Approve referral to County Counsel, in coordination with Administration, to report to the Board with options for consideration relating to land use regulations to support the installation of solar agrivoltaics at specific Agricultural-Large Scale parcels, Assessor's Parcel Nos. (APNs) 841-420-15, 841-42-019, 841-42-018, and Hillside-d1, APN 841-42-012. (Lee)

County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors Supervisorial District Three Supervisor Otto Lee 128593 DATE: April 28, 2026 TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Otto Lee, President SUBJECT: Regulatory Framework for Solar Agrivoltaics RECOMMENDED ACTION Approve referral to County Counsel, in coordination with Administration, to report to the Board with options for consideration relating to land use regulations to support the installation of solar agrivoltaics at specific Agricultural-Large Scale parcels, Assessor's Parcel Nos. (APNs) 841-420-15, 841-42-019, 841-42-018, and Hillside-d1, APN 841-42-012. (Lee) FISCAL IMPLICATIONS No fiscal implications to the County general fund. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION Santa Clara County prides itself on its rich agricultural heritage, and the preservation and continued viability of agriculture remain fundamental to the County’s identity, economy, and land use policy framework. Agricultural lands—particularly in South County—play a critical role in sustaining local food systems, supporting rural communities, and maintaining the County’s historic and environmental character. As such, policies and initiatives that protect and strengthen agricultural...

County of Santa Clara Proposed Referral Cover Sheet Section 1: For Completion by Supervisor”s Office: 1. 2 3. 4 Initiating Supervisor(s): Supervisor Otto Lee Subject of Referral: Agrivoltaics Pilot Project Completed Legislative File for Referral is attached: [Mm] Yes Date Submitted to County Executive (submit to kimberly. forresterceo.sccgov.ore) and County Counsel: 4/15/26 For Board Meeting Date: 4/28/26 Section 2: For Completion by Administration: 6. 7. Administration Recommendation: Board Direction at Board Meeting [ | Hold Direction on Proposed Referral for Annual Review and Prioritization of Referrals (based on combined assessment criteria) LÌ Hold Direction on Proposed Referral for Recommended Budget Workshop (based on budgetary impact) Indicate the estimated range of the budgetary impact (excluding current staff time): [_] 80 s10,000 [_ ] $10,001 — $100,000 $100,001 — $500,000 LÌ $500,001 — $1,000,000 L_ ] over $1,000,000 Fiscal comments: Staff recommends that if the Board desires to pursue this referral at this time, that DPD be granted an estimated $300,000 to secure a consultant through a solicitation process to assist with research and development of recommendations...

Garden Green Agrivoltaics Project An Agriculture-First Agrivoltaics Pilot Program Supporting Water Efficiency, Farmland Productivity, and Community Energy Benefits Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Agricultural Preservation and Productivity Enhancement through Agrivoltaics ................................................ 6 3.1 Introduction: Agrivoltaics for a Resilient, Productive Future .............................................................. 6 3.2 Support from Local Farmers and Neighborhood .................................................................................. 7 3.3 Agrivoltaics Solar Energy System: Merging Farming and Clean Energy ........................................... 7 3.4 Structural Features...

PETITION IN SUPPORT OF RESPONSIBLE AGRIVOLTAIC DEVELOPMENT SOUTH SANTA CLARA COUNTY To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Santa Clara County Planning Commission Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development Statement of Support We, the undersigned farmers, landowners, agricultural operators, and community members in South Santa Clara County, respectfully express our support for the responsible development of agrivoltaic systems that integrate agricultural production with solar energy generation on the same land. South Santa Clara County has a long history of agricultural production and stewardship of working farmland. Preserving the long-term viability of agriculture in the region is critically important to farmers, landowners, and the broader community. At the same time, agriculture is facing increasing economic and environmental pressures, including: e Rising water costs e Climate variability and extreme weather conditions e Increasing operational costs for farms + Development pressure on agricultural land Agrivoltaic systems provide an opportunity to address these challenges by allowing continued agricultural use of farmland while generating renewable...

