Lagoon Valley Conservancy

UPDATE at 7:30 PM: The fire department has the fire contained and the roadway is re-opened. If you live in the area and evacuated, it is ok to return home. The... Fire Department is currently fighting a brush fire between Butcher Road and Lagoon Valley Park. Though evacuations are not required at this time, there is a lot of equipment coming up Butcher Road and we are closing the street to incoming vehicle traffic. This post will be updated as we get more information. See more

And don’t squander public resources for private development...

Lagoon Valley is one of the areas at highest risk of fire - not the place to put intensive development. Keep in mind last August both escape routes were blocked when catastrophic fire made its way through the proposed development area. An area not required to have a fire station until the 400th home is built per its obsolete 2005 Environmental Impact Report. #savelagoonvalley #saynototriad #uninsurable #itsaboutpublicsafety #openspaceisimportant

Urgent: Make your voices heard...again! The Vacaville City Council will be voting to approve the formation of a Community Facilities District (CFD) for Lagoon Valley. If approved, PUBLIC funding in the form of bonds will be issued to pay for the extensive infrastructure required for the out-of state developer’s PRIVATE project - passing their obligation to pay for all infrastructure costs onto the plates of the taxpayers who will live there. Encourage your council members to... vote NO! Vacaville deserves better. #savelagoonvalley #saynototriad #learnfromseattle #saynotocfd #openspaceimportant https://vacaville.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php

Urgent: Make your voices heard...again! The Vacaville City Council will be voting tonight, Tuesday, April 27 at 6pm, to approve the formation of a Community Facilities District (CFD) for Lagoon Valley. If approved, PUBLIC funding in the form of bonds will be issued to pay for the extensive infrastructure required for the out-of state developer’s PRIVATE project - passing their obligation to pay for all infrastructure costs onto the plates of the taxpayers who will live there. Encourage your council members to vote NO! Vacaville deserves better. #savelagoonvalley #saynototriad #learnfromseattle #saynotocfd #openspaceimportant

Lagoon Valley is one of the areas at highest risk of fire - not the place to put intensive development. Keep in mind last August both escape routes were blocked when catastrophic fire made its way through the proposed development area. An area not required to have a fire station until the 400th home is built per its obsolete 2005 Environmental Impact Report. #savelagoonvalley #saynototriad #uninsurable #itsaboutpublicsafety #openspaceisimportant

URGENT: Please make your voices heard. The Lagoon Valley Conservancy has just learned the City Council has an agenda item Tuesday, March 23 at 6pm to consider establishing a Communities Facility District as a funding mechanism for Triad, the developer, to attempt to continue with their development plan. Essentially it is a means for the private developer to use public funding for a project the majority of the community does not want. Keep in mind: 1) the original project sho...uld have expired and is based on an obsolete Environmental Impact Report initially drafted over 20 years ago; and 2) Mayor Ron Rowlett is the business agent and President of Carpenters Local 180 of the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, a clear conflict of interest that should require his recusal from all votes related to this development; and 3) in Triad's hometown of Seattle, Triad was caught in a bribery scheme of a city council candidate after a lawsuit had been filed by Tenants Union of Washington State alleging Triad had illegally renewed an expired permit for the Seattle Civic Square Project. The lawsuit resulted in a 5.7 million settlement agreement and an empty pit. Seattle refused to do further business. Why is the City of Vacaville bending over backwards to extend an agreement with a developer with this history? Contact: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] https://vacaville.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php

As a starting point, we’d encourage adopting and preserving all of Lagoon Valley as parkland, open space, and farmland to provide a buffer and retreat for the surrounding growing population...

The City of Vacaville is accepting applications from citizens interested in serving on the Planning and Parks & Recreation Commissions. The commissions are adv...isory groups to the City Council. To be considered, applicants must be 18 years of age and reside within the incorporated limits of the City of Vacaville. Commissioners serve two-year terms with consideration for reappointment at the end of each term. Current commissioner terms expire on March 31, 2021. Planning Commission members review new development projects and make recommendations on City planning issues. A formal land-use planning education is not required, but members are expected to become familiar with the City’s General Plan, zoning ordinance, and legislation affecting planning. The Planning Commission meets at 6 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The Parks & Recreation Commission advises the City Council on recreation and cultural arts activities. The panel meets at 6 pm the first Wednesday of each month. To be considered for appointment for an expiring term, applications must be received no later than 5:30 pm, Wednesday, February 24th. Applications are available online at www.cityofvacaville.com or by calling (707) 449-5112.

A Call for Artists...

Please share far and wide! We are so happy to be participating, and we really want to have artists to join us! Photography, painting, sketches If you can cap...ture beauty through your work, you are invited. Not very artistic or too busy right now? Please plan to come out this spring for the art show! This is a fundraising and community building event. Artists will donate $24 to receive access to the participating property of their choice, to support the families and farms impacted by the LNU lightning complex fires. For more information on From Ashes to Springtime: https://pleasantsvalleyagricultureassociation.com/from-ashe To see some of our available vista points and learn more about Samuels Ranch Sustainable: https://www.samuelsranch.com/ #SamuelsRanchSustainable #LNULightningComplex #FireSurvivors #PleinAir #Painting

This provides a thorough summary and explanation of the 2007 legal battle over Lagoon Valley. The repercussions of that court case are what has led to the current fight to stop development of the valley.

