north mare island description and information

NORTH MARE ISLAND DESCRIPTION AND INFORMATION
August, 2013
Executive Summary
North Mare Island is a 157 acre commercial and industrial development opportunity located along the San
Francisco Bay, 30 minutes from downtown Oakland, 45 minutes from downtown San Francisco and one
hour from Sacramento, with direct ferry access to San Francisco, and freeway access via Highway 37 to
I-80. This remarkable site is at the gateway to the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, with views and access to
Bay and River on either side. The site is approved (EIR certified) for 1.2 million square feet of
commercial/industrial development. Roughly 125 acres are currently owned by the City of Vallejo, with
another 32 acres due to be transferred to the City by the Navy, much of it as soon as late 2014, and the
remainder by March 2017.
While the site is unique, its development faces some important constraints:
Existing highly deteriorated and unsightly buildings left from the Naval base must be demolished;
while the City is making progress toward demolishing the worst buildings, City resources are
limited.
North Mare Island was created by placing fill over Bay mud; this relatively unstable land will
require geo-technical design mitigations.
Much infrastructure, including sewer, water and power, will need to be redeveloped.
For the right development entity, North Mare Island presents a remarkable opportunity to acquire a
significant piece of a fast dwindling resource: developable commercial/industrial land within the inner-San
Francisco Bay Area market. The City of Vallejo welcomes any bona fide proposal for
commercial/industrial use. Residential uses will not be considered.
1. Site Description and Context
North Mare Island (NMI) consists of approximately 157 acres, of which the City owns 125.3 acres and the
federal government owns approximately 31.8 acres. Transfer of the federally owned portion from the
Navy to the City is expected in 2017, but much of that land could be transferred as eary as 2014 if
necessary. The Site is subject to the land use regulations contained in the Mare Island Specific Plan
(EIR/ EIS have been certified) and is approved for development of 1,222,000 square feet of commercial
mixed-uses (light industrial, warehouse, office) and 6,000 square feet of educational/ civic space. 29
acres have been dedicated as a conservation easement. Notwithstanding the current land use
regulations, development concepts that achieve the City’s goals will be considered. Key goals for North
Mare Island include:
Job creation, especially jobs that pay a living wage
Revenue generation
“Green” industries and businesses
The Council has made clear that residential uses will not be considered at this time for North Mare
Island..
There are nearly 27 additional acres available located adjacent to the Site but not included in the Specific
Plan area. However, this land has no defined land use designation, was not part of the EIR, and requires
environmental assessment for potential constraints, especially possible wetlands.
North Mare Island Description and Information
Figure 1: Reuse Area 1A Location
Source: maps.google.com; AECOM
Regional Setting
Vallejo is a dynamic community located in southern Solano County within the Bay Area. A strategic
location, mid-way between San Francisco and Sacramento, at the confluence of the Sacramento River
and the San Francisco Bay, and at the entrance to the Napa Wine Country, has shaped Vallejo's history
and contributed to its present status as a "gateway" city. Vallejo's location is further enhanced by its
transportation infrastructure, offering freeway and ferry access to regional centers of employment and
recreational attractions.
Figure 2: Regional Setting Map
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North Mare Island Description and Information
City Setting
Mare Island is located on the western edge of the City of Vallejo. The Island is bounded by Mare Island
Strait (part of the Napa River) on the east, San Pablo Bay on the west, Carquinez Strait on the south, and
Napa Marsh, State Route 37 and San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge on the north. The entire site
lies within the incorporated boundaries of the City of Vallejo. The two existing points of access are from
State Route 37, the primary route across the North Bay connecting U.S. Route 101 and Interstate 80, and
across the Mare Island Causeway from Tennessee Street, one of Vallejo’s main arterials and a primary
connection with Interstate 80.
Figure 3: City Setting Map
Source: San Francisco Chronicle and maps.google.com; AECOM
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North Mare Island Description and Information
Local Setting
Mare Island is approximately 3.5 miles long by one mile wide. It comprises approximately 5,250 acres, of
which 1,448 acres are Reuse Areas identified for development and recreational uses, including
conservation easements, and 3,787 acres of dredge disposal ponds, wetlands, and submerged lands.
Generally speaking, the Island is relatively flat, ranging in elevation from sea level to 284 feet above sea
level at the southern end. The “Hill”, a large upland open space at the southern end of Mare Island, is
part of the original Shipyard.
Figure 4: Local Setting Map
Source:
maps.google.com; AECOM
Mare Island Overview
Mare Island is one of the largest industrial/commercial campuses in Solano County. In 2002, Lennar
Mare Island, LLC (LMI) acquired approximately 650 acres of the Island for the construction and
redevelopment of industrial, office, commercial, and residential properties. Today, the Island is home to
more than 90 businesses, nearly 2,000 jobs, and three million square feet of occupied commercial space.
LMI has entitlements for over seven million square feet of industrial/office product (with workable
inventory of approximately 5.5 million square feet available for lease or sale), and plans for more
residential development in the future. In addition, Touro University has over 1,400 full time students at its
campus on Mare Island.
Commercial real estate brokers marketing Mare Island cite the many advantages of locating a business
on the island:
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North Mare Island Description and Information

