To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vincent Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Michael Walker, Senior Planner
TITLE:
Title
General Plan Adoption
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
(1) Adopt a resolution certifying the Environmental Impact Report for the City of Napa 2040 General Plan, and adopting Findings of Fact and a Statement of Overriding Considerations and determining that the General Plan may serve as a Mitigation Monitoring Plan in compliance with CEQA; and (2) Provide direction to staff on the draft City of Napa 2040 General Plan; direct staff to return to Council on October 18, 2022 with the final City of Napa 2040 General Plan which incorporates the direction provided by Council; and continue the hearing to October 18, 2022.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Purpose
The purpose of this agenda item is to present the redline edits of the Draft City of Napa 2040 General Plan (“2040 General Plan”) based on comments received during the public comment period and during the Planning Commission adoption hearings. The Planning Commission held two public hearings on the 2040 General Plan and supporting Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on August 18, 2022 and September 1, 2022 (see “Planning Commission Review” later in this report).
Background
The 2040 General Plan is based on information received through General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) meetings, public correspondence, results of online Community Surveys, Virtual Workshops, Focus Area surveys, and Element Framework surveys over the course of nearly four years.
Napa’s need for housing has led the approach on the initial components of the General Plan: the Draft Land Use Designations, Draft Land Use Plan, and key Focus Areas. Throughout the process, the GPAC, Planning Staff, and the Consultant Team focused on the following key strategies to prioritize housing within the Planning Area, which includes all lands within the City limits and the Rural Urban Limit (RUL):
• Expansion of Mixed-Use Designations - Reimagining Napa’s key commercial corridors for mixed-use development provides the opportunity to introduce residential uses in areas where infrastructure is already established. These concepts are more fully discussed in the Summary of Land Use Considerations
• Expand Public Serving Designation - The new Public Serving Designation, which has been applied to government-owned properties including schools, has been expanded to allow for residential uses at appropriate densities for the surrounding neighborhoods. This will allow for government-owned properties to more easily transition to residential uses, should the Public Serving use cease.
• Broader density allowances - In addition to new Mixed-Use Designations, the Draft Land Use Designations include two new single family designations, Very Low Density Residential (up to 2.0 units per acre) and Medium Density Residential (8.0 to 18.0 units per acre) which will allow a broader range of housing types.
While the focus on housing is evident as the City is currently preparing an update to the Housing Element to meet our Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the Sixth Cycle (2023-2031), it is important to consider that the Napa 2040 General Plan horizon will provide the basis for two additional Housing Cycles - the Seventh Cycle (2031-2039) and Eighth Cycle (2039-2047).
Draft General Plan Review
The Draft General Plan was released on February 16, 2022. A kickoff meeting was held virtually, via Zoom, and attended by approximately 75-80 members of the public (see recording of the meeting here <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQwLu0L_uJE&t=3s>). The Planning Commission held three consecutive public meetings on March 17, April 7, and April 21, 2022 as well as a Joint Session of the City Council and Planning Commission on March 28, 2022 to review and provide comments on the Draft General Plan. In addition to public comment received at public meetings, Staff also received hundreds of comments on the Draft General Plan through the project website and via email correspondence (see Attachment 8).
While comments were received on the entirety of the Draft General Plan, the primary focus of comments were related to the Land Use & Community Design Element (and Land Use Plan), the Transportation Element, and the Climate Change and Sustainability Element. For the purposes of this report, below is an overview of each Element of the General Plan and a summary of comments received and how those comments were addressed either as text edits to the General Plan document, edits to the Goals and Policies or elsewhere. Additional information on specific edits can be found in the August 18, 2022 Planning Commission report (see Attachment 7).
Land Use and Community Design Element
Comments received on the Land Use and Community Design Element were primarily focused on clean-ups to the Land Use Plan Map and strengthening language in the Goals and Policies. Where appropriate, stronger language has been incorporated into the Goals and Policies including replacement of phrases such as “seek to” and “strive to” with more actionable language. Notable examples include clearer language added with regards to the goal of preserving existing housing stock and supporting current efforts to enhance Downtown through expanded outdoor dining opportunities.
