Agenda Item No: M.3
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: December 3, 2024
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2024-281
Certifying a Final Environmental Impact Report (ER2024 -043), Adopting Findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and Mitigation Monitoring Program Related to the Final Environmental Impact Report, and Adopting the Fairfield Forward 2050 project, Consisting of Repealing Certain Elements of the General Plan, Adoption Certain Elements of the General Plan, and Adopting of a Climate Action Plan
Funding Source: N/A
Contact: Jessie Hernandez, (707) 428-7450
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Hold public hearing and adopt resolution.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The purpose of this meeting is to review the Public Hearing drafts of the Fairfield Forward 2050 project, consisting of a General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan (CAP), and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). At the meeting, the City Council will be asked to consider 1) certifying the Final EIR, 2) adopting its associated findings, statement of overriding considerations, and mitigation monitoring program, and 3) adopting the General Plan Update and CAP. The Public Hearing Drafts are available to review online:
Public Hearing Draft General Plan Update:
https://eservices.fairfield.ca.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=97568&dbid=0&repo=SharedDocs
Public Hearing Draft Climate Action
Plan: https://eservices.fairfield.ca.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=97500&dbid=0&repo=Share dDocs
Final Environmental Impact Report, Findings, Statement of Overriding Considerations, and Mitigation Monitoring
Plan: https://eservices.fairfield.ca.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=97501&dbid=0&repo=Share dDocs
DISCUSSION
Background Information
Fairfield Forward 2050 consists of a General Plan Update, CAP, and Environmental Impact Report. The General Plan Update establishes a shared community visi on and sets forth policies to implement that vision through 2050. Core topics include land use and urban design, transportation, protection of Travis Air Force Base, public facilities and services, parks and recreation, conservation and open space, and economic development.
The CAP outlines strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting State emissions reductions goals. The Environmental Impact Report assesses the General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan’s potential adverse environmental impacts and includes measures to reduce these impacts.
Since project kickoff in 2020, the City has engaged with a wide range of Fairfield residents, business and property owners, and other stakeholders at all stages of the planning process. Engagement took place from the initial visioning to exploration of land use and transportation alternatives, to the selection of the Preferred Plan and during General Plan policy development.
Overviews of the Fairfield Forward 2050 process, General Plan Updat e, Climate Action Plan, and Final Environmental Impact Report are provided in the November 7, 2024, Planning Commission Staff Report.
The General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan were also summarized in detail in the May 21, 2024, City Council Agenda Report.
Key Components of the General Plan Update
The General Plan envisions Fairfield building on its strengths to become a more complete, vibrant city, with affordable and walkable neighborhoods that are well -integrated with places to meet daily needs.
Walkable and affordable neighborhoods, connections to open space, economic prosperity and job opportunities, social stability and equity, and cultural, entertainment, and recreation choices are key components of this community vision.
Key strategies for achieving the City’s vision include encouraging infill development, designing complete streets to provide convenient and comfortable walking, biking, and transit access to key destinations; increasing housing, shopping and recreation opportunities, employment uses, an d public services; and developing regulations that stimulate investment, while ensuring that new development meets community needs and contributes to Fairfield’s visual identity.
Existing specific plans and new focus areas will aid in transforming and revitalizing areas throughout the city. The Heart of Fairfield Specific Plan (HOF) and Train Station Specific Plan (TSSP) implement the General Plan through the establishment of more detailed policies, regulations, and actions. Focus areas will catalyze new development patterns that align with stakeholder preferences and serve stakeholder needs.
Physical Growth and Infill Focus Areas
Three physical growth areas and eight infill areas represent focus areas where major land use changes or policy directives are planned. These focus areas are identified by Attachment 4.
Key focus areas are summarized below:
Business Flex Corridor – To provide a more coherent vision for the Business Center Drive corridor and reinforce the area’s importance as a jobs center, a new “business flex” land use designation along Business Center Drive will encourage a flexible range of employment uses while conditionally permitting housing to promote a mixed-use development pattern. Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway – Currently vacant, this approximately 40-acre area bounded by Suisun Valley Road, Kaiser Drive, and I -80 in northern Cordelia is envisioned as a “destination gateway” into Suisun Valley. This gateway is designated as a mixed -use lifestyle center with experiential retail, entertainment, lodging, and commercial recreation opportunities to build upon the growing agritourism opportunities in neighboring Suisun Valley. Hale Ranch – The Hale Ranch physical growth area represents three parcels just over 110 acres bounded by I-80, Hale Ranch Road, and Cordelia Road. The land is currently used for agriculture.
This area is one of the only large, contiguous parcels near existing food and beverage manufacturing clusters that would bolster Fairfield’s strength in high -value industrial development and provide jobs. The vision for development of Hale Ranch aims to incorporate high-value employment uses while res pecting the area’s agricultural and agritourism activities.
