Our letter to Solano County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator, and Director of Resource Management re: the Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance

On October 23rd, we shared a letter with the Solano County Board of Supervisors, County Administrators, and Director of Resource Management on our July 24th agreement and the steps we've taken to move forward on it. 

When we reached the agreement to pause the ballot measure and go through the county’s standard planning process, we were encouraged to see Chair Mashburn agree with this sentiment: “I want to acknowledge that many Solano residents are excited about ... a California that builds again ... [California Forever] is also right that we cannot solve our jobs, housing, and energy challenges if every project takes a decade or more to break ground.

Unfortunately, the county’s actions have not shown the same motivation and good faith. First, in early September, Gabriel Metcalf, our Head of Planning, submitted a proposed timeline to county staff, outlining how we could collaborate to complete the entitlements in time to put the plan on the November 2026 ballot. Yet to date, we have not received any specific feedback on this timeline, other than that it is “ambitious.” 

Second, on August 8, 2024, in its first action after July’s agreement, the county’s Airport Land Use Commission rushed through an amendment to the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan. The amendment was done in secret, without any due process or evidence that it was necessary, and despite a statement by Travis AFB, whose representative directly told the Airport Land Use Commission: “Bottom line, Travis AFB effectively executes our mission within the current airspace configuration and does not require any alterations to this [East Solano] plan.”. 

We had hoped that was an isolated incident. Unfortunately, yesterday’s adoption of the Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance followed the same path: no transparency, due process, or public input.

It's time to act with the urgency our situation demands and show California and America that Solano County is a place of opportunity, a place that reignites our spirit of innovation and optimism, a place that can build. We look forward to working with everyone who wants to ensure that our best days are ahead and that every generation is better off than their parents.

Read the full letter here.