California
Ballot measure to build billionaire-funded city in California withdrawn
The company behind the highly criticized “California Forever” project, a plan backed by Silicon Valley billionaires to build a green city for up to 400,000 people on California farmland, withdrew the ballot measure for the election in November, according to a letter released Monday.
The decision followed a discussion between Mitch Mashburn, chair of the board of supervisors in Solano county, and Jan Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader and chief executive of California Forever.
The company will instead seek approval through the county’s standard processes and proceed through the usual county process for negotiating and executing a development agreement.
“I think it signals Jan Sramek’s understanding that while the need for more affordable housing and good paying jobs has merit, the timing has been unrealistic,” said Mashburn.
Solano county supervisors were scheduled to vote on whether to approve California Forever’s plan to rezone 17,500 acres of farmland near Fairfield for the city or let voters decide in November.
The move to withdraw the measure comes a week after a report by Solano county stated that the proposed city would likely cost the county billions of dollars, create substantial financial deficits, reduce agricultural production, harm climate resilience and potentially threaten local water supplies.
Sramek said California Forever would work with the county on the environmental report and development agreement over the next two years, aiming for approval from county supervisors in 2026.
“We take our time to make informed decisions that are best for the current generation and future generations,” said Mashburn. “We want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to be heard and get all the information they need before voting on a General Plan change of this size.”
California Forever, which spent more than $800m buying in excess of 60,000 acres of mostly agricultural land, had released its own study claiming the new city would generate billions in economic activity and tens of thousands of jobs. Their marketing materials depicted a Mediterranean-style community with walkable neighborhoods and a mix of businesses.
The proposal, funded by billionaire venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, Michael Moritz, Reid Hoffman, a LinkedIn co-founder, and businesswoman Laurene Powell Jobs, has faced controversy since Flannery Associates, its real estate arm, sued holdout landowners for $510m, accusing them of conspiring to inflate prices.
Controversy over the secretive approach also had residents skeptical from the beginning. Silicon Valley elites had been quietly buying northern California farmland to develop a 27-square-mile plot between Travis Air Force Base and Rio Vista, currently zoned for agriculture.
“We believe that Solano county has the opportunity to forge a new path towards the California Dream for this generation and generations to come,” said Sramek. “We also believe that we must move forward with urgency – because delays are not just a statistic.”
The county’s report estimated that infrastructure such as roads, schools and parks for the project would cost taxpayers $6.4bn for the first phase and nearly $50bn to complete the new city.
On Monday, Mashburn said that a vote without this type of environmental report “politicized the project and forced the community to take sides.”
A poll conducted by Impact Research in July said 65% of Solano county voters “support bringing more good paying jobs, affordable homes, and clean energy to East Solano”.
Sramek emphasized the importance of regaining California’s historic promise of optimism and opportunity, which he says has waned in recent decades due to stagnation in development. More than half of respondents also agreed that the development project was moving too fast and preferred an environmental report.
California
Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’
Jamie Lee Curtis fought back tears as she detailed the “catastrophe” of the Palisades Fire near her California home when she appeared on “The Tonight Show” Wednesday.
“As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning. I flew here last night. I was on the plane and started getting texts. It’s f–king gnarly, you guys,” Curtis said.
“It’s a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously there has been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything.”
Curtis said she had “many, many, many” friends who have lost their homes in the devastation of the fires.
“It’s a really awful situation,” she added.
The 66-year-old added she was flying home first thing Thursday to be with her family and friends.
The Academy Award-winning actress, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband Christopher Guest, took to Instagram earlier Wednesday to share with her followers that her home was “possibly” on fire.
“My community and possibly my home is on fire,” the actress wrote in the post. “My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes. Many other communities as well.”
“Take care of each other,” she told her followers. “Stay out of the way and let the firefighters do their work. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don’t, pray for those who do.”
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
The Emmy winner is one of tens of thousands of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas.
Four fires have exploded in Los Angeles County, taking over 27,000 acres of land with zero containment in the Palisades, Eaton and Sunset fires.
The Hurst Fire is 10 percent contained, officials announced.
The fires are being fueled by strong winds, “dry fuels” and low humidity.
The “Halloween” star isn’t the only Hollywood figure whose home is under threat due to the fires.
Harrison Ford was seen talking to police as he attempted to get through to check on his $12.6 million Brentwood home he had evacuated because of the raging blaze.
Ford’s “Star Wars” co-star Mark Hamill was forced to flee his Malibu home Tuesday as the fire bore down on the area.
The 73-year-old actor detailed his hour-long “last minute” evacuation from Malibu as he experienced the most horrific fire since 1993.
Other LA-based celebrities have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the crisis, including “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore, “Schitt’s Creek” star Eugene Levy and “Once Upon a Time in America” actor James Woods.
Multiple major wildfires are leaving a trail of destruction and death in the Los Angeles area.
A handful of wildfires kicked up Tuesday, powered by high winds and dry conditions , and have exploded in size. As of Tuesday afternoon, 2 people have been killed and more than 80,000 people have been evacuated.
Follow live coverage here.
The maps below show the size and status of the fires. They will be updated frequently.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Aerial video from AIR7 on Wednesday morning offered one of the first overhead glimpses at the devastation caused by multiple wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Footage from the helicopter showed the destructive path of the Eaton Fire near Altadena, which resulted in at least two fatalities while destroying more than 100 structures and burning more than 2,200 acres.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., the aircraft’s perspective showed several two-story homes burning in the area of Lilac Canyon Lane, located in a residential neighborhood near the north end of Lincoln Avenue. Many nearby houses were smoldering.
Meanwhile, another ABC7 helicopter was over Pacific Palisades, where massive plumes of smoke continued to rise above burning homes in the foothills. Other structures were completely destroyed.
Houses were also on fire near Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the major artery that stretches from the San Fernando Valley to Pacific Coast Highway.
Media and fire department aircraft were mostly grounded Tuesday due to dangerous conditions caused by a powerful windstorm in the region.
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