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Board adopts EV charging policy, vendor‑managed fees and enforcement plan
Summary
The board approved a county EV charger policy and a vendor‑managed fee approach (set at 100% of the managing vendor's rate) and authorized a traffic order amendment for enforcement. The policy establishes a two‑hour limit, vendor maintenance by EVCS, and a path to add more chargers as infrastructure funding becomes available.
Solano County adopted a new countywide electric vehicle (EV) charging use policy and fee approach after a staff presentation and extended board discussion. Megan Grevey, General Services Director, told the board the county negotiated site‑host agreements with EVCS to install and operate chargers and that the vendor secured $422,000 in grants to place initial stations; EVCS will manage operations and billing under a five‑year contract. Grevey described current and planned locations, noting "We have 4 EVCS chargers out at the Cordelia Ag site" and that NG‑funded work will deliver 54 charging ports as part of the county energy project slated for installation in 2025. The recommended fee schedule ties the county fee to "100% of the managing vendor rate" rather than a fixed local rate; staff reported current network rates of 39¢ per kilowatt‑hour for Level 2 chargers and 49¢ for Level 3 fast chargers, with the county receiving 7¢ per kWh as site host payment.
Board members pressed staff on practical details and enforcement. Supervisor Erin Hannigan raised concerns about vandalism and public safety, saying, "They've literally cut off the charger cords that go to your vehicle." Staff and the vendor explained that EVCS will handle maintenance and the sheriff will enforce parking time limits through citations and towing until EVCS can implement an automated idling/penalty fee next year. Supervisors also discussed different time limits for Level 2 vs. Level 3 chargers, staging and security for fleet vehicles, and the hidden "soft costs" of converting the county fleet (estimated fleet size discussed at roughly 800–900 vehicles). The board voted to adopt the policy, set the fee approach, and approve the traffic order amendment to allow enforcement, with the motion carrying 5–0.
Staff committed to periodic updates as grant funding and vendor capabilities evolve and noted infrastructure costs (installation commonly cited at $20,000–$30,000 per charger) remain the primary barrier to faster expansion.