Land Use Plan Map
Comments received identified parcels throughout the City that were incorrectly labeled primarily due to old parcel data that did not translate to the new GIS-based map provided in the Draft General Plan. Notably, areas around the Oxbow Commons park and Cinedome Focus Area have been corrected to reflect the correct parcel data and land use designations.
Additional comments received identified several parcels throughout the City, primarily near the perimeter, that inadvertently “down-designated” the density allowances from what is currently permitted under the existing General Plan. Where appropriate, these parcels have been corrected. Some parcels were not changed where increasing the density to the next higher designation was not appropriate based on location and surrounding land uses. For example, parcels currently designated for 0-4 units per acre were kept at the Very Low Density designation of 0-2 units per acre as changing them to Low Density would effectively double the density allowance to 3-8 units per acre. While it is not the intention of the 2040 General Plan to lower densities overall, recent changes to State Law (like SB9) allowing for additional units on single-family parcels could mitigate or offset some of these reductions. It is also worth noting that most areas propose increased density and that an overall increase would result from the 2040 General Plan to help with the jobs/housing balance.
The City’s Economic Development Division identified an area currently designated as Light Industrial, generally bounded by Lincoln Avenue to the north, the Wine Train tracks to the east, Yajome Street on the west, and Vallejo Street on the south, as an opportunity area for application of the Industrial Flex designation. The Industrial Flex designation allows a variety of small-scale industrial uses, creative and “maker spaces” such as artisan shops and studios, and live/work units, while recognizing the mix of existing residential uses.
This area covers 34 parcels totaling approximately 16.5 acres. Currently, this area has about 90,000 square feet of general commercial or industrial uses. There are only a handful of opportunity sites in this area, and the Floor Area Ratios of the two designations (Light Industrial and Industrial Flex) are similar. Based on the 2040 General Plan development assumptions, the difference would yield approximately 18,000 square feet of additional building area and approximately seven housing units. These development differences are not significant at the General Plan scale.
Transportation Element
Comments received on the Transportation Element were focused on including Traffic Calming measures, strengthening the language throughout the Element, and providing more actionable goals and policies. In addition, Staff received specific edit requests from local organizations such as the Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA), the Napa County Bicycle Coalition, and Slow Down Napa, to name a few. Many comments received were in opposition to the potential extension of Linda Vista Avenue to Robinson Lane.
References to traffic calming have been added throughout the Element as well as adding the term Traffic Calming to Appendix B - Glossary of Terms. Language was added to the section on Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities to support further evaluation of roadways as “corridor studies”. Specifically, roadways were recommended as corridor studies by the City of Napa Bicycle Plan to determine the appropriate bicycle facility type and implementation action because their current configuration and operations made them too complex for a determination without further study.
Goals and polices have been added and updated to address comments received including support of Complete Streets, updates to the City’s Traffic Calming Guidelines, Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) thresholds, and support of enhanced safety features, to name a few.
Climate Change and Sustainability Element
Comments on the Climate Change and Sustainability Element mainly focused on adding enhanced language to the Goals and Policies as well as providing additional information to the body of the Element that highlights the City’s commitment to combating Climate Change.
Enhanced, language was added throughout the Element. Notably, references to short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) were included in the description of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, clarification was provided regarding emissions reduction targets outlined in Senate Bill 1383, and recognition of the City’s need to reduce emissions in order to comply with statewide goals.
In addition to descriptions of the State’s GHG reduction targets (including Executive Orders, Assembly and Senate Bills, and other strategies), the Climate Change and Sustainability Element also includes references to local initiatives, notably City Council Resolution R2022-030, adopted on April 5, 2022, which declares a Climate Emergency, furthers the City’s commitment to combating climate change, and calls upon the City to evaluate all planning and policy decisions through the lens of this commitment to climate change initiatives.
