To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Julie Lucido, Public Works Director
Prepared By: Jeff Freitas, Property Manager
TITLE:
Title
Acceptance of Right of Way for the Vine Trail
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution authorizing acceptance of a Quit Claim Deed from the Napa Valley Transportation Authority for a portion of the Napa Valley Vine Trail, and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution were adequately analyzed by a previous CEQA action.
Body
DISCUSSION:
In order to expand the trail system throughout the Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) has been working with the Vine Trail Coalition to acquire right-of-way at certain locations where it was necessary to create a continuous trail system and connect the Vine Trail to the City’s existing commuter bike path along the Napa Valley Wine Train tracks.
The Vine Trail is envisioned as a 47-mile Class I bicycle and pedestrian trail from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal to the City of Calistoga. The Oak Knoll District alignment was identified from Redwood Road in the City of Napa to California Drive in the Town of Yountville, between the Napa Valley Wine Train and Solano Avenue.
It was envisioned that NVTA would acquire the necessary property rights for the recreational trail and subsequently convey those property rights to the City of Napa for the portion of the trail within the City limits. For the Oak Knoll District alignment, there was a segment of the proposed trail alignment for which right-of-way was needed from five separate parcels of land under four separate ownerships.
The first of the four areas of right-of-way was accepted by the City with the adoption of Resolution R2019-078 at its July 16, 2019 meeting. The second of the four areas of right-of-way is the subject of the Recommended Action and consists of a 14-foot wide easement interest in portions of two properties owned by New East Frontiers, Inc. Specifically, the easement is located on properties lying on the east side of Solano Avenue just south of Wine Country Avenue (APNs 007-082-001 and 007-082-002) where the trail is located, the “Subject Easement.” The Subject Easement was conveyed from New East Frontiers, Inc. to NVTA by the Amended and Restated Grant of Easement and Easement Agreement recorded June 23, 2020, as Instrument No. 2020-0014594, Napa County Official Records.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Acceptance of the subject Quit Claim Deed from the Napa Valley Transportation Authority will bring the subject portion of the Vine Trail into the City’s trail system and the City will be responsible for its future maintenance and repairs. Trail maintenance is performed by City Parks and Recreation Department and funded by the Parks general fund operating budget.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that the potential environmental effects of the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report were adequately examined by Negative Declaration prepared by the Napa County Transportation & Planning Agency (NCTPA, now the Napa Valley Transportation Authority) for the Napa Valley Vine Trail - Oak Knoll District, and adopted by NCTPA at its meeting on January 21, 2015, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15063 and 15162.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
EX A - Quit Claim Deed
NOTIFICATION:
None.