Plans under review for a 9,000-square-foot retail and office building on Merchant Street near Alamo Drive in Vacaville

Article Launched: 04/04/2005 05:00:01 AM

Planners to mull business request

By Tom Hall/Staff Writer

The Merchant Street-Alamo Drive area may get a few more businesses.
Plans for a 9,000-square-foot retail and office building on Merchant Street near Alamo Drive will be heard by the Vacaville Planning Commission on Tuesday night.

The one-story building would sit behind the current Blockbuster Video and Subway sandwich shop and across a drive aisle from Baker's Square. The site was formerly an RV park, said city planner Erika Jackson. The building will back up to Interstate 80.

Currently, the Alamo/Merchant area is the first commercial development in Vacaville for I-80 travelers coming from the Bay Area. Applicant Robert Sesar's plans call for 43 parking spots to be included with the project. The building would be constructed using horizontal wood siding with a stone veneer finish.

Jackson said possible businesses that would move into the building have not been decided yet. She said a restaurant use is permitted, though that's not currently in the plans.
Jackson also said that there is an existing freeway pole sign in the northeastern corner of the property. The only types of businesses allowed to use freeway pole signs in Vacaville are restaurants, service stations, car lots, hotels, bars, recreation centers and large retail centers - none of which are planned for the building. So, the sign will have to be removed.
Tuesday's meeting will be the first for Ella Marie Kallios and Eric Williams, who were recently appointed to the commission by Mayor Len Augustine.

The two replace Dan Sharp and Bill Duff, who both chose not to reapply for their spots on the commission at the end of their first terms.
Sharp had been serving as the commission's chair. Tuesday, the commission will elect its new chair and vice-chair.

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chamber at 650 Merchant St.
Tom Hall can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.