Vallejo gets detailed update on Mare Island specific plan; Connolly Corridor paused amid infrastructure disputes

City planning staff and outside consultants presented a substantive update on Mare Island’s draft specific plan and supporting studies, emphasizing that a full package (infrastructure plans, financing and a programmatic EIR) is required before the council can consider final approvals.

Long‑range planning manager Hector Roxas said the draft specific plan resubmittal incorporates hundreds of city comments and now includes clearer land‑use parcels, minimum densities near transit nodes, expanded open‑space commitments and revised multimodal circulation plans. “The draft land use plan is intended to accommodate up to approximately 14,400 total dwelling units and approximately 17,000 total jobs on Mare Island,” Roxas said.

Why it matters: consultants and staff underscored that Mare Island’s existing utility networks are aged and require coordinated, island‑wide solutions. The Mare Island Infrastructure Assessment (MIIA), completed in October 2025 with the Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District (VFWD), flagged water‑system, sewer capacity, storm‑drain and flood issues that must be addressed in an infrastructure and financing plan before a new CFD or development agreement can be finalized.

Connolly Corridor and early projects: staff reported that the Connolly Corridor project — an early activation area that would reuse coal sheds and deliver retail, office and 373 residential units in phased stages — is temporarily paused. City staff and Mare Island Company said unresolved questions about sewer/storm ownership and capacity and about which agency will maintain upgraded assets need mediation. Mare Island Company counsel described the transfer and remapping of responsibilities as “a tricky task” because many pipes and systems are interconnected and old.

Projects moving forward: staff said some early implementation projects continue to be processed where feasible. The Coral Sea Village subdivision (68 detached single‑family and 28 multifamily units) is in the final review stage; if approvals hold and there are no appeals, the developer expects construction to start in summer 2026 and to be phased over a couple of years. The beautification plan’s Phase 1 is awaiting remediation of Building 571 and revised engineering submittals before street and landscaping construction can begin; Phase 2 depends on Navy land transfer timing.

Schedule and CEQA: staff and the environmental consultant said the city will prepare a programmatic EIR for the new specific plan and coordinate on NEPA revalidation with the Navy. Tentative timing presented by staff calls for a notice of preparation and NEPA coordination in 2026, a public draft EIR in winter 2026–spring 2027 for a 45‑day public comment period, and completion of the final EIR and council consideration in summer 2027.

Council and public response: speakers at the meeting urged faster progress on short‑term activation projects — pocket parks, promenade work, temporary small‑business activations — to show momentum while the large planning and CEQA processes proceed. Several residents pressed staff and the developer for clearer timelines and stronger community engagement; some residents also accused the city of not enforcing prior agreements.

Next steps: staff will continue negotiating an island‑wide development agreement to align obligations across North and South Mare Island, finalize the infrastructure and financing plan components for the specific plan resubmittal, and schedule CEQA scoping and NEPA coordination. Councilmembers indicated they will task the Mare Island subcommittee with follow‑ups and public check‑ins.