Davis Innovation & Sustainability Campus 2022 (DiSC 2022 / Measure H)

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Davis voters pass Measure J — the "Citizens' Right to Vote on Future Use of Open Space and Agricultural Lands" — establishing a requirement that any annexation of agricultural or open space land at the edge of Davis for urban development must receive citywide voter approval. This mechanism creates the structure that will ultimately kill DiSC twice.

The City of Davis issues a Request for Expressions of Interest for a private-sector innovation park. Three firms respond; two eventually drop out. The Ramco/Buzz Oates consortium begins planning what will become DISC.

Davis voters reject Measure B — the first version of the Davis Innovation & Sustainability Campus — by approximately 52-48%, a margin of ~1,269 votes. The 2020 proposal was for 187 acres east of Mace Boulevard. Opponents focused on traffic on Mace Boulevard and the car-dependence of the campus design. Note: many UC Davis students were absent from Davis during COVID, suppressing turnout among the demographic most supportive of the project.

On the same ballot as the DISC defeat, Davis voters renew Measure J/R/D for another decade by an 83-17% margin. This decisive vote to keep the voter-approval requirement signals that the growth control mechanism itself has overwhelming support independent of any individual project.

Ramco Enterprises and Buzz Oates (without Reynolds & Brown, who withdrew) submit a revised application. DiSC 2022 is reduced from 187 acres to 118 acres, traffic is cut by 55%, housing is increased to 460 units (74+ affordable), and a carbon neutrality target of 2040 is added. The developers believe the improvements will address the concerns that killed Measure B.

The Davis City Council approves the DiSC 2022 proposal and votes to place it on the June 7, 2022 primary ballot as Measure H. Councilmember Dan Carson and Mayor Gloria Partida lead the council majority in support.

Councilmember Dan Carson files a writ petition in Yolo Superior Court seeking changes to the ballot argument submitted by the No on H campaign, arguing certain statements are false or misleading. A judge orders two minor changes but leaves the bulk of opponents' arguments intact. Former Davis Mayor Ann Evans writes: "Dan Carson has set a low bar for conduct of an elected official in Davis." Analysts credit the lawsuit as a significant factor in the 2022 defeat being wider than 2020.

Davis voters reject Measure H — DiSC 2022 — by 63.5% to 36.5%. Out of approximately 11,166 votes cast, the NO margin is approximately 3,000 votes. The defeat is significantly worse than the 2020 result despite a smaller project and more housing. The Davis Vanguard: "Despite being a smaller project with a seemingly more favorable environment than in 2020, DiSC has apparently gone down to an overwhelming loss." Analysts attribute the worse result partly to backlash from Carson's ballot argument lawsuit and partly to the Yes campaign's messaging.

After the 63.5-36.5% defeat of Measure H in June 2022, Ramco Enterprises and Buzz Oates do not submit a third application for the Mace Boulevard/I-80 site. The site remains in agricultural production. The 460 housing units DiSC 2022 would have contributed to Davis's housing stock were never built. Davis begins preliminary discussions about amending Measure J/R/D, prompted by HCD pressure.

"After several years of work, we brought forward a project that we were confident was a great fit for Davis. Measure B's failure represents a missed opportunity for Davis to play a more significant role in helping to address a range of pressing global issues. The need and demand for the type of facilities is not going away because Measure B failed. They'll simply look elsewhere." (Dan Ramos, 2020)

"DiSC 2022 will provide huge economic and community benefits to Davis. We're excited to support it, and we're fully committed to helping educate our members, residents and voters about why it's so important to move the plan forward." (Cory Koehler, Executive Director)

Led the city council majority supporting both proposals. Filed a lawsuit against No on H ballot argument language he considered false and misleading. The lawsuit succeeded in minor changes but triggered significant community backlash. Former Mayor Ann Evans: "Dan Carson has set a low bar for conduct of an elected official in Davis." Most analysts believe the lawsuit contributed to the wider margin of defeat in 2022.

HCD has required the City of Davis to amend Measure J/R/D to exempt affordable housing from the voter approval requirement, citing the city's inability to meet its RHNA obligations. Davis's 2021 Housing Element explicitly acknowledged the need to amend Measure J/R/D. As of May 2026, Davis is considering placing a Measure J/R/D amendment on the June 2026 ballot.

"This was a very car-centric, auto-dependent, freeway-dependent project. They projected there were going to be 24,000 auto trips a day resulting from that project." (No on Measure B, 2020). On traffic: the city's own EIR projected 12,000 additional car trips per day to Mace Boulevard — "an already hopelessly congested" corridor during rush hours.

Rejected the project twice: Measure B (Nov 2020): ~52% NO. Measure H (June 2022): 63.5% NO. Davis voters also renewed Measure J/R/D in 2020 by 83% on the same ballot as the first DISC defeat, signaling the growth control mechanism itself has overwhelming support independent of any individual project.

Measure J/R/D (originally Measure J, 2000; renewed as Measures R in 2010 and D in 2020) requires citywide voter approval before any agricultural or open space land on the periphery of Davis can be annexed for urban development. This mechanism directly killed both versions of the DiSC project: Measure B (Nov 2020, 52-48% NO) and Measure H (June 2022, 63.5-36.5% NO). Unlike CEQA challenges or referendum petitions (which are reactive, filed after approval), Measure J/R/D is proactive — development cannot proceed without voter approval regardless of council support. HCD has cited Measure J/R/D as a constraint on Davis's ability to meet its RHNA obligations. NOTE: this is the only case in the database where a structural voter-approval ordinance — not a CEQA lawsuit or referendum to overturn an approval — was the primary mechanism. The council supported the project both times; the voters rejected it both times.

April 2026 analysis of Davis housing situation. Confirms DiSC site remains farmland. Best source for current status and state pressure on Davis to amend its growth control ordinance.

Best post-mortem on Davis housing production failures including DiSC. Contains "zero units of housing have materialized from Measure J/R/D projects" as of 2022.

Night-of reporting on the Measure H defeat. Confirms 63.5% NO, 36.5% YES, ~3,000 vote margin, ~11,166 votes cast. Best primary source for final vote count and developer/council reaction.

Official results page for Measure H, June 7, 2022 Primary Election. Primary government source for confirming final vote totals.

Coverage of Carson's ballot argument lawsuit. Confirms judge ordered two changes, left bulk of No arguments intact. Best source for the lawsuit controversy.

Coverage of Ramco/Buzz Oates 2021 resubmission. Confirms Reynolds & Brown dropped out. Contains Dan Ramos quote. Best source for explaining changes between 2020 and 2022 proposals.

Post-election analysis of Measure B (2020) defeat. Confirms ~52-48% result. Contains Alan Pryor quote on car trips. Good source for 2020 context.