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Exploring Expansion and the Future of Suisun City |
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In this newsletter, we’ll highlight the opportunities and considerations surrounding Suisun City’s journey of exploring expansion. As the smallest city in Solano County, Suisun City stands at a pivotal moment—facing financial challenges, a population decline and growing demands for essential services. We’ll discuss why this may be an ideal time for expansion, particularly through annexation, and how it could offer opportunities to revitalize the City’s economy, attract new businesses and create more local amenities for residents. You’ll also gain insight into the annexation process, its potential benefits and the key steps ahead as Suisun City gathers community feedback and plans for future growth.
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Why Expansion is Important
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Suisun City is known for its rich history and strong sense of community. A city once thriving with maritime trade and a bustling downtown now finds itself left behind in development and lacking economic vitality. It’s time for Suisun City to embrace growth. Suisun City was the third city to be incorporated in Solano County, yet is currently the smallest in the region, covering just over four square miles. While past opportunities for annexation have been missed, neighboring cities like Fairfield have successfully developed adjacent lands into thriving commercial hubs, strengthening their local economies. Meanwhile, Suisun City faces financial struggles, a population decline and high commuting rates. |
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To meet the basic needs of our residents, we face a shortfall of $15.6 million in funding and require an additional 42 staff members to maintain essential services. Furthermore, critical capital improvements over the next 15 years—such as a second fire station, a new police station, necessary dredging and an upgraded community center—are estimated to require an additional $70 million to $80 million.
We are at a pivotal moment in shaping the future of Suisun City. Exploring expansion is the key to revitalizing the City’s economy, increasing local housing and jobs, attracting new businesses and providing the essential services Suisun residents deserve.
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What Is Annexation and How Will It Affect Us?
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Annexation is the process by which a city expands its boundaries to include previously unincorporated land or land from another jurisdiction. Annexation does not involve purchasing land but rather integrating it into a city’s jurisdiction.
The benefits of annexation are significant. Annexation can expand a city’s tax base, bringing in more property and sales tax revenue, which ultimately helps fund essential city services without increasing taxes on current residents. It also allows for planned growth, giving a city more control over land use and zoning to ensure smart, organized development. For Suisun City, this also provides a better opportunity to protect important areas, like Travis Air Force Base.
Annexation can foster economic growth by adding space for housing, retail and industrial projects, potentially attracting developers and businesses. It’s important to note that developers of annexed land are responsible for paying for new infrastructure, such as roads, water lines and streetlights. This ensures that costs are covered without burdening existing taxpayers.
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In January 2025, Suisun City Council directed the City Manager to explore expansion options for the City, including discussions with key stakeholders. From that point, meetings were held with dozens of local partners and community-based organizations, such as the County of Solano, Solano County’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), chambers of commerce and more.
The meetings highlighted several key themes, including Suisun City's ongoing financial challenges, the understanding that infill development alone will not meet the City’s long-term growth needs and the importance of a regional commitment to protect and enhance Travis Air Force Base.
Suisun City has prioritized engaging the local community in this process through the development of an informational webpage, ongoing community meetings and transparent communications. In an effort to solicit further input from the community surrounding expansion, Suisun City opened a digital feedback form where residents shared their priorities for the future of the City. Resident input clearly revealed a strong emphasis on business development, affordable housing, transportation infrastructure and recreational amenities.
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At the March 18 City Council Meeting, Council authorized City Staff to send letters to property owners of adjacent land to gauge interest in potential annexation. The response from property owners will help determine options for expansion and the immediate next steps in the process. City Staff is expected to provide an update to the City Council on Tuesday, April 15.
It is important to note that while annexation may appear routine, it is a complex procedure. The overall process can take several years and would include ample opportunity for public engagement throughout. Initiation of the annexation process begins with a decision from the City Council, followed by ongoing review and final approval from Solano County’s LAFCO. Steps include the submission of a formal annexation application, a reimbursement agreement ensuring developer responsibility for all processing costs and adherence to state and federal land use entitlement requirements. Additionally, a detailed fiscal impact analysis would be conducted to determine the financial viability of annexation for all parties involved. Should an annexation process begin, Suisun City is committed to ensuring that residents remain informed along the way.
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As Suisun City moves forward with exploring expansion, the potential for growth presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen the local economy, improve essential services and offer new possibilities for residents and businesses alike. Annexation opens up opportunities for Suisun City to grow beyond its borders and access resources needed to support a thriving community. Moving ahead, it is essential for the City to continue engaging with stakeholders, gathering feedback and carefully evaluating next steps. To stay informed and get the latest updates on this exciting journey, be sure to visit Suisun.com/ExploringExpansion, where you can find important resources like FAQs, media features, updates from City Council meetings and more. |
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