Suspicion grips rural enclave over plans to build ‘America’s most beautiful new town’

Wealthy investors try to build an idyllic new city for high agency individuals in California’s wine country.

Proposals for Esmeralda, which will be located 90 minutes north of San Francisco in Sonoma, call for the community to become “America’s most beautiful new city.”

But not everyone is happy with the tech-driven vision of utopia put forth by founder Devon Zuegel.

Locals have expressed concern that the city will be a “crypto and AI-powered village full of venture capitalists.”

However, Zuegel and her team emphasize that the community will not just be an exclusive enclave for elites, but instead aims to create a college campus feel where residents “run into friends while walking.”

Modeled after “an Italian hill town,” locals can enjoy a place where “group dinners, creative projects, book clubs and pick-up sports happen spontaneously,” according to Esmeralda’s website.

‘It would be great to be a parent there too. Instead of being a driver for your kids, you could give them more freedom and just tell them to be back before dark,” the description reads.

While it may sound like a distant dream, Esmeralda is moving closer to reality after investors secured an exclusive option to purchase a 267-hectare plot of land.

“If you dream of living in a small town while surrounded by creative people with high attitudes, we’ll build this for you,” said Zuegel, a former GitHub employee.

But amid the excitement, discontent is bubbling among some skeptical locals.

‘How are you going to determine whether people are ‘high-agency’ enough to live in your city? Credit check?’ One person asked.

“Crypto and AI powered village full of VCs near Healdsburg. Definitely what the locals want,” another added.

‘Where will the cleaners live?’ One person was joking.

The city will be located 90 minutes north of San Francisco in Cloverdale, Sonoma County

The Esmeralda Land Company recently purchased this 267-acre parcel of land

Cloverdale local Nancy Reyes shared it San Francisco Chronicle: ‘It sounds like they want to make it just like Healdsburg. And no place for people like me.’

Nearby Healdsburg is experiencing a housing crisis as more luxury apartments, hotels and condominiums pop up.

However, Zuegel emphasizes that the district will support “a wide range of incomes and life stages.”

To ensure this, the 170 proposed homes will be ‘a diverse range of housing types and styles’.

“In our many on-the-ground conversations with Cloverdale residents over the past year, we have not heard anyone express concern that our project will make the community unaffordable,” she explained.

“In fact, most residents have told us they are excited about its inclusivity. Cloverdale has not developed much market-rate housing in the past decade, and the region is in desperate need of more housing supply at all income levels.”

To achieve this, the development will be financed by the Esmeralda Land Company, an independent for-profit company backed by investors.

But despite the high-end backers, Zuegel claims Esmeralda will suit everyone.

The concept is led by founder Devon Zuegel, a former GitHub employee

“Instead of being a gated community, we plan to build an extensive new network of publicly accessible trails throughout the property, including the SMART Pathway and the Great Redwood Trail,” she explained.

“The Institute will host activities, events and classes for all Cloverdale residents to enjoy. Historically, this country has been closed to the public. We intend to change that.’

Zuegel explained how idyllic childhood summers spent at her grandmother’s house in the town of Chautauqua, New York, served as inspiration for the project.

Each year the walkable community of 8,000 people comes alive with a series of lectures, workshops and performances in a series of pavilions.

Zuegel describes the feeling as “college campus meets family summer camp.”

“My favorite childhood memories are the summers I spent at Grandma’s house in Chautauqua,” she explained. “I was sitting on the porch reading, and family friends walked by and stopped to chat.

‘Sometimes I would jump down and go along to a lecture or workshop.’

This summer, Zuegel tested her vision with Edge Esmeralda, a temporary pop-up city modeled after Chautauqua’s summer program.

Esmeralda’s founders hope it will become ‘one of the most beautiful new places in the country’ and paint a picture of the city as a walkable and bikeable metropolis for all ages

The 1,300-person gathering in Healdsburg was intended as a prototype for the permanent city, which will take place every year.

Participants aged six weeks to 86 years each paid a maximum of $2,158 for a one-month ticket.

Participants were invited to join sessions on creating wearable AI and building solar A-frames, among other workshops and talks.

San Francisco Standard reporter Zara Stone described the event as “biotech meets blockchains meets blood draws.”

Participants could choose from virtual reality experiences, yoga, group therapy and other sessions.

Events had titles such as “Cities of Tomorrow: Flying Cars Meet Ancient Urban Designs,” “Protocols for Decolonization,” “How to Die: A Death Ritual,” and “Help Build a Data Terrarium.”

“Our vision for Esmeralda is to build a year-round community that takes the best parts of Chautauqua and updates it with the dynamism, diversity and culture of invention of the Bay Area,” Zuegel said.

But when it comes to the city’s aesthetics, Zuegel looks further afield to Mediterranean influences.

One of the influences for the city’s aesthetic is Las Catalinas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, a coastal community with the “bones of a classic Mediterranean hill town.”

“Two key components will make Esmeralda special: our ‘hardware’ – an Italian hill town and our ‘software’ – a culture of learning and building,” she explained.

She cites Las Lomas Pueblo in Andalusia as one of her sources of inspiration. The Spanish city has ‘streets on a human scale’, as well as abundant greenery and squares.

She also draws inspiration from the coastal city of Las Catalinas in Costa Rica, built just over a decade ago, “with the bones of a classic Mediterranean hill town.”

Likewise, the walkable centers of Serenbe, a chain of villages on the outskirts of Atlanta modeled on the English countryside, reflect the kind of community Esmeralda could be.

Currently, the Esmeralda Land Company has entered into a purchase and sale agreement for real estate in Cloverdale.

Before closing, it will conduct due diligence on the property, which is located in Cloverdale.

Prior to Zuegel’s purchase, the property had been given the green light for a development that would include a hotel, spa, restaurants, residences, shops and an events center.

Zuegel cites the walkable centers in Serenbe as one of the things she likes about the community

Esmeralda leaders have met with city officials to build on their vision, including plans for a 150-room hotel.

“The City Council has been very supportive of the proposed AVR project, based on the approval of the current entitlements, and is eager to see if the project progresses past the due diligence phase,” City Manager David Kelley said.

“The community is cautiously and optimistically waiting to see whether the project will move forward and what changes will be pursued in the approved development plan.

“While the due diligence process is still in its early stages, I suspect there will be broad community support for the development elements outlined by the Esmeralda Land Company.”

Esmeralda doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of California Forever, another proposal for a walkable urban center in the San Francisco Bay region that has stalled amid accusations of elitism.

Similarly, Serenbe, a chain of villages on the outskirts of Atlanta modeled on the English countryside, is used as a source of inspiration

“While we are very different from California Forever, there is much to learn from their experience,” Zuegel said.

‘California Forever proposes to build a major new city, built from scratch in an unincorporated rural area; we propose to create a new district within the boundaries of an existing incorporated city, on a former industrial estate.

‘The political and social context could not be more different. Since we announced our plans to purchase the property this summer, we have received tremendous local support: hundreds of encouraging messages and dozens of invitations for coffee and walks.

‘Everyone I’ve met wants to share ideas and learn more about our plans. I’m impressed with the YIMBY sentiment in Cloverdale.”