To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Breyana Brandt, Parks and Recreation Director
Prepared By: Ali Koenig, Parks Planning Manager
TITLE:
Title
Harvest Park Project Community Engagement Kick-off
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Receive an update and presentation on the Harvest Park Project which includes (1) project progress; (2) site-specific community engagement plan; and (3) upcoming milestones; and provide direction to staff.
Body
DISCUSSION:
On December 13, 2025, the City of Napa acquired the 26.6-acre Harvest Middle School property (“Property”) at 2447 Old Sonoma Road, marking a major milestone in expanding local recreational opportunities. Backed in part by Measure G funds, this significant purchase has not only ensured that the Property remains active and accessible for the community but has also allowed the City to initiate steps toward developing a long-term public recreation vision for the property.
To shape the Property into a New Future Public Recreation Campus (“Project”), the City is launching an extensive, community outreach initiative this summer (“Harvest Park Project Community Engagement”). This effort will build off of the citywide parks and recreation engagement initiative completed in 2025 which provided a baseline analysis of community needs and desires for recreational amenities and facilities. Feedback methods were supported by Probolsky Research, a nationally recognized research firm, and comprehensively included a Statistically Valid Survey (300 responses); In-Person Community Meeting held September 2025; City Commission Leadership Alignment Workshops; and Citywide Parks & Recreation Survey promoted by postcard (1,500 responses).
Broad resident participation in the Harvest Park Project Community Engagement initiative will support the City’s understanding of how these preliminary findings apply to the property and can serve residents for generations to come. Key project guidelines include:
• Prioritize existing facility gaps in Napa’s parks and recreation system by including recreation facilities typical to comparable communities;
• Design flexible, multi-use facilities for all generations;
• Develop citywide community gathering spaces;
• Reach Napa’s diverse communities with equity and inclusion; and
• Be accountable to Measure G commitments and budget limits.
This Project will span multiple phases under the lead of a prime consultant. On May 5, 2026, the Napa City Council approved the selection of Noll & Tam Architects (NTA) to lead architectural planning and design services. Beyond their qualifications and understanding of the project opportunities and constraints, NTA has communicated an understanding and clear approach to valuing and incorporating diverse community concerns and interests in the project design. They have also prioritized local resources by including Napa-based sub-consultants to support the overall project. NTA’s services will be structured into three distinct project phases:
• Phase I: Development of (2) Design Alternatives followed by (1) Modified Council-approved Phased Design
• Phase II: Construction Documentation and Competitive Bidding
• Phase III: Construction Administration
Phase I services kicked-off on June 1, 2026 with a series of meetings to advance pre-design tasks including goal setting, site visits, field observations/documentation and development of engagement methodology. City Staff and NTA will review the Harvest Park Project Community Engagement Plan (Attachment 1) with City Council, along with upcoming milestones for questions and input. Key upcoming items include the following bilingual functions:
• Community Partner Meetings - (15) targeted focus group meetings.
• Town Halls - community-serving events.
o 8/26 - Virtual Town Hall
o 9/2 - Bilingual Town Hall (on-site at Harvest)
o 9/3 - Spanish-language Town Hall (on-site at Harvest)
• Community Pop-up’s - tabling at local events/priority areas.
• City Staff Interviews - input from City staff on key issues.
For further background on the Property acquisition and current interim operations, see the December 2, 2025 City Council (Item 6B) project update.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
None. City Council awarded the Project’s design and planning services to Noll & Tam Architects on May 5, 2026.
CEQA:
The Parks and Recreation Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not in-and-of-itself a “project” (pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378) since it does not result in a physical change in the environment. However, the Recommended Action is part of a larger “project” that will be subject to environmental review in accordance with CEQA at the “earliest feasible time” prior to “approval” consistent with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15004 and 15352.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Harvest Park Project Community Engagement Plan
NOTIFICATION:
Community engagement for the Harvest Park Project is being advertised to local residents through a variety of print and digital methods in both English and Spanish including City-wide newsletters, social media, fall recreation guide, direct outreach to organizations/individuals, flyers, as well as a direct mailer to all households.