Commentary: Wildhorse Past & Present

Measure P Examined by Local Community Leader

by Sheryl Patterson

Horse Ranch – For those of you who may not have been around Davis in the early 1990’s, “Wildhorse” was a place with beautiful green pastures, where large groups of horses grazed in the two main pastures along  Covell Blvd.  It was not unusual to see horseback riders trotting along our Mace Ranch greenbelt. My son and his friends use to walk over to the horse  ranch for riding lessons and to pet and feed the horses. Many of the horse owners lived in the houses next to the barn (torn down many years ago). It was a well-run horse ranch.

Wildhorse Housing Development – The landowner eventually  decided to sell his ranch and farmland to allow for development of the Wildhorse housing and the golfcourse neighborhood.  The landowner worked  cooperatively with his adjacent East Davis neighbors in crafting a land use plan that respected the existing housing development in Green Meadows (north of  Covell Blvd). The landowner committed to building a golf course that would be privately maintained but open to the public, as well as creating the owl habitat greenbelt/ag buffers along the east and northern borders of the property.

I respected the decisions of my East Davis neighbors and  supported the project. I remember meeting at the house next to the horse stables when we discussed the latest changes to the development plan. As all  developments in Davis are controversial, a referendum of the City Council’s approval of the project was filed (before Measure J existed).  I walked Mace Ranch precincts in support of the approval of the Wildhorse development  and against the referendum petition. Amazingly, the Davis community voted to support this development project and rejected the referendum.

Ranch Activities – All was well (after the referendum) when  the City Council’s action became final. The homes, golfcourse and habitat areas were developed within the prior agricultural fields. However, the developer later sold the horse ranch parcel to a speculator, not a horse owner or rancher. The subsequent owner wanted to develop the horse ranch into a custom home (large expensive mansions) development, at the time the Davis community  was focused more on affordable housing.  Development of the horse ranch was opposed by the neighbors at that time because the Wildhorse plan had established the horse ranch as a permanent open space buffer.

In an effort to change the minds of the neighbors so they  would support eliminating the horse ranch, the landowner intentionally let his tenants create nuisances, and in some cases participated in their illegal and outrageous activities. Out of control bonfires threatened adjacent homes, loud late night parties and early morning heavy-duty truck engine idling was unbearable, dirt bike racing behind their homes was obnoxious, but the gun  shots into their homes was shocking. Many felt unsafe in their own homes. I helped advocate for the neighbors to get the City to stop such abusive behavior and activities that were in violation of the City Codes.

Parlin’s Project – Masud Monfared purchased the property and stopped the harassment of the neighbors.  He intended to convert the horse ranch into a residential neighborhood and did engage in a  planning process with  the neighbors. However, he chose to listen to his political advisors rather than seeking a compromise with his neighbors.

In my opinion, the Wildhorse Ranch project is too dense. There are too many multi-family houses abutting single family residences, and its location on the boundary of Yolo County agricultural land (owned by  developer Steve Guidaro) is growth-inducing. The Wildhorse Ranch project has a small greenbelt separating the existing two story homes with three-story townhomes and four-story apartment buildings. The 191 new housing units will  mean about 475 residents will live right next to the owl habitat.

The same Sierra Club members who support Parlin’s development plan opposed building the elementary school and active playfields in the Mace Ranch Community Park next to that owl habitat.  Their new  focus on energy reduction at the expense of the burrowing owls is odd. I don’t care how “green“ the project may be, such a high density land use development at the edge of the City next to a sensitive wildlife habitat and agricultural lands makes no sense.

Ranch’s Future – I don’t see how this rushed project without neighborhood support (and with vehement opposition) will win a majority vote in this special election.  It does not matter how much the developer may  spend on pretty brochures and precinct walkers, there is no way this project will be approved by the Davis voters (in my opinion). I hope someday the horse ranch can be redeveloped to become an asset for the Davis community.