SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL RECAP
Solvang Council Approves Transit Bus Purchase and Updated City Fee Schedule
The Solvang City Council voted 3-1 to authorize the purchase of two transit vehicles and unanimously adopted an updated master fee schedule adding short-term rental violation fines.
Presentations and Recognitions
City staff presented the inaugural Golden Garden Certificates recognizing properties for curb appeal, drought-tolerant landscaping, and defensible space. The inaugural awards recognized three properties across categories including most beautiful garden, most drought-tolerant garden, and exceptional example of defensible space. Staff noted the program is planned to run twice a year. No vote was taken on this item.
Public Hearings and Fee Updates
The council held a public hearing to consider the adoption of a resolution updating user and regulatory fees for various city services. The updated master fee schedule adds municipal code infraction and misdemeanor fines consistent with state government code. Short-term rental violation fines were set to $1,500 for the first violation, $3,000 for the second, and $5,000 for additional violations within a year. The schedule also increased the public records per-page copy fee from 10 cents to 25 cents and added a $50 planning department vendor fee for temporary events without business licenses. The council approved the resolution 4-0.
Regular Business
The council considered a resolution waiving formal bidding and authorizing the purchase of two gasoline-fueled vehicles for the Santa Ynez Valley Transit fleet. The council authorized an amount not to exceed $350,000 to purchase two Chevy Starcraft vehicles from Model One, funded via State Transit Assistance funds held by SBCAG rather than the general fund. Staff justified the purchase by citing immediate transit availability, prior vehicle accidents and warranty issues, and a temporary California Air Resources Board Innovative Clean Transit waiver allowing gas-fueled vehicle purchases through 2026. The measure passed on a 3-1 vote, with Mayor David Brown dissenting.
The council then discussed and approved a resolution adopting the 10-year Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2026-27 through 2036-37. The plan was previously found consistent with the city's 2045 general plan by the Planning Commission on July 6 and serves as a planning tool for future infrastructure and utility rate studies. The council approved the plan 4-0.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent agenda by a 4-0 vote, with items 8B and 8D pulled from the agenda.
Public Comment and Staff Announcements
Staff announced that LT Municipal Consultants was selected for the upcoming water and wastewater rate study, and the utility rate review committee formation process is underway. Additionally, the city announced a state of the city event scheduled for August 27, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the city manager discussed planning a future joint council meeting with the City of Buellton.
Closed Session
The council adjourned to closed session to discuss a conference with real property negotiators regarding 320 El Toyal Mesa Road and 478 Fourth Place, as well as a conference with labor negotiators regarding unrepresented employees and Teamsters Union Local 986. Upon returning, the mayor reported that no reportable actions were taken for items 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, or E.
This recap was prepared by an AI system based on the official meeting recording and reviewed by a human editor before publication.