April 24, 2026 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors 70 W. Hedding St. San Jose, CA Subject: Opposition to Agrivoltaics Referral (Item 10, April 28, 2026) Dear President Lee and Members of the Board, Green Foothills and the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance wish to express our opposition to the proposed referral to develop a land use regulatory framework to support the installation of solar agrivoltaics on three Agricultural–Large Scale parcels (APNs 841-420-15, 841-42-019, 841-42-018), and one Hillside-d1 parcel (APN 841-42-012). The huge size of the proposed site, the potential negative impacts of the proposal on and beyond the project footprint, and the drain on scarce County staff time and resources, make this proposal a bad idea for the County. We urge the Board to reject this referral. These four parcels together total over 300 acres of prime farmland, farmland of statewide importance, and unique farmland, located at 3385 Pacheco Pass Highway (State Route 152) east of Gilroy. The site is in a moderate/high fire hazard zone and partially in a fault rupture hazard zone. Although described as a “pilot,” this proposal would require fundamental changes to County policy. As...

From: To: Subject: Date: james rogers BoardOperations [EXTERNAL] Agenda item #10 -referral to County Council for Agrovoltaic Pilot Sunday, April 26, 2026 12:18:32 PM Dear Board President Lee and Supervisors, I have read the staff reports on this project and, as a South County resident who is environmentalist and proponent of agriculture, would like to submit these comments. In view of the County’s strained budget situation I believe this pilot project should be deferred, at least until the Rural Zoning Amendments are finalized. As you learned earlier, this process can be controversial and complex, involving a lot of staff time. Although a pilot project could be a good idea, this parcel of more than 300 acres is much too large for an experiment. It is also located on a scenic highway, a narrow, winding two lane stretch of Pacheco Pass Highway (Hwy. 152) which is accident-prone. It already has very heavy traffic. Additional considerations include what type of infrastructure would be required, such as battery storage, highvoltage towers and wires and highway improvements. Would the sheer size of this project result in “industrialization” of good farmland? In summary, I believe that...

From: To: Subject: Date: Attachments: Andrea Pizano BoardOperations; Pachoud, Emily [EXTERNAL] Support for Agrivoltaics – Item 10 Monday, April 27, 2026 4:07:10 PM SVCE Agrivoltaics Support Letter 042726.pdf Hello, Attached please find a letter from SVCE’s CEO, Monica Padilla, in support of agrivoltaics for Item 10 of the Board of Supervisors meeting tomorrow morning. Best, Andrea ------------------Andrea Pizano Board Clerk/Executive Assistant SVCleanenergy.org | Follow us @SVCleanEnergy SVCE is committed to protecting customer privacy. Learn more about our privacy policy at: https://www.svcleanenergy.org/customer-confidentiality 333 W El Camino Real, Suite 330 | Sunnyvale, CA 94087 | 1-844-474-SVCE (7823) | SVCleanEnergy.org April 27, 2026 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors County of Santa Clara 70 W. Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95110 Dear Board President Lee and Supervisors Abe-Koga, Arenas, Duong, and Ellenberg: As you know, Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) is a joint power authority that purchases clean energy for the residents and businesses in 13 local jurisdictions including Unincorporated Santa Clara County. SVCE is continually seeking new sources of clean energy...

PETITION IN SUPPORT OF RESPONSIBLE AGRIVOLTAIC DEVELOPMENT SOUTH SANTA CLARA COUNTY To: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Santa Clara County Planning Commission Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development Statement of Support We, the undersigned farmers, landowners, agricultural operators, and community members in South Santa Clara County, respectfully express our support for the responsible development of agrivoltaic systems that integrate agricultural production with solar energy generation on the same land. South Santa Clara County has a long history of agricultural production and stewardship of working farmland. Preserving the long-term viability of agriculture in the region is critically important to farmers, landowners, and the broader community. At the same time, agriculture is facing increasing economic and environmental pressures, including: • Rising water costs • Climate variability and extreme weather conditions • Increasing operational costs for farms • Development pressure on agricultural land Agrivoltaic systems provide an opportunity to address these challenges by allowing continued agricultural use of farmland while generating renewable...

Agrivoltaics a proven technology 1 Preserves primary agriculture over long project lifespans 5 University and NREL studies validate agrivoltaics Confirm agriculture remains the main use 2 Why these agrivoltaics cases matter for Santa Clara County Solar infrastructure treated as subordinate and reversible Panels viewed as temporary, not permanent conversion 3 Agriculture-first, reversible solar on A-40 land Agricultural productivity maintained by science-based design Designs optimize crop yields under partial shade 4 Long-term land stewardship aligned with public policy goals Emphasis on soil protection and ongoing farming Academic and lab support: UC Davis and NREL research 6 GGS project fit: vegetable production supported under partial shading Designs emphasize continuity, soil care, reversibility

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