California Forever, a project backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, has significantly reduced its ambitious plans for a new Bay Area metropolis, shifting focus to a proposed shipyard and manufacturing hub. However, this scaled-back proposal faced a setback Tuesday when Solano County supervisors voted against supporting the special legislation needed to advance the project.
The developers have temporarily shelved their grand vision for a sprawling new city to concentrate on an "11th-hour" push in Sacramento for fast-tracked approvals for a 1,350-acre shipyard and maritime manufacturing center near Collinsville. This narrower proposal, dubbed the "Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act," seeks no special treatment for the broader city development.
Local Resistance to Shipyard Proposal
The Solano County Board of Supervisors heard arguments for and against the shipyard plan during a contentious five-hour meeting. Public speakers expressed a range of opinions, with some supporting the potential for thousands of manufacturing and construction jobs, while others criticized the proposal as a "sweetheart deal" driven by wealthy investors. Selena Perez, a local veteran, urged supervisors to "be bold for Solano County."
The supervisors' vote not to support the legislation deals a political blow to California Forever, which has encountered local resistance and skepticism from area lawmakers. Assemblywoman Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, both Democrats representing the region, are involved in negotiations, though neither has publicly committed to sponsoring the legislation. Cabaldon's office stated that the current proposal is narrow and focuses solely on shipbuilding, aligning with his support for such industries.
Legislative Path Forward Uncertain
California Forever's legislative effort in Sacramento is ongoing, with the state legislative session set to conclude on August 31. Assemblywoman Wilson's office indicated that any proposal, if it moves forward, would likely be part of a trailer bill, which is used for enacting policy changes related to the state budget. The funding source for the project remains undetermined.
This latest development follows a series of challenges for the developer. Earlier this month, it was revealed that California Forever had been holding meetings with Solano County officials about the shipyard but had not submitted any preliminary applications for the local approval process. County officials stated they had offered an expedited conventional approval process, but the developer found the potential for years of litigation under the California Environmental Quality Act unappealing.
The proposed legislation aims to streamline environmental review and permitting for qualifying shipyard and manufacturing projects, potentially allowing them to rely on Solano County's 2008 environmental review. This would largely circumvent additional review under CEQA.
Broader Vision and Backers
California Forever is backed by prominent Silicon Valley billionaires, including Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman, Michael Moritz, and Patrick Collison. The project's CEO, Jan Sramek, has been working on the development for a decade. In April, Sramek met with Governor Gavin Newsom, after which Newsom's economic development chief reportedly urged state officials to support the proposed shipyard and manufacturing hub as initiatives of "statewide significance" and "national security."
The developer has also enlisted former legislative leaders Darrell Steinberg and Bob Hertzberg for a lobbying effort. Despite these efforts, the Solano County supervisors' vote signifies a significant hurdle for the project's immediate legislative path.