Vacaville Planning Commission announces biotech fast-tracking

"Vacaville stakes out ambition to be global biomanufacturing epicenter" - San Francisco Business Times

In an effort to expand the biomanufacturing industry in Solano County, the Vacaville Planning Commission has unanimously approved a new policy that would fast track biotechnology business development. The San Francisco Business Times writes that the process “prioritizes the review of biotechnology commercial real estate developments, provides a central point of contact for them and mandates the processing of entitlements in 90-100 days from the submission of applications to land use approvals.”

Mayor Ron Rowlett said in a statement that the new fast track program “will ensure that this is as fast and frictionless a process as possible for companies looking to locate and expand in Vacaville.” City officials will be assigned to individual projects and work side-by-side with construction, design teams, and a dedicated building inspector.

The new fast track policy comes after several massive land grabs for biomanufacturing facilities all over California. Just last week, Torrance County announced plans for a 15-acre biotech hub. In late September, real estate firm IQHQ announced the new five-block San Diego Research and Development District, or RaDD. It will be “a massive lab-filled campus where ground-floor retail and unrivaled bay views work to recruit the biggest names in the pharmaceutical industry.”

In October, Vacaville unveiled plans for the California Biomanufacturing Center, which includes a 300-acre expansion on an existing facility. “Our plans have potential to expand biomanufacturing in this city to lead to more than $2 billion worth of development, 3.5 million square feet of commercial real estate development, and the addition of 13,000 jobs, which equates to $1 billion in payroll per year,” said Mayor Rowlett.