A 50-acre slice of Solano County, known as Point Buckler Island, will soon go to the highest bidder during a public auction slated for January 22. As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, the auction will be in front of the Solano County Courthouse in Fairfield. The bidding will kick off at zero dollars, escalating in $100 increments. Any interested participants must quickly get their affairs in order; registration with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office is required by January 7.
There is, however, a significant caveat for potential buyers: they must sign a document agreeing to restore the island, a project that could come with a hefty price tag. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, John Sweeney, the man behind the original purchase and subsequent sale efforts, claims to have transferred the island to Point Buckler Island LLC in 2015. Yet, state business records do not currently reflect the existence of such an entity. Sweeney told The Real Deal he plans to submit an auction bid of $3.6 million, the value of his mortgage on the island.
The island has been a topic of conversation and controversy, especially among state and federal regulatory bodies. Sweeney, who initially bought the property for $150,000 back in 2011, faced legal troubles after repairing old levees to develop a private kiteboarding club, an activity that regulators say disrupted tidal flows and wildlife habitats. Sweeney denies these claims. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the island previously had a price tag of $75 million but is now listed by Sotheby’s for $40 million. This valuation points to two helipads and a 400-foot deep-water dock.
In past statements, Sweeney has acknowledged the financial burden that the island has been, estimating costs over $10.5 million in fines and legal fees. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board's executive officer, Eileen White, expressed that while Sweeney was fined $2.8 million, the board's primary goal isn't the recovery of funds but to ensure the island's restoration by its next owner. The Real Deal reports the upcoming sale does not absolve Sweeney or the LLC from their obligations to comply with court orders related to the island's remediation.