Where appropriate, enhanced language was incorporated into the Goals and Policies. Notable revisions include limitations on the expansion of fossil fuel service stations, promoting initiatives to establish potable recycled water infrastructure, and allocating Staff resources to provide oversight of the Climate Change and Sustainability Element’s goals and policies.
Economic Development Element
Prior to the August 18 and September 1 Planning Commission hearings, Staff received several comments and policy suggestions from the Napa Working Families Coalition (WFC). Specifically, WFC requested additional language be included in the Economic Development Element regarding Workforce Development and Equity. The Coalition also requested additional policies under Economic Development Goal ED-2 which promotes “training, education, and labor support programs that enhance the quality of the City’s workforce and support more equitable economic opportunities.”
City Staff met with members of the WFC to discuss the best ways to incorporate the suggested language into the Economic Development Element and policies. The edits included in the Redline General Plan (see Attachment 3) incorporate language where appropriate for a General Plan. Other suggested language regarding more operational requirements was determined to be already addressed by changes in State law or better suited for further discussion between the City and regional labor organizations.
Other Elements
Comments were received on the Community Services, Parks, and Recreation Element, the Historic and Cultural Resources Element, Natural Resources Conservation Element, Safety and Noise Element, and Public Health and Equity Element. Minor edits to each of those Elements and the Goals and Policies are outlined in further detail in the August 18, 2022 Planning Commission report (see Attachment 7).
Environmental Review
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared for the 2040 General Plan. The City issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) on January 22, 2021, which was circulated to responsible agencies and interested groups and individuals for review and comment. A public scoping meeting was held on January 27, 2021 to take public comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental information germane to the preparation of the EIR.
A “program level” Draft EIR document, including appendices and technical studies, was completed on March 10, 2022. The purpose of the Draft EIR is to inform decision makers, representatives of affected and responsible agencies, the public, and other interested parties of the potential environmental effects that may result from implementation of the 2040 General Plan. The Draft EIR describes potential impacts relating to a wide variety of environmental issues and methods by which these impacts can be mitigated, minimized, or avoided. With three exceptions, all potential impacts analyzed in the Draft EIR were found to be less than significant after implementation of specified mitigation measures.
The Draft EIR identifies three types of impacts that are considered significant and unavoidable, impacts relating to Air Quality, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Agricultural and Forestry Resources.
A Notice of Completion (NOC) was distributed on March 10, 2022 providing notice that the Draft EIR had been completed and was available for public review and comment through April 25, 2022. At the request of one State agency, the comment period was extended through May 6, 2022. A total of 12 comments were received on the DEIR from various organizations, individuals, and one Public Agency. Based on comments received pertaining to the Draft EIR’s analysis of agricultural resources, a Partial Recirculated Draft EIR for the Agricultural Resources section was prepared to provide further analysis of properties designated as California Important Farmland within the Planning Area. A NOC was distributed on June 17, 2022 providing notice that the Agricultural Resources section of the Draft EIR had been recirculated and was available for public review and comment through August 1, 2022. No other changes were necessary to the Draft EIR.
Pursuant to the requirements of CEQA, a Statement of Overriding Considerations must be adopted when certifying an EIR for a project that is expected to have significant and unavoidable impacts. A draft resolution certifying the Final EIR, adopting certain findings of fact, adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations is attached to this report (Attachment 1).
The Final EIR was published on the Napa 2040 General Plan project website on Friday, September 9, 2022 and included minor clarifications to a footnote in Table 2-3 (see Attachment 6).
Planning Commission Review
The Planning Commission held public hearings on the 2040 General Plan and supporting EIR on August 18, 2022 and September 1, 2022. During public comments, 28 speakers provided comments on the 2040 General Plan. Most of the comments were regarding the Linda Vista roadway extension, the Foster Road Mixed Use designation, and comments supportive of additional language in the 2040 General Plan related to quality jobs, services, and affordable housing.
