Benicia Green Gateway, North Study Area, Seeno property

Meeting tonight – What’s the Future of Benicia’s North Side?

Virtual open house at 7 PM tonight…

City of Benicia email notice, November 29, 2022

This is a reminder that you have been invited to attend a virtual open house tonight, Tuesday, November 29th for the North Study Area visioning process. Click to join or call 1 (669) 444-9171, Passcode: 781797, for the event, which will begin at 7:00 PM. At the open house residents can learn more about the visioning process and share their ideas for the future of the property.

The City of Benicia is leading this visioning process to solicit public input on potential future land use options for a 527-acre vacant property in the northeast corner of the city. The City wants to partner with the community to envision the future of this area, which is the last remaining large tract of privately-owned undeveloped land in Benicia.

For further information visit www.northstudyarea.org. You can also contact the City about this project at northstudyarea@ci.benicia.ca.us or 707-746-4324.

CITIZEN BACKGROUND:

Following below is current information from the City of Benicia website, https://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/northstudyarea

North Study Area

The North Study Area visioning project aims to solicit public input on potential future land use options for the North Study Area property. Community input, together with an economic analysis and evaluation of the property conditions, will be used to develop several mixed-use concepts for further public review. Once completed, the landowner may determine whether to move forward with initiating land use applications which must include a “Master Plan” (i.e., Specific Plan) as required by the Benicia General Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

The study area is a 527-acre undeveloped property in the northeast corner of the city. The property is within the City’s urban growth boundary and fronts on Lake Herman Road and East Second Street.  Although a number of site development proposals have been considered over the years, most recently in 2016, none have come to fruition. The property is currently zoned Limited Industrial (IL) and General Commercial (CG).

Visioning Process

The City wants to partner with the community to envision the future of this area, which is the last remaining large tract of privately-owned undeveloped land within Benicia.

There will be a variety of opportunities to learn more about this effort and to provide feedback over the coming year. The City will solicit public input through a series of community meetings, public events, and on-line engagement opportunities. To receive the latest updates, you can sign up for project email notifications here.  The City expects to complete the visioning process by late 2023.

The North Study Area Community-Led Visioning Process is divided into the following primary tasks:

  • Existing Conditions Review: Review of background materials and existing conditions information relevant to the visioning process.
  • Economic Analysis: Analysis of real estate market conditions, financial feasibility of land use alternatives, and net annual fiscal impacts of land use alternatives.
  • Issues and Options: Evaluation of key issues and options associated with development options.
  • Mixed-use Concepts: Consideration of alternative land use concepts for the property.
  • Summary Report: Summary of public input received and areas of consensus that emerged from the visioning process.

Advisory Group

The City has formed an advisory group for the North Study Area project to help distribute information about the project, provide feedback on project materials, and to bring together diverse community perspectives. The advisory group consists of one representative selected by each of the following City committee/commissions and community organizations.  Meetings are open to the public.

City Committees/Commissions:

  • City Council Subcommittee for the North Study Area (2 members)
  • Economic Development Board
  • Community Sustainability Commission
  • Committee United for Racial Equity
  • Planning Commission

Community Organizations:

  • Benicia Chamber of Commerce
  • Benicia Industrial Park Association
  • Matthew Turner Elementary Parent Teacher Group
  • Sustainable Solano
  • Benicia Unified School District
  • Housing First Solano

Project Documents

To be added as materials become available.

Advisory Group Meeting 1 (11/9/2022)

Agenda

Memorandum

Presentation

Existing Conditions Maps

Priorities

Background Documents

Adopted City Plans and Policies

Studies and Reports

Moving Solano Forward II – Final Report (2017)