Solano County will determine this month if California Forever project qualifies for the November ballot

Solano County has announced next steps for the controversial California Forever development. 

The proposal, backed by tech and finance billionaires, would build a new city of up to 400,000 people between Fairfield and Rio Vista. 

Officials will announce by June 12 whether the project gained enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Bill Emlen, Solano County Administrator, said there’s not a lot of information yet about how this new city could impact roadways and water supplies.

“One of our challenges is going to be [that] the initiative is vague in some respects,” he said. “In fact, many respects.”

Emlen said county staff would likely recommend an impact report ahead of the election.  

“We will do our best to put up an assessment that helps the public understand what some of the ramifications of the proposal are… and what some of the opportunities are,” he said. “We’re going to be fair and we’re going to be objective.”

Backers feel there are plenty of opportunities, according to California Forever CEO Jan Sramek.

According to its website, the project will include 15,000 new jobs for Solano County residents paying more than $88,000 per year. And $400 million in housing down payment assistance.

“We look at the number of homes that people in their 20s and 30s can buy,” Sramek said. “And the number of jobs that would pay much more than the jobs we have here today.”

Sramek said the group has invested more than a billion dollars in Solano County already and isconfident the measure would pass if put to voters.

If the initiative signatures are approved, there is a chance voters may not get a chance to weigh in. The Solano County Board of Supervisors would decide on June 25 whether to approve the project themselves or put it on the November ballot.