Farmers and residents urge Solano supervisors to address District 4 representation, high permit fees and land‑use concerns

During public comment on June 2, multiple residents appealed to the Board of Supervisors to address perceived lack of representation in District 4 and to revise county permitting and zoning rules that residents said are threatening small‑scale farmers.

G. Cully, president of the Pleasants Valley Association, said District 4 lacked a voting representative and listed local priorities — water and battery‑energy storage siting, an agricultural overlay proceeding, fire district consolidation, and loss of green belts between towns. He described one farmer who had been temporarily barred from selling at a farmers market because of permit noncompliance and asked for zoning changes to ease small‑farm operations.

"We have no one in District 4 to speak to," Cully said, asking the board for action and for a rural residential zoning overhaul that would protect farms typically operating on 80 acres and below.

Ben Lions, who identified himself as with Lockwood Acres, said Resource Management is proposing or enforcing permit fees he called "astronomical," recounting a $42,500 valuation for permitting farm structures he said should be by‑right. "There's something wrong with the system when you have that kind of valuation and permit fees on things that I use," Lions said.

Steve Olry raised separate concerns about election integrity and ballot tabulation irregularities in neighboring jurisdictions, urging the board to consider accountability and transparency in elections. Joseph Joyce and Karen Warbertton offered other public comments—Joyce promoted the Solano County Fair (June 11–14) and its junior livestock program; Warbertton, UC Cooperative Extension area director, introduced extension events and outreach resources.

Board members did not take formal action during public comment but heard requests for follow‑up from staff and emphasized next steps for outreach and constituent services.