Salano County and Flanery Associates, the parent company of proposed new City California Forever, are currently engaged in a contentious land exchange proposal. Following numerous public comments at a meeting, ABC 10 has spoken with the CEO who has revealed the updated terms of the deal. The CEO is now offering $1 million as part of the deal. He has named the proposed city “Spraw Berg” and refers to it as “Oligarch City” due to concerns raised by the public. The land in question is protected farmland and highly valuable in the state of California.
However, it is no longer protected as wealthy individuals from outside are threatening its existence. A Seventh Generation RI Vista resident named Aiden Mayhood received applause for questioning the use of land surrounding a significant military base as a bargaining chip for California Forever’s project. The proposed land swap involves California Forever receiving 1,500 acres of land (equivalent to three Disneylands) and $1 million. The yellow-colored land, owned by California Forever, would be exchanged for parcels owned by Salano County Water Agency and the City of Fairfield. These parcels are needed for the Department of Defense’s plan and Salano County Habitat Conservation Plan to conserve the Jepson Prairie Preserve. Initially, the deal was contingent upon California Forever’s proposed city plans being approved in the November 2024 election.
However, considering the feedback from public comments, a new proposal has been put forth. Now, the CEO is giving the agencies the flexibility to choose between two options.
The first option is to proceed with the exchange if it receives secondary approval from the voters. Alternatively, the exchange can be guaranteed, regardless of the outcome of California Forever’s project.
The decision is entirely up to the agencies. With regards to the origins of the land in question, there is some uncertainty. Questions have been raised about how California Forever obtained the land, considering it was meant to be reserved for the Preserve. Following the meeting, which received significant public input, the Solano County Water Agency has formed a special group to review the proposal. They will make their decision in a closed-door session at the next meeting scheduled for December 9th. ABC 10 will continue to provide updates on the situation. For further information, you can scan the QR code displayed on your screen to access the story on abc10.com, where you’ll find our investigation into California Forever..
