Agenda Item No: O.1
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: April 7, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: CD Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway Study Session
Funding Source: N/A
Contact: Jonathan Atkinson, (707) 428-7387
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive report, open discussion, and provide directions to staff.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Northstate Developers Company, LLC (Northstate Developers) and North Bay Healthcare Corporation (North Bay Health) plan to develop approximately 44 acres of vacant land at the southeastern corner of Suisun Valley Road and Business Center Drive (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers [APNs]: 0027 -260-230, 0027 -260-240, 0027 -340-090, and 0027-340-020). The proposed developments, which include a collection of auto-oriented uses and a large medical center, conflict with the General Plan vision for the subject property . Staff need to assess whether the council is amenable to a new General Plan vision for the subject property, particularly one with auto-oriented u ses and health and medical uses . If the council is amenable, staff would like direction as to the expected level of public engagement for a General Plan Amendment, and the quality of design for development.
DISCUSSION
Background
On December 3, 2024, council adopted a new General Plan as part of the Fairfield Forward 2050 initiative. The General Plan is a long -term comprehensive vision for the city. It guides future decisions on development, resource management, and public safety through goal and policy objectives. The General Plan identifies multiple “Infill Focus Areas” in which major development is anticipated through 2050. Approximately 44 acres of vacant land at the southeastern corner of
Suisun Valley Road and Business Center Drive is an Infill Focus Area and identified as the Cordelia- Suisun Valley Gateway.
The General Plan designates the subject property as follows in the Land Use Diagram:
Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway Mixed-Use. The Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway Mixed- use designation applies to the approximately 44-acre area at the southeastern corner of Suisun Valley Road and Business Center Drive in Cordelia, located at the “gateway” to Suisun Valley, an emerging viticultural and wine -making visitation agritourism destination. The Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway Mixed-use designation is envisioned as a commercial development that is designed to cater to the lifestyle needs and preferences of residents and visitors and integrates a mix of retail, dining, entertainment, office, civic and recreational uses, as well as parks, housing, and lodging.
A minimum non-residential FAR (floor area ratio)of 0.3 is required across the entire area, and the maximum overall FAR for all non-residential and residential uses is 1.5. Residential uses, where provided, shall have a net density range of 18-40 dwelling units per acre.
This designation was developed following a robust public engagement process, including multiple community workshops and council study sessions, from 2021 through 2024. Additional General Plan information relating to the Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway is available in Attachment 2 for reference.
Following the adoption of the General Plan, the City retained Dyett & Bhatia to assist with implementation efforts that are currently underway, including comprehensive amendments to the Zoning Ordinance so that it is aligned with the General Plan vision . Furthermore, the comprehensive amendments would result in the creation of Zoning Ordinance regulations for the Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway.
Suisun Valley Place and North Bay Health Developments
On May 13, 2024, Northstate Developers, a subsidiary of Discovery Builders, filed multiple applications as part of the Suisun Valley Place project to the City for review. The project, which is currently incomplete, involves two commercial buildings, two freestanding drive -through restaurants, a service station with both a convenience market and a drive -through restaurant, a car wash, and an electronic freeway sign on 9.7 acres of land . This project previously encompassed 39.7 acres of land and involved 40 townhomes and 167 single-family residences, with two hotels proposed as part of a future phase but were subsequently abandoned.
On January 17, 2025, North Bay Health purchased approximately 30 acres of the subject property to develop a new medical center, medical office building, and a central utility plant with various gardens, plazas, and green spaces. North Bay Health, which currently operates a medical center at 1200 B. Gale Wilson Boulevard, would relocate this operation to the subject property .
Conceptually, parking would primarily be provided in surface parking lots with a portion of the
parking spaces underneath the medical center and medical office building . Some of the surface parking spaces would be provided on 6.71 acres of vacant land (APN: 0027 -260-230) that North Bay Health would acquire from the City . North Bay Health has not yet filed any formal applications for City review but has shared conceptual plans.
City Council Questions
Both the Suisun Valley Place and North Bay Health developments do not align with the General Plan vision for the subject property. The General Plan does not envision auto-oriented uses, such as drive-through restaurants, service stations, or carwashes, nor does it envision a medical center for the subject property . Because both developments constitute significant investment in a catalyst site, City staff believe it is prudent for the council to determine whether there is interest in an alternative vision for the subject property.
City staff requests council feedback on the following questions:
Are you amenable to a new General Plan vision for the subject property? What are your thoughts on auto-oriented uses for the subject property? What are your thoughts on health and medical-related uses for the subject property? What level of community engagement do you expect for a General Plan Amendment? What are your expectations for the quality of design?
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
Should Northstate Developers and North Bay Health proceed with both developments as planned, the Planning Commission would serve as an advisory body to the council for the required legislative changes, such as General Plan Amendment and Zone Change requests .
Furthermore, the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission would also determine whether the developments are consistent with the Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan. The formal application review for both developments and any developer-led community engagement will present opportunities for members of the public to provide feedback.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The council may elect not to provide feedback on a change in General Plan vision for the subject property. If so, c ity staff would proceed with creating Zoning Ordinance regulations for the Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway consistent with the existing General Plan. In this scenario, Discovery Builders and North Bay Health may or may not proceed with the ir proposed developments, which would be in conflict with the current General Plan.
COORDINATED WITH
City Manager’s Office
STAFF CONTACT
Jonathan Atkinson, Principal Planner
(707) 428-7387
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Fairfield General Plan: Cordelia-Suisun Valley Gateway Information Attachment 3: North Bay Health Conceptual Plans
Attachment 4: Suisun Valley Place Plans