Fairfield Forward 2050

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What is Fairfield Forward 2050 Plan to Action?

Fairfield Forward 2050: Plan to Action represents the first step Fairfield is taking to support City staff in implementing the Fairfield Forward 2050 project. It brings together several priority efforts that help meet state mandates, fund and manage growth, and achieve community goals.

Fairfield Forward 2050 Plan to Action includes several components:

General Plan Implementation Plan

All elements of the General Plan include policies that set the vision for Fairfield’s future. The Implementation Plan will translate those policies into concrete actions, studies, and programs. It also identifies who is responsible, when steps will be taken, and how progress will be measured. This tool keeps the City accountable and makes it easier to track and report progress back to the community.

Zoning Amendments

Zoning determines what types of buildings and activities are allowed on different parcels of land. Fairfield is updating its Zoning and Development Standards to align with new Housing Element requirements, implement new land use designations, and reflect community goals for livability, placemaking/community design, and economic development. These changes are important because they help Fairfield remain competitive for housing and infrastructure grants. Zoning changes also help guide the design, mix of uses, and scale of buildings and neighborhoods the City and community want to see. Zoning amendments will happen in phases, with the first phase focusing on meeting Housing Element requirements and deadlines, and the second phase focusing on nonresidential development and other community design goals.

Municipal Services Review (MSR) and Sphere of Influence (SOI) Study

The General Plan identifies areas where Fairfield may grow to support housing and economic development, both within and outside the City’s current sphere of influence. An MSR/SOI Study will assess whether services such as water, sewer, fire protection, and parks can support growth and whether boundaries may need to expand. The MSR/SOI Study is the first step in the process used by Solano County’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), providing the analysis needed for LAFCO to make final decisions on sphere of influence changes or annexations.

While the focus of this process is development of the MSR/SOI study, robust community engagement will occur as part of subsequent steps. A robust community engagement process will follow prior to any LAFCO public hearings on potential boundary changes, annexations, or service extensions.

Climate Action Plan and Development Checklists

Fairfield is creating new tools to make sure growth supports climate goals and more streamlined project review. A Climate Action Plan checklist will help confirm that new projects include measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and remain consistent with the City’s adopted climate strategies. New development checklists will clarify the requirements that projects must meet under local plans and zoning rules. These tools will help applicants prepare complete submittals, assist staff with consistent review, and keep the City on track toward sustainability goals.

Cost Recovery and Fee Study

A Cost Recovery and Fee Study is a financial analysis conducted to determine how new development can fairly contribute to the costs of updating and maintaining a city’s General Plan. It ensures that the financial burden of planning and infrastructure improvements is shared equitably between existing residents and new development. The study estimates the total costs of keeping the Plan up to date and calculates a fair fee for new homes and businesses. This work is important to ensure the City can sustainably fund continued Plan implementation.

While the focus of this project is on development of a study, future community engagement efforts will occur as the City considers study findings and brings options to decisionmakers.

What is a General Plan?

California state law requires every jurisdiction to adopt a general plan "for the physical development of the county or city" (Gov. Code § 65300). A general plan establishes a long-term vision for the future and sets forth goals and policies for meeting the community's vision.

Beyond serving as “the legal underpinning for land use decisions," the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) casts the role of the general plan in a more aspirational light: "It is a vision about how a community will grow, reflecting community priorities and values while shaping the future” (State of California 2017 General Plan Guidelines).

State law requires that a general plan address land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, safety, and environmental justice. The State also encourages jurisdictions to adopt optional elements that address local issues. In the most recent General Plan Update completed in 2024, Fairfield chose to address urban design, the protection of Travis Air Force Base, public facilities and services, sustainability, and economic development.

Public Outreach and Engagement

Fairfield Forward 2050

Fairfield Forward 2050 consists of a General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and Environmental Impact Report. Between December 2020 and December 2024, staff engaged a wide range of stakeholders and addressed public input on an ongoing basis, from initial visioning and exploration of land use and transportation alternatives through policy development and adoption.

The General Plan represents the community's vision for future growth and development and establishes a policy framework for making decisions long-term. The General Plan is implemented through staff and elected official decisions, capital improvement projects, Municipal Code updates, programs, actions, and processes. Core topics of the City of Fairfield's current General Plan include land use and urban design, transportation, the protection of Travis Air Force Base, public facilities and services, parks and recreation, conservation and open space, and economic development.

Current General Plan

In December 2024, the City of Fairfield completed a comprehensive General Plan Update called Fairfield Forward 2050. Fairfield Forward 2050 consists of a General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan, and Environmental Impact Report.

Comprehensive and forward-looking, the Plan reflects the collective community aspirations for the future of the city. Consequently, the City aspires for all decisions related to Fairfield’s growth,
management, and physical development—ranging from transportation and park plans to facility and specific plans, development regulations and fee programs, and more—to align with the Plan’s vision and objectives.

Climate Action Plan

The Climate Action Plan outlines strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting State emissions reductions goals. The Climate Action Plan was prepared in conjunction with the Fairfield Forward 2050 General Plan Update to enable close integration with land use and transportation planning, while also helping to streamline implementation and use of the General Plan's Environmental Impact Report. Topics covered by the Land Use and Urban Design, Circulation, Sustainability, Health and Safety, and Environmental Justice and Public Health elements of the General Plan Update are also closely related to the Climate Action Plan.

Environmental Impact Report

The Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) prepared for the City of Fairfield General Plan and Climate Action Plan (Fairfield Forward 2050) consists of the Draft EIR and Response to Comments on the Draft EIR. The Final EIR identifies significant environmental impacts that will result from implementation of the project. However, the City finds that the inclusion of certain mitigation measures as part of project approval will reduce most impacts to less-than significant levels. The impacts which are not reduced to less-than-significant levels are identified and overridden due to specific considerations that are described in Exhibit A: CEQA Findings and Overriding Considerations. The Fairfield City Council certified the Final EIR on December 3, 2024, meaning:

The City Council reviewed and considered the Final Environmental Impact Report.
The Final EIR was completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The Final EIR, and all related public comments and responses have been presented to the Planning Commission and City Council, and they have reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final EIR and testimony presented at the public hearings prior to approving the project.
The Final EIR reflects the independent judgement of the City, acting as the lead agency for the project.