After receiving public comment the Commission deliberated on the 2040 General Plan and EIR and forwarded a recommendation to City Council to (1) adopt a resolution certifying the EIR, and (2) adopt a resolution adopting the City of Napa 2040 General Plan with the following conditions:
1. Remove the Linda Vista Avenue extension to Robinson Land from the Transportation Element; and
2. Re-designate Foster Road Mixed Use as Greenbelt
Staff Recommendation
Linda Vista Avenue Extension
Staff's recommendation is to keep the extension of Linda Vista southwest of Lone Oak Avenue to Robinson Lane in Table 3.2 of the Transportation Element as a planned roadway improvement and on the list of Study Corridors listed under Policy TE 2-6, so that it can continue to be studied by staff. Such additional studies may include other options such as pedestrian/bicycle/emergency-only access. Designating this section of roadway as a study corridor will allow staff, in conjunction with Council and the community, to evaluate potential options for connectivity in this area. Options could be an emergency and bicycle/pedestrian only access bridge, a full bridge with traffic calming, or no bridge connection.
Providing adequate connectivity for all modes is an essential function of the City's transportation network. Additional study and evaluation of potential options for this section of roadway will provide insight on the vehicle, emergency access, bicycle and pedestrian mode components.
In general, vehicle connectivity can reduce circuitous routes traveled by vehicles, which in turn can reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions. Additional study would provide insight on these metrics as well as the resulting average daily traffic volume on Linda Vista Avenue and the surrounding roadway network for each option.
Connectivity for emergency access can provide alternate evacuation routes in the event of an emergency, reduce response times, and improve distribution of call coverage amongst the City's Fire Stations. Additional study would provide details on changes to response times and call distribution for the area.
Pedestrian and bicycle connectivity recommendations have been included in the City of Napa Pedestrian Plan and the City of Napa Bicycle Plan. The Linda Vista Avenue Bridge and Extension is listed in the City of Napa Pedestrian Plan as providing the pedestrian components of sidewalks and removing a crossing barrier. The City of Napa Bicycle Plan lists Class II bicycle lanes along the Linda Vista Extension as part of the overall bicycle network, with a caveat, that this location should be considered for a Shared Use Path (Class I) connection instead of the proposed Bike Lanes (Class II) if the anticipated future roadway connection is cancelled. Additionally, the Bicycle Plan contains a Connectivity Support Program and Policy that states that, "At locations with physical or natural barriers, such as railroad tracks, highways, rivers, creeks, etc., explore under crossings, overcrossings or bridges to provide connectivity. (Example improvements with such features include but are not limited to: ...as an alternative to a Class II route on a future bridge over Redwood Creek, a Linda Vista Class I bridge.)". Additional study would allow staff to evaluate a means to provide bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in this area through multiple options.
Foster Road Mixed Use
This 144-acre area, comprised of five large tracts, has been planned for residential development since 1982. This area serves as both an important gateway into the City as well as an opportunity to provide a mix of housing types through future land use planning efforts such as a Master Plan or Specific Plan. While the Planning Commission recommended that the Foster Road properties be designated Greenbelt, Staff recommends that the 2040 General Plan designate the Foster Road properties as Foster Road Mixed Use as previously proposed for the reasons discussed below.
The City has received a large amount of public comment regarding the Foster Road Mixed Use properties. Residents of the Foster Road area, and residents of the broader surrounding area, have expressed opposition to any development of these sites due to concerns about traffic, loss of views, environmental constraints, and retaining the natural character at the southern gateway of Napa. The Napa Valley Horsemen’s Association expressed concern about the ability to continue their operations should the proposed Foster Road Mixed Use designations be reflected in the 2040 General Plan.
It is important to understand the history of these properties, outlined below:
• In 1975 when the Rural Urban Limit Line (RUL) was established, these properties were included within the RUL. This established that development proposals on these properties would be considered in the future as allowable urban development, while properties “outside” the RUL were considered rural for uses such as agriculture.
• The 1982 General Plan designated the property for a range of housing types, including Medium Density Residential (6-12 units/acre) and High Density Residential (12-25 units/acre) along Highway 29.
