SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. — Flannery Associates, the group proposing a new city by the name of California Forever, sent a survey to all Solano County residents over the age of 18 who are registered to vote.
So far, it's received a mixed reaction from people in the area.
Solano County residents have opened their mail this week to find a letter from Jan Sramek, the founder of Flannery Associates, asking for input on the new city they want to build.
Mike Duff, a county resident, says it felt like any other political survey.
“The way the survey was written, it is impossible to give a bad answer: 'Do you want new schools?' Of course you want new schools. 'You want affordable housing?' Of course. So, it was rigged,” said John Duff, who has lived in the area for 25 years.
The survey has three sections asking residents to rank aspects of a neighborhood from least important to most important. It also had a write-in section featuring a photo of sheep in a solar-paneled field.
ABC10 asked residents whether they wanted a new city in Solano County. We received mixed responses.
“No, Joni Mitchell once said tear down paradise and put up a parking lot, and that’s what they are doing,” said Mike Kwasnicki, a county resident, referencing Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi."
Others weren't entirely sure how to feel about the new city and focused more the group behind the proposal.
“I don’t know if I want a new city, but I don’t want rich investors to come in and create one,” said Duff.
Others didn't care since it was far removed from where they lived.
Kwasnicki has lived in the county since 1978. He's a former member of the Air Force and used to be stationed at Travis Air Force Base.
“Case in point, you look at Lagoon Valley between Fairfield and Vacaville. They started developing it and I can remember reading the article quoting the company that developed it and they said it took 25 years. Well yeah, cause we didn’t want it,” said Kwasnicki.
Others like Ronda Mathis posted their survey answers on social media saying: “This survey, like the others, is designed to make it seem as if the residents of the county are in favor of the project, and you just want input on the finer details.”
While Flannery Associates is circulating the survey, a petition “Oppose Flannery Associates and No to California Forever" is on Change.org with almost 700 signatures against the project.
Flannery Associates provided the following statement regarding survey feedback:
“We are receiving feedback daily from residents all over Solano County and look forward to sharing results of our survey in the near future about residents’ priorities for a new community in Eastern Solano.”
Find our continuing coverage on California Forever and Flannery Associates HERE.
