Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Solano County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
32 issues with high priority
Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan
The county's road, bridge and drainage wishlist for the next six years was approved, funded heavily by the 2017 gas tax. Highlights: sidewalks at Suisun Valley/Rockville Roads, a 70-year-old culvert replacement, and 30+ miles of chip sealing a year.
English Hills Transportation Impact Fee update
New homes in the English Hills area will pay $8,384 (up about $188) toward fixing substandard roads there, starting January 1, 2027. Fire rebuilds and small ADUs stay exempt.
CIF FY2026/27 annual grants and NAMI Solano funding gap
NAMI Solano, which serves over 1,000 people a year with free mental illness support, lost all its county funding — about $325,000 — after Proposition 1 changes, and a nonprofit grant application was denied. They asked the board to help find a path forward.
Behavioral health interoperability contract
Consent items totaling over $1.1 million would fund transitional housing (Bay Area Community Services, Caminar) and behavioral health services (Seneca, St. Joseph's) for residents in need.
Public safety dispatcher market equity increase
The Board was scheduled to consider an 11.6% market equity raise for entry-level public safety dispatchers, raising the monthly range to $6,398.30–$7,777.17. Competitive pay helps the county recruit and retain the people who answer 911 calls.
Winter storm and flood preparedness
A very strong El Niño is already driving up tides, Suisun's drainage district has declared early, and crews are prepping roads, culverts, and the Justice Campus flood walls. Residents are urged to clean their own culverts and sign up for Alert Solano before the first big storm flushes debris downstream.
2027 Legislative Platforms
The county's advocacy playbook for next year targets HR 1's cost shifts to counties for Medi-Cal and CalFresh, a proposed census rule that could cut California's federal funding, and potential PG&E wildfire-liability legislation — all with real dollar consequences for county services.
Transitional housing and behavioral health contracts
Over $826K in contracts with Bay Area Community Services and Caminar will provide transitional housing through June 2027 for people who are homeless or at risk and have behavioral health needs.
West Nile virus warning
The acting public health officer warned that West Nile-positive mosquitoes are running high countywide, especially around Dixon and northern Solano, with two deaths already in Yolo County. Residents are urged to dump standing water, wear repellent, and get flu shots.
Domestic violence awareness and services
Supervisors recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month, hearing that the DA's office has filed 544 DV cases in nine months and advocates have served over 844 victims this year. Local services are expanding into Vallejo, including a supervised visitation program and an October 10 awareness walk.
NorthBay health facilities revenue bonds
Ten NorthBay health facilities in Fairfield and Vacaville will get up to $250.6 million in tax-exempt financing for renovations and $42.5 million in new exam rooms and services. The county isn't on the hook for repayment — the bonds are issued by a state financing authority for the nonprofit borrower.
North Meridian Road drainage and flood risk
A resident says the county's road widening pushed material into her drainage canals and they've never been cleared, raising flood fears ahead of a predicted wet El Niño winter. County staff say Public Works is already coordinating storm prep and will report back on possible state emergency funding.
FY2026/27 County Budget
The Board quietly set next year's property tax rates for the county, cities, schools and special districts — the routine annual action that determines what appears on property tax bills.
Lawsuit over Delta Conveyance Project
The Board declared Delta Week, and Supervisor Mashburn used the occasion to warn the Delta is 'under siege' by water export interests — and to explain why he's giving up his regional transportation seat to focus on Delta and water fights.
Solano 5 Wind Repower Project and Travis AFB compatibility
An ad hoc committee visited Travis AFB's Radar Approach Control Center to understand how wind turbines might interfere with radar and the base's training mission, and is working to visit the FAA facility as well.
Drug Medi-Cal program transition to county control
The Sheriff's Office will enroll eligible inmates in Medi-Cal starting July 1, 2026, under agreements with the state through June 2029. Connecting people in custody to health coverage can improve reentry outcomes.
Psychiatric inpatient services contract
The county locked in $767,390 with Sierra Vista Hospital for acute psychiatric inpatient beds for Medi-Cal beneficiaries through June 2028. This keeps treatment options available for residents in mental health crisis.
IHSS caregiver contract
SEIU Local 2015 in-home care providers got a new contract approved unanimously, aimed at recruiting and retaining the caregivers who keep seniors and people with disabilities living at home.
Housing Element zoning consistency update
The ordinance codifies state requirements for farmworker housing, density bonuses, residential care facilities, emergency shelters and low-barrier navigation centers.
Battery energy storage siting near airports
A resident warned that battery energy storage certification reports are being withheld as trade secrets and may be outdated, limiting the fire marshal's ability to write emergency response plans.
California Forever development proposal
Multiple residents used general public comment to oppose California Forever-related growth, citing affordability and livability, while a later speaker argued development itself is not the driver of cost increases.
Affordable housing funding for Fairfield and Vacaville projects
The Board put $600,000 in Housing Trust Fund money into two affordable housing projects — Tabor Commons apartments in Fairfield and Harmony Village homes in Vacaville — plus a $446,354 fee deferral. The Fairfield money is contingent on the city approving its own $800,000 in impact-fee credits.
California Forever annexation and IHSS labor negotiations
Residents raised opposition to city annexations of unincorporated county land around Suisun City and Vacaville, and one commenter asked the county to track potential agricultural losses from those annexations.
Suisun Valley sewer service study
The Board approved a broader feasibility study of sewer service for Suisun Valley, including the I-80 corridor, Woodcreek 60, and Rockville Corners. Supervisors pledged the study won't change the Suisun Valley Strategic Plan or trigger annexation pressures.
Business license tax on energy producers and data centers
Voters will decide in November whether to modernize and raise business license taxes on data centers, commercial energy production, and resource extraction facilities. Supervisors pitched it as a backstop against state-forced data center projects; critics wanted a full moratorium instead.
California Forever development dispute
Speakers split on the California Forever project: supporters asked the Board to form a business-leader commission to smooth its path, while opponents urged the Board to resist state legislation that would weaken local land-use control.
Land Use Development Debate
Solano County is split over California Forever’s push to bring manufacturing jobs to the area. Supporters see a big economic boost, while critics worry about unplanned growth and sprawl. It’s likely to keep drawing crowds and tension at county meetings.
New EMS advisory committee after SEMSC exit
Solano County is formally pulling out of the Solano Emergency Medical Services Cooperative JPA, putting ambulance oversight directly under the Board and county health officials. The new EMS advisory committee's makeup — and whether the contracted ambulance company gets a vote — was too contested to decide, so it comes back later.
Transient Occupancy Tax increase on November ballot
A proposed November 2026 ballot measure would raise the hotel tax in unincorporated Solano County from 5% to 12%, more in line with neighboring cities. It would mostly hit visitors, generating about $58,000 a year.
Public Safety Radio Tower Site Agreements
The county will keep using city-owned land in Dixon and Rio Vista for its emergency radio towers at no cost for ten years — critical for sheriff, fire, and EMS radio coverage.
Brann Ranch mixed-use development in Rio Vista
A big mixed-use development proposed in Rio Vista sits inside Travis Air Force Base's compatibility Zone D and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport's planning area. The Commission signed off that the project can go forward without conflicting with airport safety and noise rules.
County withdraws from regional EMS joint powers authority
Solano County is formally pulling out of the Solano Emergency Medical Services Cooperative JPA, putting ambulance oversight directly under the Board and county health officials. The new EMS advisory committee's makeup — and whether the contracted ambulance company gets a vote — was too contested to decide, so it comes back later.