• The Envision Napa 2020 General Plan, adopted in 1998, assigned Corporate Park, Multifamily (15-20 units/acre), and Single-Family Infill (3-8 units/acre) designations to the property.
• In 1999, the voters approved Measure A, which established the RUL as a part of City Charter Section 180. In general, no urban development is authorized outside the RUL, and the RUL may not be amended unless approved by the voters. The only very limited exception to this general rule authorizes the City Council to approve amendments to the RUL as necessary to comply with state or federal law, or to allow the construction of public improvements.
• The City pre-zoned the property to Master Plan in 2003, requiring additional planning to implement the General Plan designations.
The premise of a 20-year land use plan is that it provides the opportunity for properties to transition to planned uses but does not force these transitions. The proposal to apply the Foster Road Mixed-Use designation to this property would not, by itself, allow any new development on the property. Rather, it would identify residential and non-residential uses that could be developed in the future, if the Napa County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) was to approve the annexation of the property to the City, and if a future City Council was to approve such development. The recommended Foster Road Mixed-Use designation would not preclude the existing uses from remaining nor would it force the annexation of properties for development.
Community opposition from residents of the Foster Road area centers on the premise that the properties should not be developed at all and that the City should preserve these lands as open space. At the GPAC meetings, staff explained that the Foster Road properties are within the RUL, meaning that development of these properties has been anticipated in the City’s planning documents for more than 40 years. While the 2040 General Plan focuses on identifying opportunities for development along Napa’s key corridors, the Foster Road properties represent space for potential future housing to meet the needs of the community as it evolves over the next 20 years, so that areas outside the RUL can remain in agriculture, watershed, and open space uses.
During review of the draft Land Use Plan in early 2021, the Planning Commission generally supported maintaining the proposed designations if the Horsemen’s Association would be allowed to continue their existing uses. The Commission further recommended that a Specific Plan or Master Plan process should be required before any development of the properties can occur after the 2040 General Plan is adopted and prior to annexation and/or development of the property.
The City Council considered the Draft Land Use Plan at its April 20, 2021 meeting and provided direction to Staff and the Consultant Team to create a Foster Road Mixed Use designation, similar to other key properties in the City like Big Ranch Road and Napa Pipe. Further, Council recommended that the Foster Road Mixed Use designation also include specific goals and policies to further guide any potential development.
The Land Use Element contains Goals and Policies which apply to specific portions of the Planning Area. Specifically, Goal LUCD-23 regarding the Foster Road Mixed Use area states, “Promote residential development with supporting commercial uses integrated with site topography and the natural environment.”
Nine Policies supporting that Goal are also provided and include a requirement for a cohesive master or specific plan incorporating all parcels within the Foster Road Mixed Use Designation, ensuring development is reflective of the area’s environmental constraints, encouraging retention of the Napa Valley Horsemen’s Association, supporting design that reflects the location as a major gateway into the City and Napa Valley, and promoting clustered development to minimize visual impacts, among others.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Funds for the General Plan Update were budgeted through the normal process and this action simply utilizes already appropriated funds and will have no impact on budget or fund balance. The Capital Improvement Program budget for FY 2018-22, adopted June 20, 2017, included expenditure of $1,500,000 for the General Plan Update (MS18CD02) in 2018.
CEQA:
City Staff recommends that the City Council determine and certify that the City of Napa General Plan Update Final Environmental Impact Report (SCH# 2021010255) dated September 2022, has been completed in accordance with CEQA; the City Council has reviewed and considered the information contained in the FEIR prior to approving the project described in the Recommended Action; and the FEIR reflects the City Council's independent judgement and analysis.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution - Final EIR
ATCH 2 - Resolution - General Plan
ATCH 3 - Redline General Plan
ATCH 4 - Land Use Plan
ATCH 5 - Draft EIR and PRDEIR
ATCH 6 - Final EIR
ATCH 7 - Planning Commission Reports
ATCH 8 - Public Comments
NOTIFICATION:
Legal notice of the public hearing was published in the Napa Valley Register on September 9, 2022.