Mystery buyer accumulating large tracts of Solano County land near Rio Vista
RIO VISTA -- Over the past four years, a mysterious company has been buying up property in Solano County, amassing some 52,000 acres in the area southeast of Fairfield.
Nearly $1 billion has been spent on land purchases, and few details are known about the buyer. The mystery has been growing by the day and by the acre. Now it's getting the attention of the U.S. military and the FBI.
The purchasing company that has become the single largest landowner in the county is called Flannery Associates. It is an LLC based in Delaware.
Its holdings include property surrounding Travis Air Force base, a purchase that set off the investigation by the military and Congress.
"We cannot, thus far, follow the money," said Rep. John Garamendi. "We don't know what their intentions are, but we have very serious concerns, in that they are in a position to seriously disrupt the military operations at the most important air base, giving us transportation into the Pacific theater."
But the concerns don't stop with military security at Tavis. The mystery also hangs over a small city and just about everyone living around it.
Nearly a quarter century ago, Cassandra Dana and her husband purchased the 20 acres of land in a quiet area of Solano County where they raised their four children and a long line of farm dogs.
"We have had this property since 2000. Been here for 23 years," explained Dana.
But her quiet corner of Solano County is changing, at least on paper.
"I know they bought a lot of property that has windmills already on it," she said.
Up and down these back roads, just about everyone's new neighbor is Flannery Associates LLC. Some of the land the company bought had been held by the same families for generations.
"Some of them have sold. And some of them have been forced to sell because of family things," said Dana. "And it's sad all around, because nobody knows what's going on with this property."
Flannery's buying spree includes properties right on on the edge of the city of Rio Vista. Mayor Ronald Kott says Rio Vista is on its way to being completely boxed in.
"As this becomes more and more well known throughout the community, the residents are getting concerned about what's happening too. They recently purchased this whole track up through here," said Kott, gesturing to a map of the region. "As you can see from this map, here's Rio Vista, and here are all these parcels around the city. And it's very disconcerting to us, because our future is gonna be very dependent upon what they decide to do with all these purchases. And it's gonna be a long-term deal. That's what it looks like to me, anyway."
"Yeah, there's probably like four I know for sur who have not sold on this road," Dana said of her neighbors. "Most of the rest I've heard have sold."
"First of all, they're paying way above market," said the mayor. "And it makes it hard for these guys to ignore the money."
"There are people that I've gotten between 10 to 15 years to stay in the houses. Some of them have actually gotten lifetime," said Dana.
KPIX spoke with several property owners who did sell to Flannery and did not want to appear on television. They all told a pretty simple story: they were offered a good price, with good terms, by folks who appeared to them to be fine people. It is hard to fault anyone for that, and there has been no word of any hard feelings between neighbors who have made different decisions. But there is some unease out here, largely driven by all the mystery.
"So that's what makes me think that whatever they're planning on doing this is gonna be a long term, 20, 30, 40-year kind of a deal," said Kott. "Because Flannery is reluctant to say what they're doing, everybody suspects the worst."
So what might the company be doing? The mayor has a guess.
"40 years ago, if people bought land in orchards in San Jose and Santa Clara, it would be worth a bloody fortune today," said Kott.
"You know, I've heard people say that they want to do development and they want to build houses. But back here, between us and Highway 12, it's all marsh land," said Dana.
As for the land towards Rio Vista?
"It's hard-pan dirt. There's nothing to build and grow out here but weeds," she said.
Dana admitted she has no idea what the company plans to do, but she has heard from them.
"I have had several calls from Flannery, but I have turned them down. As soon as they say they are Flannery, I kind of just go, 'Nope, not interested!' And I hang up," said Dana.
She also said she currently has no plans to reconsider.
"I'm not going to sell. This is my property. It was mine and my husbands," she explained. "Since my husband has passed away, it's mine and I don't plan on moving because there's no place better to be at than out here."