Mare Island is strategically located midway between the cities of San Francisco and
Sacramento on the western edge of Solano County. The Island is minutes from Napa Valley
and has striking views of the San Francisco Bay.

A fast and easy commute; driving to Mare Island is a reverse commute from many directions;
Interstates 80, 780 & 680, as well as Highways 37 & 29, provide convenient access.

Major ferry and bus links provide public transportation alternatives to the Vallejo Ferry
Terminal.
o Bay Link Ferry to San Francisco
o Solano Express
o Solano Transit (Soltrans)

Major Bay Area airports are within one hour
o San Francisco International
o Oakland International
o Sacramento International

Other Island Features
o 18-hole golf course with views of the Bay
o Portions of Mare Island are on the National Register of Historic Places
o Mare Island Elementary School
o Touro University
o Views and access to the Napa River front to the east, and access to the western
Mare Island Preserve and views of the Marin Coastal hills (Mount Tamalpais) to the
west.

Labor Pool
o Over 7 million people to draw from within a 50-mile radius
o Proximity to UC Davis, UC Berkeley, the California Maritime Academy, and Solano
Community College
o Majority of Vallejo’s citizens have attended college
o Diverse and skilled local labor force
Source: CBRE (http://www.discovermareisland.com/PDF/MareIsland_Overview.pdf)
With an infrastructure investment to date of more than $100 million, Lennar has finished construction of
three new residential neighborhoods on Mare Island, consisting of approximately 270 homes. With
approvals for 1,400 homes, the already-vibrant community will continue to grow and enhance Mare Island
and the City of Vallejo.
Figure 5: Lennar Mare Island Residential Community
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North Mare Island Description and Information
Mare Island Specific Plan
The Mare Island Specific Plan (adopted in 1999, restated in 2005, and amended most recently in 2008)
establishes a vision of Mare Island as a vibrant civilian employment center and balanced new
neighborhood for the City of Vallejo. The Specific Plan designates land uses and establishes
development standards for identified reuse areas and provides an implementation program to guide all
subsequent planning activities.
Figure 6: Mare Island Specific Plan Reuse Areas Map
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North Mare Island Description and Information
The area subject to development in North Mare Island is referred to in the Specific Plan as “Reuse Area
1
1A”. The site has direct access to the State Route 37 interchange. State Route 37 and the North Gate
form the northern boundary; G Street and the Causeway form the southern boundary. Most of the
existing structures sited in Reuse Area 1A are in disrepair and will require demolition. The City is in the
process of identifying the resources to undertake demolition of the deteriorated buildings.
To the west is Reuse Area 1B, now home to Alco Iron & Metal Company and Earthquake Protection
Systems, and wetland areas. To the east are wetlands and Mare Island Strait.
A large pier extends from the Reuse Area 1A Property into Mare Island Strait. The pier is held in the
Public Trust and shall be preserved for potential future public access.
Figure 7 presents the Reuse Area 1A property boundary, existing roads, and structures.
Figure 8 presents the individual parcel boundaries of the Reuse Area 1A Property. It includes detail
concerning the existing railroad infrastructure adjacent to the Reuse Area 1A Property boundaries. Figure
8 also displays the 26.7 acre “optional” parcel. This parcel was not included in the Specific Plan area and
currently has no defined land use designation. It was also not part of the EIR and will require
environmental assessment for potential constraints, especially possible wetlands.
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Parcel acreages vary slightly due to updated land survey data.