Specific industries, such as those supporting agriculture, agritourism, food science, manufacturing, and winemaking, are prioritized for development. North Texas Street Mixed Use Corridor – The Plan envisions redevelopment of larger sites along North Texas Street into new mixed -use development “nodes.” These mixed -use nodes are designated for a mix of commercial and higher density housing and green spaces. Multi -modal, transit service, and public realm improvements will help to foster a safer and more vibrant environment.
Solano Town Center – The General Plan introduces a new type of land use designation called “Solano Town Center Mixed Use” to revitalize the Solano Town Center mall and create a new “community hub” with commercial and community uses, pedestrian paths, and plazas and human-scaled design.
Proposed Changes to the Public Review Draft General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan Public Review Drafts of the General Plan Update and CAP have been updated to address comments submitted during the public comment period from July 26 to September 9, 2024. Comments received on the General Plan Update from government agencies and the public are available in Attachment 4. The City’s responses to General Plan Update to comments are summarized by theme in Attachment 5. There were no public comments made on the CAP during the public comment period. In accordance with state law, the Final EIR document includes detailed responses to all comments on the Draft EIR in accordance with state law.
Many public comment letters requested refined or strengthened language for a range of topics, and others requested policy changes that have already been considered and declined by the council at previous study sessions. Staff and consultants incorporated requests that aligned with the intent of the broader policy framework, council direction, and community values and priorities.
Several changes were made that affect draft policy and future project implementation, including:
Agricultural Mitigation Fee Increase – Policy LU -5.5 was added to increase the existing agricultural mitigation fee from its original intent to achieve a 1:1 agricultural mitigation ratio to its current intent to achieve a 1:1.5 agricultural mitigation ratio. Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan Alignment – Text and figures were updated to align with a new Draft Travis Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan published in August 2024. Nelson Hill Housing Units Increase – Policy language was added to policy LU-22.1 to allow up to 450 housing units total (increased from 350) at Nelson Hill to be considered contingent upon adequately addressing environmental and safety concerns related to traffic engineering, wildfire safety, evacuation routes, etc.
Final Environmental Impact Report Key Findings
The City of Fairfield is the lead agency for the Fairfield Forward 2050 EIR. According to CEQA, lead agencies are required to consult with public agencies having jurisdiction over a Proposed Project, and to provide the general public with an opportunity to comment on the Draft EIR. The Draft EIR was made available for public review on July 26, 2024. The Draft EIR was distributed to local and State responsible and trustee agencies and the general public was advised of the availability of the Draft EIR through public notice published in the local newspaper and on the City's website and the project website as required by law.
The Final EIR provides responses to all comments rece ived during the public comment period and includes revisions to the text of the Draft EIR made in response to comments. The Final EIR also identifies significant environmental impacts that will result from implementation of the project, including five significant and unavoidable impacts, nine less than significant with mitigation impacts, and 52 less than significant impacts. However, the City finds that the inclusion of certain mitigation measures as part of project approval will reduce most impacts to les s-than-significant levels. The impacts that are not reduced to less-than-significant levels are identified and overridden due to specific considerations that are described in the Final EIR CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
Under CEQA, the City is permitted to approve projects with significant impacts if it identifies specific legal, social, technological, or other benefits outweigh its unavoidable and significant impacts. Exhibit B of the attached resolution includes a “Statement of Overriding Considerations” that document the specific reasons why the benefits of Fairfield Forward 2050 outweigh its significant environmental impacts. The Statement of Overriding Considerations concludes that the Fairfield Forward 2050 project’s social, economic, technological, and environmental impacts outweigh its significant environmental impacts.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
Community outreach and engagement are critical to developing a community -based vision for growth and policies that reflect the community’s needs and priorities. The City has held over 100 engagement activities over four years as part of the Fairfield Forward 2050 process, including two online surveys, nine community workshops and open houses, 12 pop -up events, over 60 stakeholder interviews and meetings, and 20 study sessions with the Planning Commission and/or City Council. The City engaged a wide range of stakeholders and were responsive to public input and Planning Commission and City Council direction throughout this process.
On November 6, 2024, the Planning Commission unanimously adopted Resolution No. PC2024 -12 recommending that the council certify the FEIR; adopt findings, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and Mitigation Monitoring Program related to the FEIR; and adopt the Fairfield Forward 2050 project, consisting of repealing certain Elements of the General Plan, adoption of certain Elements of the General Plan, and adoption of a Climate Action Plan.
On November 14, 2024, the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) unanimously adopted Resolution No.
ALUC-24-12, finding Fairfield Forward 2050 consistent with the 2024 Travis Air Force Base La nd Use Compatibility Plan.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The council may choose to edit the Fairfield Forward 2050 documents, to not adopt Fairfield Forward 2050, or provide alternative direction.
COORDINATED WITH
N/A
STAFF CONTACT
Jessie Hernandez, Associate Planner
(707) 428-7450
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution
Attachment 3: Links to General Plan Attachments