Public Comment - Yountville Town Council
March 17, 2026
Good afternoon. My name is Maria Sulprizio. I am a Yountville resident - a Yountvillainelle - and I come in peace. Mostly.
I am here to raise a public health concern.
Sanchez Bros. Landscaping, contracted by The Crossroads HOA, is spraying Roundup herbicide in common areas where residents and pets walk every day. I have video documentation.
The World Health Organization has classified glyphosate - Roundup's active ingredient - as probably carcinogenic. As of February 17, 2026, Bayer has proposed a $7.25 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits linking Roundup to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Nearly $12 billion set aside in total.
Bayer's lawyers are busy. Ours shouldn't have to be.
When I raised this concern with property management, I was threatened with trespassing - for walking my dog in the common areas and speaking with neighbors about a health concern that affects us all. Is Roundup also being sprayed along Yount Street, a public sidewalk we all share? When I raised the same concern at Hopper Creek, adjacent to the Yountville Farm Stand Garden, I was spoken over and told I could not speak to workers. Roundup being sprayed near a garden where residents grow food is serious.
Intimidation is not an answer.
Safe alternatives exist and are available now.
I am asking this Council to take a public position on glyphosate use within our town - and to support residents' right to advocate for their health without intimidation.
There is a saying I believe in:
Pay the farmer, not the doctor.
And if anyone needs me afterward, I'll be in the garden - growing food, not lawsuits.
Thank you.
- A Yountvillainelle advocating for our health and longevity.