California Forever pulls ballot measure, plans for 2026 comeback
A rendering from California Forever, the company that allegedly wants to build a new city in Solano County. (KTVU FOX 2)
SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. - California Forever's decision on Monday to pull a ballot measure that would have let voters decide on a controversial planned city in rural Solano County drew swift reaction from political leaders and opponents.
State Sen. Bill Dodd, who represents Solano County, had fiery words for backers of the plan, which he described as "fundamentally flawed" in a statement Monday afternoon.
"The proponents of this ill-conceived development thought they were going to flash their cash and run over our community like a bunch of bumpkins, but instead they ran face-first into a brick wall," Dodd said.
Founder and CEO of California Forever Jan Sramek said the company will be back in 2026 for approval after working with the county on an Environmental Impact Report and Development Agreement.
The project's ambitious timeline initially called for a 2024 rezoning of thousands of acres in the eastern part of the county before completing the report and agreement. Under California Forever's vision, the rezoning would allow for a city of up to 400,000 people, thousands of jobs and walkable, middle-class neighborhoods.
Just one day before it was up for a vote by county supervisors, the company announced it would swap those steps and start with the report and agreement over the next two years.
Solano County Board of Supervisors Chair Mitch Mashburn called the efforts to put the measure on this year's ballot a "mistake" that "politicized the entire project."
"Delaying the vote gives everyone a chance to pause and work together, which is what is needed - not a fight between friends throughout the County on both sides of the issue," Mashburn said.
The plans, which are backed by a variety of wealthy Silicon Valley tech investors, faced sharp criticism from environmentalists and Solano County residents.
Solano Together, a citizen initiative that first mobilized against the project in February, described the project as "hastily drawn" and applauded the decision to withdraw it from the November ballot.
"The people have spoken and California Forever has been forced to withdraw their hastily drawn, poorly designed initiative, given a surefire loss in November," the organization said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi also applauded the decision.
"From the beginning, I have maintained that the proposed project was only a pipe dream, not a true plan. Rushing the process without thorough environmental and community review would have been disastrous for the existing residents of Solano County," Garamendi said.
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