Dodd issues strong opposition to California Forever’s megacity plan

California Forever officials have gained a new major opponent to their hopes to build a community in rural eastern Solano County.

State Sen. Bill Dodd on Wednesday came out firmly against the plan backed by several high-tech Bay Area billionaires and their vision to create a new community of up to 400,000 people between Fairfield and Rio Vista.

In a press statement, Dodd, a Democrat who represents the 3rd state Senate District, which includes Solano County, characterized the California Forever proposal as “deeply flawed and irresponsible suburban sprawl with the potential to displace farmers, worsen traffic congestion and hamper national security operations at the adjacent Travis Air Force Base.”

“I’ve been skeptical since Day One, but reserved my judgment as I gathered more facts,” Dodd said in the prepared statement. “It is now crystal clear to me that this project is bad for Solano County.”

“This group of mega-rich developers from Silicon Valley are trying to steamroll the surrounding community, bypassing a proper, thorough vetting which they know they can’t pass,” he added. “What they’re proposing will drastically and irreversibly alter the area. It’s not right, and it’s time for all those who value thoughtful policymaking and Solano County’s future to stand up against it.”

With his formal statement of opposition, Dodd joins other elected officials who have gone on record to oppose the plan. The list includes U.S. Reps. John Garamendi and Mike Thompson, both Democrats representing Solano County, Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy; and Suisun City Mayor Pro Tem Princess Washington.

Opponents cite several problems with the California Forever proposal, among them traffic impacts, loss of agricultural land, interference with Travis Air Force Base, and a lack of detailed plans and more firm commitments.

Among the Silicon Valley billionaires who funded the land-buying spree, spending an estimated $900 million, are Michael Moritz, a venture capitalist; Reid Hoffman, the investor and co-founder of LinkedIn; and Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder of the Emerson Collective and the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Under California Forever and CEO Jan Sramek, they have become the largest landowner in the county, with acreage twice the size of San Francisco.

Dodd’s opposition statement comes as Sramek, a native of the Czech Republic, and California Forever have formally filed a proposed ballot initiative for the Nov. 5 general election. It aims to ask Solano voters to amend a longstanding “orderly growth” ordinance that protects Solano farms and open space by directing development to existing urban areas.

The initiative, which has been revised twice, must be reviewed by county officials before the voter signature process begins. Should the proposed ballot reach the fall ballot and pass, the company would then be subject to a development agreement with Solano County and environmental review.

In mid-February, Reps. Thompson and Garamendi made clear in a press conference what the implications of California Forever’s ballot initiative would mean.

“Don’t build in this area,” Garamendi said. “Period.”

The words came on the heels of California Forever’s third filing of its initiative, rewritten to provide a greater buffer for the base, proposing “Travis Compatible Infrastructure” in the westernmost portion of the proposed new community.

Garamendi and Thompson, however, did not hedge their words, saying they’re still not buying what California Forever has to sell. They don’t think Solano County voters should either — if the initiative makes the ballot.

“I have very serious concerns about what is going on,” Thompson said. “This company has come in and purchased about a billion dollars worth of property, and did it under a veil of secrecy.”

Concerns about base security were raised by both men, but a statement from a spokesperson from the base’s 60th Air Mobility Wing, released later in the day, indicated that the base will be able to continue flying all of its missions and operations.

“California Forever made significant changes to its plans in order to protect Travis’ global mission and local flight operations,” according to the statement’s wording. “With this revised proposal, Travis AFB will be able to continue flying its full mission, including all of our operational, exercise, and local training flights consisting of multiple patterns and landings to all runways, including night vision goggle training to the assault landing zone (ALZ) runway.”

The statement indicated that the base reached out to California Forever in early February with concerns about its land use in the northwestern segment of the proposed new community, and the revised plan addressed those concerns.

Reporter Staff Writer Nick McConnell contributed to this report.