Lagoon Valley is indeed a wonderful place to escape the gloom.

Remember - Friday is #OptOutside day with REI! Opt for quality time in nature with your household over crowds and shopping. Take a hike, hop on your bike, or pi...ck up trash and show some love to your favorite trail. There are over 385 miles of Ridge Trail to choose from - where will it take you? Ridgetrail.org Photo: Russian Ridge, Karl Gohl

Calling all Fifth Graders! For the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year, U.S. fifth graders can bring their families to national parks, wildlife refuges, and ...other U.S. Department of the Interior managed public lands and waters for free! Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/kids/fifthgrade.htm Image: Family fishing off a wooden dock. #5thGradeInParks

From our families to yours, may you have a happy, safe, and healthy Thanksgiving.

From City of Vacaville Government: There was a reported Mountain Lion sighting at Pena Adobe today. Mountain Lions are not uncommon in California, and attacks on humans are rare. If you spot a mountain lion, stay as far back as you can, take the encounter seriously, and follow precautions to protect yourself with the compiled tips from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Mountain Lion Foundation on what to do if a Mountain Lion threatens you. BE ALERT - Pa...y attention to your surroundings. PICK UP CHILDREN - This makes you look bigger and keeps them safer. SLOWLY CREATE DISTANCE- Back away while keeping your eyes on the Mountain Lion. MAKE LOUD NOISES - speak calmly and do not use high pitched tones or high pitch screams. DO NOT RUN - Anyone who runs may initiate an attack. ACT DEFIANT, NOT AFRAID - Maintain eye contact. Aggressively wave your arms, throw stones or branches, do not turn away. PROTECT YOURSELF - Anything near you can be a weapon, even your bare hands. Try to stay on your feet. If knocked down, try to protect your head and neck. Living in Mountain Lion Country by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife https://wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Lion Additional information from the Mountain Lion Foundation https://www.mountainlion.org/portalprotectencounters.php

UPDATE: I have found this kitty's owner!!!! I saw this cat resting a week ago on my front porch about 2am. I have been feeding/watering it everyday since but i...t only comes at night. Yesterday it came during the day but kept it’s distance. Today it came up to neighbor so we were able to get a pic. Hopefully we can find the owner...English Hills area. Please share! See more

Three weeks ago, Julian came to our aid in the middle of the night. He read my desperate FB plea for immediate assistance in the evacuation of over 100 animals ...and without hesitation he quickly drove up and found the ranch. Without any prior experience, Julian wrangled up an assortment of turkeys, chickens and ducks in the dark of the night. Since then, Julian has been a frequent visitor at our home base. We often share our donated meals with him or he will bring us food from his job at Blaze Pizza. Julian or as he likes to be called, "Juju" is a ray of sunshine and so funny. I have been gifted with many eclectic socks lately. (Thank you all) But I saw these socks and I felt these socks matched Juju perfectly. He was thrilled to have them. Our lives are forever intertwined and we are grateful that Juju happened to see my FB post that night and he helped save many lives. ~Thao

Helpful resources for Fire Survivors...

Burn area. Cattle Dog mix type found. Just reposting.

Sky Ranch is heartbroken to share the news that we lost our olive orchards and beautiful home in the LNU Fire. This has been a crushing blow for Lee who has los...t his house before, but he is determined to continue to share his love of farming with his community. The good news is all of our wine is stored off site in a temperature controlled building. We are looking forward to building our tasting room and sharing in this journey with you. More details to come on how you can be apart of the ranch and the grapes in your own bottle of wine. To all of Vacaville and our beloved costumers we truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your love and support. See more

A great resource in a neighboring county...

LNU Fire Victims, register now. https://ucanr.edu/LNUFIRE Soul Food Farm Morningsun Herb Farm Brazelton Ranch La Borgata Winery and Distillery Silent Stay Medit...ation & Retreat Center 36 Oaks Country Retreat Clay's Bees Clay Ford Samuels Ranch Sustainable Menagerie Hill Ranch Be Love Farm Zinger Ranch Lockewood Acres Lucky Ones Ranch See more

Big announcement!!! I’ve done other 30 day challenges - complete one painting a day for 30 days. But this time it is different. During the month of September I ...am going to paint farm animals. Or local flora and fauna. The paintings will be available for purchase for $300 each. Funds will go Travis Credit Union Foundation Fire Relief Fund to benefit those tragically affected by the fire. Please help me help them. Beginning tomorrow I will post a painting each day that is available for purchase. See more

For those in need...

We have decided to launch a Go Fund Me Account for Soul Food Farm. It’s been a week since the fire and we’ve had some time to accept where we are. . I’ve been r...eluctant to ask, feeling stunned by the farm burning and feeling to humbled to ask for help. But, after determining the scope of work that will be required to put the farm back together and understanding the limitations of relief that insurance will provide we decided to use Go Fund Me as a lifeline https://gf.me/u/yvchvg . Our house , olive orchard and gardens survived but 80% of the farm burned. If you would like to be part of Soul Food Farms recovery efforts the link to the Go Fund Me account is linked in the bio. . The funds will be used for clean up, removal of trees compromised by the fire, rebuilding our irrigation system, livestock fencing, and replacing the olive harvest equipment. . Thank you Eric & Alexis