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North Mare Island Description and Information
Figure 7: Reuse Area 1A Property Boundary
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North Mare Island Description and Information
Figure 8: Reuse Area 1A Property Parcel Detail
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North Mare Island Description and Information
a. Land Use
When the Mare Island Specific Plan was adopted in 1999, Reuse Area 1A was originally intended
to be developed primarily with light industrial, warehouse, and office uses in a contemporary
office park. A small commercial area was to serve primarily office park users located at the
entrance. A proposed Waterfront Promenade was to extend the length of the eastern edge of the
area on the upland portion. While the Specific Plan Land Use Policies allow flexibility within the
overall land use development program in order to fine tune development intensities, a relatively
low-intensity business park concept is still the adopted plan, and the EIR/EIS approved with the
Specific Plan is for this development concept.
Since that plan was adopted, it has become clear that site constraints may not allow that plan to
be implemented due to the high costs of addressing geo-technical conditions and of developing
infrastructure.
b. Ownership
As shown in Figure 9, the Reuse Area 1A Property contains five distinct parcels. The City owns
four parcels, totaling 125.3 acres. The Federal Government owns one parcel, totaling 31.8 acres.
The City anticipates that all the Federal property contained within Reuse Area 1A will be
transferred to the City by March, 2017,with approximately half of the Federal parcel transferred by
the end of 2014. All Federal land in Reuse Area 1A is available for lease by private parties, with
the City’s approval.
Figure 9: Reuse Area 1A Parcels
Parcel Name
XV-A (1)
XV-B (1)
II
XV-A (2)
XV-B (2)
Total
Ownership
City
Federal
City
City
City
Acreage
67.2
31.8
25.7
27.9
4.5
157.1
Source: City of Vallejo
c. Environmental Conditions
The City-owned parcels are considered environmentally clean for commercial/industrial uses.
City of Vallejo has received a letter of No Further Action from the California Department of Toxic
Substance Control. The City anticipates that the Federal property contained within Reuse Area
1A will be certified environmentally clean and formally transferred to the City by March, 2017. The
physical clean up of the federal property is substantially complete and the Navy has indicated a
willingness to transfer a significant portion of the site that is clear of contaminants to the City by
the end of 2014.
d. Geotechnical Conditions
Geotechnical conditions at Reuse Area 1A will affect the cost of development. Earth materials
encountered during subsurface explorations consist of fill and San Francisco Bay mud. The
depth of the fill and Bay mud varies, with the land toward the intersection of G Street and Azuar,
being the most shallow, and the depth increasing to the north and east.
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North Mare Island Description and Information
e. Infrastructure Conditions
The property requires a significant infrastructure investment. Infrastructure conditions are
presented in Appendix A of the Mare Island Specific Plan, Infrastructure Master Plan. While the
total costs of necessary infrastructure improvements are significant, there may be options for near
term use of existing infrastructure, especially at the southern end of Reuse Area 1.
Additional Information
Interested parties may want to review the following additional information sources available on the City’s
website, in the Economic Development Library.
Mare Island Specific Plan (Amended 2008)
Disposal and Reuse of Mare Island Naval Shipyard Final EIS/EIR, Executive Summary (website)
MIRIS, Mare Island Utilities, Operations, Maintenance and Capital Improvement Plan, 1997
Mare Island Transportation Plan 1997
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