Supervisors Approve Flannery Land Swap 4-0 Despite Lingering Trust Concerns

Solano County supervisors on Oct. 6, 2026, approved a lot line adjustment that moves 243 acres onto a parcel owned by Flannery Associates LLC, which agenda materials link to the California Forever proposal. All of the land stays under farmland-preservation contracts. The 4-0 vote came only after one board member openly questioned whether the buyer intends to farm. With Supervisor John M. Vasquez absent, every item passed 4-0, including tighter rural short-term rental rules and up to $250.6M in conduit bonds for NorthBay medical sites.

---

• Flannery Associates gains 243 acres in a lot line deal; land stays under Williamson Act contracts
• Short-term rental loophole closed: new limits on refunds, advertising and 31-day "workaround" listings
• Up to $250.6M in tax-exempt bonds cleared for 10 NorthBay-leased sites, with no county liability
• DA reports 544 domestic violence cases filed in nine months as October becomes Awareness Month
• Solano challenges Contra Costa to 23rd Food Fight as the food bank warns of CalFresh losses

---

1 Big Thing: Flannery Parcel Grows, Farm Contracts Hold

The basics: Williamson Act contracts are state farmland-preservation agreements that keep land in agricultural use. A lot line adjustment redraws the boundaries between existing parcels.

Why it matters: Agenda materials tie Flannery Associates to the California Forever/East Solano proposal. Any change to its landholdings draws scrutiny from residents tracking development pressure on the county's eastern farmland.

Where things stand: The deal reconfigures three parcels totaling 580 acres off Collinsville Road, about 12 miles southeast of Suisun City. Flannery Associates LLC and the Anderson Living Trust own the parcels. Principal Planner Roland Hickle said the adjustment shifts 243 acres from Parcel B, mostly to Parcel A, which is the Flannery parcel. A 2.4-acre residential parcel moves west of Collinsville Road and grows to 5 acres, though it remains nonconforming. Both larger parcels meet the 160-acre minimum.

The board rescinded Land Conservation Contracts 775 and 1021 and approved replacement contracts 1394 and 1395. “There's no increase or decrease in the amount of contracted lands,” said Hickle. Assistant Director of Resource Management Misty Kaltreider said some pages had been left out of the posted contract attachments. Staff provided complete copies, and she said the contracts and the recommendation did not change.

The other side: A supervisor asked why the contracts don't run in perpetuity. “So it's a rolling 10-year contract that renews every year,” said Director of Resource Management James Bieseck, adding that “there's multiple options for them to get out of the contract.”

That exit flexibility set up the sharpest moment of the meeting. “So I just want to make sure that this is going to stay ag,” said one board member, who added that “a certain group that I don't think is here to do ag is now going to have a little bit more land.” The board member continued: “I have the trust issue.”

Staff answered directly. “The actions today don't change the zoning or the use of the land,” said Bieseck.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The resolution passed (For: 4, Brown, James, Williams, Mashburn; Against: 0; Absent: 1, Vasquez). No members of the public spoke. Flannery Associates comes away with a larger farm parcel, and the Anderson Living Trust's homesite grows. The total acreage under contract is unchanged. For residents wary of East Solano development, the vote keeps the land under contract but leaves the contracts' exit options intact.

---

County Closes the 31-Day Rental Workaround

Why it matters: Staff said some rural operators had found a way around short-term rental rules. The workaround cost the county transient occupancy tax (TOT, the hotel-style tax on stays), permit fees and business license fees.

Where things stand: The county adopted its short-term rental ordinance in 2018, after a two-year moratorium in rural residential zones, and last updated it in 2023. Planning Manager Alan Calder described the loophole: “there were some folks advertising for 31-day rentals, but they offered very favorable cancellation conditions.” The result, he said: “we lose out on TOT revenue, permit fees, and business license fees.”

Zone Text Amendment ZT-26-03 makes several changes:

• Treats "short-term rental" and "transient occupancy" as interchangeable terms
• Defines a long-term rental as a stay of more than 31 days
• Adds a definition of lodging recommended by the Planning Commission
• Sets minimum-stay requirements, refund restrictions and advertising limits
• Adds recordkeeping and reporting rules

The Planning Commission reviewed the changes in April 2026. The Airport Land Use Commission found them consistent in May.

The other side: “Are we going to put anything in here that you cannot have a fire in your backyard at a rental?” asked Board Chair Monica Brown. “That actually is in the ordinance, the one that we did adopt,” said Calder. He noted that existing rules already cover fire rings, fire extinguishers and evacuation notification, and that some rentals sit in high fire severity zones.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The ordinance passed 4-0, with Vasquez absent and no public speakers. Rural rental operators in unincorporated Solano County now face tighter refund and advertising rules. The county expects to recover lost TOT and fee revenue.

---

$250.6M NorthBay Bonds Clear Without County Risk

The basics: A TEFRA hearing is the public hearing federal tax law requires before tax-exempt bonds can be issued on behalf of a private borrower.

