Creek near Old Davis Road. After several community meetings in 2024, during which the public commented on three draft designs, a final concept design was developed (see below).

The final design concept features new open water habitat, marsh and willow scrub habitat, riparian habitat, and grassland/oak woodland habitat.  It also features a large pedestrian bridge over the creek, expanded parking area to the north, new signature shade structures, picnic tables, accessible walking trails, boardwalks, creek observation decks, gathering spaces with temporary interpretive features, a canoe/kayak launch, a fishing pier, and creek access points.

The City's design/engineering consultant will now begin preparing construction drawings that will be used to secure the required regulatory permits, environmental clearance, and construction grant funding. The City and UC Davis intend to then jointly submit a grant application, targeted for some time in 2025 or 2026, to the State of California for a grant to help finance the construction of this project.

About This Property 

The property was formerly used by the California Department of Transportation as a source for fill soil for the adjacent freeway overcrossing so it is about 10-12 feet lower than surrounding land.  The University bought the property in the late 1990s from a private property owner who was farming the land in row crops, despite the land’s lowered elevation.  The existing elevation is too high for riparian vegetation to establish and too low for oak woodland to establish because the site floods when Monticello dam spills.  As a result, the land hosts invasive grasses and broadleaf weeds, as well as eucalyptus trees.  If the site were lowered an additional few feet, it could be restored to emergent wetland habitat with better riparian habitat and public access. 

The project stems from community feedback the City received in 2016. Residents said they would like to see the City spend more Measure O funds on habitat restoration projects and public accessibility improvements, such as new trails.  Measure O is the City’s special parcel tax for the acquisition and maintenance of open space.

The City and UC Davis held three public meetings in 2024 to gather public input on the three draft design concepts. One was held in February at the Open Space and Habitat Commission, one was held in March at the Vet's Memorial Center, and the last was held in April on the UC Davis campus. In 2022, the City and UC Davis also hosted three community events to allow resident to provide input into the initial concept of this project. The City also discussed this project with the ADA Committee for input on how to make the improvements accessible to all. In total, about 120 people commented on the draft designs

Predevelopment Work

City staff and UC Davis representatives continue moving forward with the preconstruction work necessary for this project, such as the environmental review, the permitting requirements (since the project is located between the levees on both sides of the South Fork of Putah Creek), the design/engineering services, and the preparation of the construction drawings.  City staff and UC Davis representatives are self-funding this preconstruction work and then they will jointly apply for a grant for the construction phase of the project.  Self-funding the preconstruction work will shorten the time needed to complete the project by a year or two.

To guide the parties through the preconstruction phase of the project, City staff and UC Davis representatives have entered into a Letter of Intent which provides a statement of shared goals, outlines the intended process for completing the project’s preconstruction phase, and lists the anticipated commitments of each party during the preconstruction phase. UC Davis is taking primary responsibility for the environmental analysis and permitting requirements.  The City is taking primary responsibility for the design/engineering contract with ICF Jones and Stokes who is preparing the draft designs and the construction drawings.