Renderings give first look at European-style city planned for Bay Area

Since 2018, a shadowy company called Flannery Associates has been purchasing plots of primarily agricultural land between Vacaville and Rio Vista. Their 52,000 acres, which cost the company nearly $1 billion, make them the single biggest landowner in Solano County. Last week, the people behind Flannery went public: The backers include some of tech’s biggest names, including Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman and Laurene Powell Jobs.

A site called California Forever, which is serving as a hub for the project, is now live. On it, California Forever CEO Jan Sramek says the group “raised capital from people who shared our long-term vision and belief that California’s best days are still ahead” and is “committed to Solano and this project for the long term.” Sramek, 36, has been described as a “former Goldman Sachs wunderkind” who has cited Peter Thiel as one of his role models. 

“To date, our company has been quiet about our activities. This has, understandably, created interest, concern, and speculation,” the site reads. “Now that we’re no longer limited by confidentiality, we are eager to begin a conversation about the future of Solano County.”

Renderings show red-roofed homes amid rolling green hills and trees like something out of a Tuscan fantasy. Imaginings of the city streets are also European-style, with car-free plazas, streets and bike paths; one rendering is a bit more New York City in its sensibilities, with brownstone-like homes lining a street. 

In a survey texted to Solano County residents, one of the questions asked if the project would be more alluring if it felt “like a college town,” with a mixture of housing, schools and restaurants and an emphasis on walkability. 

The plan will likely face opposition from at least some Solano County politicians, however. California Forever will need to acquire water rights to sustain the development of tens of thousands of homes. They will also need to get buy-in from local voters. Solano County currently uses its “orderly growth” policy to regulate where urban development can occur; the project needs approval from county voters in part to develop on currently agricultural land. 

Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy told the Daily Beast she plans on fighting the new development. “It’s disrespectful and it also reminds me so much of why people get angry about our financial systems in the United States, where you have these billionaires that can come in and just play with us like we’re toys,” Moy said. 

California Forever’s site says its next steps will be meeting with “the elected representatives of Solano County,” mailing a survey to every household in the county and accepting nominations for a citizen advisory board.