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December 8, 2004

Vacaville OKs revised Lagoon Valley plan

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Triad Communities, Vacaville and the San Francisco-based Greenbelt Alliance are parties to the agreement. The Greenbelt Alliance will drop a lawsuit that sought to stop Triad's Lagoon Valley development.

In return, Triad will help with a ballot initiative that could limit Vacaville growth to an "urban planning area" for 20 years. Vacaville officials said the proposed growth boundaries should accommodate the housing and business growth expected during this timeframe.

If the voter initiative fails at the ballot box, Triad will preserve 1,400 acres of open space.

The council approved the agreement unanimously. It must still approve details of the Triad development at future meetings.

"I think we got a darned good deal and we forced a darned good deal," City Councilman Steve Hardy said.

But he also acknowledged the controversy. Some people wanted Lagoon Valley to remain undeveloped and perhaps to even see an expansion of city-owned Lagoon Valley park.

"It's the kind of decision you lose friends over and that's a sad thing," Hardy said.

Several council members pointed out that the city in the early 1990s annexed lower Lagoon Valley and passed a development plan for it. That plan called for more development than Triad is proposing.

"Lagoon Valley is a special, significant place, but it's owned by private property owners - and a small part by the city," Vice Mayor Pauline Clancy said. "I respect the owners' right to reap their reward."

No development in lower Lagoon Valley wasn't an option, Mayor Len Augustine said.

Lagoon Valley is located along Interstate 80 in southern Vacaville. It has long been the focus of growth disputes.

Some people say Lagoon Valley should be an open space buffer between Fairfield and Vacaville. Others see it as an ideal site for a high-quality community that would bring the city executive housing and jobs.

Triad's latest plans call for 1,025 homes, including 100 senior residences and 75 affordable housing units. The Seattle-based company can build 700,000 square feet of offices. It will add 71 acres to Lagoon Valley park and pay $4.5 million to improve the park.

Opponents had sought to stop the Triad development with a March 2005 referendum. This ballot measure would overturn approvals the council gave Triad last spring.

But Triad latest proposals can be built under the city's early 1990s Lagoon Valley plans, without the changes granted by the council. Those plans are not subject to referendum because so much time has elapsed since their adoption.

So the council on Tuesday canceled the March 2005 referendum election.

That disappointed Marian Conning of Friends of Lagoon Valley and several other speakers. They wanted to vote to go forward so voters could voice their opinion on Lagoon Valley development in general.

Both the Greenbelt Alliance and the local Sierra Club chapter wanted to preserve Lagoon Valley. But both endorsed the agreement, reasoning that the early 1990s plan could lead to some type of development in lower Lagoon Valley.

The urban planning area would keep upper Lagoon Valley, Vaca Valley and Pleasants Valley as open space, said Brent Schoradt of Greenbelt Alliance. Triad will also pay $1 million after building 525 homes to preserve land in these areas.

An urban planning area would end the growth disputes in Vacaville, Schoradt said.

Vacaville Chamber of Commerce President Gary Tatum and Lou Franchimon of the Napa-Solano Building Trades Council also spoke in favor of the agreement.

Fairfield resident Vern Van Buskirk said the urban limits will help protect Travis Air Force Base from encroachment.

Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or at beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

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