A citizen coalition in Solano County that includes the county Farm Bureau, local elected leaders and advocates for the environment on Sunday will formally launch its opposition to a proposed new urban center in between Fairfield and Rio Vista.
The group, Solano Together, previously announced its opposition to the plan by Flannery Associates LLC, owned by California Forever, to build a mixed-use community on 17,500 acres that would initially be designed to attract 50,000 residents.
The formal launch of the efforts to block the bid comes days after California Forever filed an amended ballot proposal for the community that must be approved by voters because the current general plan restricts growth to existing cities.
Solano Together will hold a free event at the Joseph Nelson Community Center in Suisun City from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday to share its views on the project and reasons for opposition.
The event requires registration and will include music, food, and speakers that will share their views and information on the project. Space will be limited.
Speakers will include coalition supporters such as Fairfield Mayor Kat Moy, Suisun City Mayor Pro-Tem Princess Washington and Solano Farm Bureau president William Brazelton, as well as local residents and others.
California Forever backers include former Goldman Sachs trader Jan Sramek, who is the company’s CEO, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and other Silicon Valley investors, who purchased roughly 60,000 acres in the county beginning in 2017 before announcing their vision.
The company and its supporters champion the idea as a way to bring more housing and jobs to the area, while creating a walkable community.
The company has until July 27 to get just over 13,000 signatures to have the initiative appear on the November ballot.