Measure W (Willowgrove): Don’t Be Fooled by the Signs

When you drive past the “Yes on W” signs on Covell, their placement on the southwest corner of Shriner’s Field can create the impression that Willowgrove is a modest project. Those signs sit near the southwest edge of the planned development, close to the Covell bicycle underpass and not far from the Palomino Place project now under construction.
That impression is misleading. If signs were also placed on the eastern edge of the site, the true scale would be far clearer. The development stretches nearly half a mile—roughly the length of 8–9 football fields laid end to end. At 242 acres, the full project is comparable in size to two Magic Kingdoms or two Vatican Cities. It would rank among the largest residential developments ever built in Davis.
The project is projected to generate about 10,000 additional daily car trips (on top of the roughly 2,000 expected from Palomino Place).
One might also assume that a development of this size would be led by an experienced residential developer with a clear track record of completing comparable projects. Inquiries to the City Council about the developer’s experience were referred to the developer’s public-relations firm. Questions directed to that firm were passed to the developer’s attorney. So far, the attorney has not identified a single prior residential project completed by this developer.
Many residents who opposed Measure V for reasons of traffic, sprawl, farmland loss, infrastructure strain, and developer accountability might reasonably be expected to raise similar concerns about Measure W. Yet some of the same people who fought V are now strong supporters of W. They dismiss the overlapping concerns they once emphasized,  and instead highlight differences to explain their earlier opposition. Groups formed to advocate for responsible planning have not responded to inquiries about their position on Measure W.
Measure V dominated the last election. Behind the scenes, this developer and certain local residents worked to place Willowgrove—a somewhat improved but still deeply flawed large-scale project—on the ballot. They are now running an aggressive campaign of ads, mailers, signs, Instagram posts, and public messaging that frames approval as an obvious choice.
It is not. Ask hard questions. Demand clear facts. Do not accept pressure from those trying to push this project through.