Vacaville Residents Worry Upscale Neighborhood Will Cost Peace Of Park
By Jennifer McGraw
VACAVILLE (CBS13) — Solano County neighbors are fighting to keep an area of greenspace along Interstate 80 between Vacaville and Fairfield from being developed.
City leaders say Vacaville is missing an upscale neighborhood to bring in executives and better shops, and that's what they're hoping a new complex would bring.
But many fear it would come at the cost of peace at their park.
It's a valley within Vacaville of rolling green hillsides off Interstate 80 that almost seems untouched, used by mostly joggers and hikers, a place to find peace.
"I was born at Travis and lived in Fairfield and I can remember doing the walkathons where we would walk from Fairfield all the way to Vacaville back," said Elissa DeCaro with the Lagoon Valley Conservancy.
But she says that fond memory may not be there for younger generations. The city awarded a building permit that runs alongside the almost 500-acre park. It would bring big business, and some say, compromise the peace.
"It's no different than if I went to my neighbors and said, 'I want to tear down my house and put in a skyscraper and Starbucks.' That wouldn't be reasonable there, this wouldn't be reasonable here," she said.
Mark Mazzaferro with the city says the park would remain untouched, it's the other half of the valley that would be built up, which he says will bring the city money.
It will have lots of lots that will bring revenue to the city, the entire city. That's all cities generate the revenue; sales tax property tax," he said.
The development would have 800 to 1,000 executive homes, along with new business ventures and a golf course.
Some park goers like Jackie Edwards are all for it.
"Still got the park and might get some fine dining restaurants here in Vacaville," she said.
And as far and the city is concerned, the developer now has the funds to build and they hope to break ground next year.
"It's private property, the people who own the property brought a project to the city and it fits the zoning area for that area," Mazzaferro said. "It was taken to the planning commission, city council. City Council approved it and the project is moving forward."
DeCaro says the fight is far from over as thousands have already joined a petition. While they know it won't legally make a difference, they hope to gain the public's attention and save what they believe the Lagoon Valley should ultimately be.
