Friends of Lagoon Valley

along I-80 between Fairfield and Vacaville in Solano County, California

Friends of Lagoon Valley
January 2009

What's going on with the Triad/Standard Pacific Subdivision?

There are a couple of obstacles standing in the way of the proposed subdivision in Lagoon Valley:

  1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not yet approved the required wetlands building permit for the project, and

  2. The current economic climate makes it unlikely that a homebuilder like Standard Pacific will move ahead in the near future to install expensive infrastructure (sewer, roads, utilities, etc.) and build homes for which there is presently very little market.

This will change when the economy recovers, so right now the Friends of Lagoon Valley are looking at possible avenues for permanent conservation of the Valley.

New Directions

Even as we congratulate ourselves on having so far held off the threat of subdivision development in Lagoon Valley, we ask ourselves, "Is there anything we can do during the current housing downturn to prevent long-term development in the Valley?" 
 
It may be time to set aside our hard-won identity as hard-headed obstructionists and well-intentioned zealots, and instead to step up as  thoughtful, committed citizens willing to partner with a variety of public and private allies to improve recreation opportunities in the existing Park, and to find ways to acquire some or all of the land now slated for development.

Here are some of the new directions that have been suggested.  We welcome additional suggestions and advice!

  1. A group of folks might partner with the City of Vacaville to improve recreation opportunities, maintenance, management and overall use of Lagoon Valley Park.  (This group might want to file for non-profit status.)  Central Park in New York City has just such a group working to improve the park.  Those interested in this approach might start by joining the Peņa Adobe Historical Society (http://www.penaadobe.org) and move from there to spin off a Lagoon Valley Park support group.

  2. Another group of folks might enter into conversation with a variety of public and private partners -- some of whom we may have argued with in the past -- in a search for innovative ways to acquire additional land in Lagoon Valley.  There are lots of ideas about possibilities, including the possibility of a bond measure to purchase land.  We might consider forming a non-profit conservancy group to hold title to any land we might acquire.

  3. We might also join forces with the Vacaville Tree Foundation (see http://phytosphere.com/vtf/) in its work of involving residents in the conservation and restoration of Vacaville's trees and other natural resources.  

If you are interested in participating in any of these "new directions" activities, email mconning@pacbell.net.

 Update on Army Corps of Engineers

The latest information we have (as of 10/21/2008) is that "the status of the project remains unchanged" which is to say, on the back burner at the Army Corps of Engineers office in Sacramento.  Updates will be posted here.

 

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Last updated: 05/24/09