Where things stand: The California Municipal Finance Authority (CMFA), not the county, will issue up to $250.6M in tax-exempt bonds. The borrowers are HealthCore-affiliated entities that own 10 sites in Fairfield and Vacaville leased to NorthBay. “To clarify, Solano County is not the issuer of these bonds,” said Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector-County Clerk Denise Dix. She was joined by Lois Cross, NorthBay's vice president of government relations.

Why it matters: Dix said the leases are meant to lower NorthBay's occupancy costs. “Additionally, it will provide $42.5 million of tenant improvement capital, which would be used to add exam rooms and new services,” she said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No one spoke at the hearing, and the resolution passed 4-0. NorthBay gains cheaper financing and expansion capital for patient care in Fairfield and Vacaville. Taxpayers carry no repayment exposure.

---

Domestic Violence Caseload: Two Filings a Day

Where things stand: Supervisor Cassandra James, District 1, presented the resolution declaring October 2026 Domestic Violence Awareness Month. James is a former crisis intervention specialist with the Family Violence Law Center, and she noted that domestic violence is among the crimes that have increased over time.

“We have filed over 544 cases in 9 months, and that's over 2 cases a day,” said District Attorney Krishna Abrams. She said DA victim advocates have served roughly 844 victims this year.

Bisa French, the new Executive Director of the Family Justice Center and a 28-year law enforcement veteran and former police chief, announced this year's theme, "We All Know Someone." “Domestic violence is a public health and public safety issue that requires a collective community response,” said French.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Tonya Brownrigg, Executive Director of VESS, said the nonprofit has expanded to the Vallejo Courts, the Vallejo Navigation Center and the Family Justice Center. She said VESS won approval this month to expand supervised visitation to Vallejo. The resolution passed 4-0.

What's next: VESS will hold a walk at the Vallejo Marina on Oct. 10.

---

Food Fight Returns as CalFresh Cuts Bite

Why it matters: The regional food bank says federal policy changes are pushing residents off CalFresh just as the county's annual employee fundraiser begins.

Where things stand: Caitlin Sly, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, said the food bank provides food for 79,000 households and 2.7 million meals monthly across both counties. More than 66% of that food is fresh produce, protein and dairy. The food bank works with more than 70 Solano organizations, and $1 provides two meals.

“With the implementation of HR 1 in April, we had humanitarian immigrants that were rolling off CalFresh,” said Sly. “We now are having work requirements, which are not work requirements, they're paperwork requirements.” She warned that healthcare impacts will follow, and she praised the county's outreach.

Food Fight manager Emily Shepherd said Solano won the 2025 contest, extending its streak to six years. Employees raised $47,195, or $15.67 per employee. Over 22 years, Solano has raised $836,318, compared with about $1.51M for Contra Costa. “I still think we should get t-shirts that say Beat Contra Costa,” said Brown.

What's next: The resolution passed 4-0. Department fundraising runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

---

Minor Items

All consent items passed 4-0 with no discussion and no public comment.

• Capital projects: a $1,797,351 Nut Tree Airport taxilane and drainage contract with OC Jones & Sons, plus a $876,210 Honeywell fire alarm replacement at three Fairfield county buildings.
• Behavioral health: $826,066 for transitional housing through Bay Area Community Services ($255,000) and Caminar ($571,066), plus a net five new positions so the county can run its own Drug Medi-Cal system.
• Reentry and jail: $646,244 in PATH-JI contract amendments for CalAIM justice-involved services, plus a $140,000 jail video visitation contract with iWebVisit.com.
• Vacaville Fire Protection District: $709,464 in FEMA grants to replace a 1971 water tender and buy a PPE extractor, with a $35,474 local match.
• Transit and facilities: up to $1M in Transportation Development Act funds for Solano Transportation Authority paratransit, plus a $110,174 modular building purchase in Vacaville.

---

Looking Ahead

Acting Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser urged residents to get flu, COVID and RSV vaccines, citing early flu activity. He also warned that West Nile-positive mosquitoes are well above normal, especially around Dixon and in the northern part of the county. “There is no vaccine and there is no specific treatment,” he said.

Allison Nagel, Executive Director of Sustainable Solano, announced a farm-to-school project, the Oct. 17 Solano Air Quality Summit and an Oct. 29 local food forum.

James reported that she lost a County Medical Services Program (CMSP) board seat. After two tie votes, the CMSP board used a name drawing, which selected Sonoma County Supervisor Kersey. James also said Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 912, which the Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District will take up.

The board adjourned in memory of Jamarian Pop Grace, Calvin Ellerton of the Solano AIDS Coalition, and Pam Tonneson, wife of Fairfield Councilmember Scott Tonneson. Supervisors then went into closed session on pending litigation, the Public Defender appointment and fire district labor talks. No outcome was reported. The board meets next on Oct. 27.