Thank you, sir. Council member.
The agenda mayor, each and then and regal a memo from staff and mover in seconder of the
pit of the month, the city of Navigation Services, the city of Navigation Services,
along with an opposite council, do hereby proclaim June 26 as Parks and Recreation Month in
the city of Navidated July 21, 2026.
Thank you, Parks and Rec, and I think we have with us a lot of Parks and Rec staff and some commissioners
even Ali Honig and I think Jeff Giddings were going to come up and accept the
proclamation and then we can probably get a photograph.
Well, thank you for recognizing July's Parks and Rec Month.
We have a great team that does a tremendous amount of work and I just want to really give a lot of
kudos to them for all the work that they do, day in and out to make sure that these places are
available for the public clean and well used and then just a big thanks to the community for the
opportunity with measure G that allows us to do a lot more improvements and obviously
new sites that we just really weren't able to do in the past with the funding that we had.
And then thank you to you, Council as well, for acknowledging that.
So thank you.
Thank you.
Okay.
Here's like having done this every day.
So our second recognition this year afternoon is of item force here in gender,
and I think recognizing can these pro-inclusionary Napa.
So, council?
Yes, city of Napa Proclamation recognizing can do is pro-inclusion Napa.
Whereas the city of Napa is committed to fostering a safe welcoming and inclusive community
for all residents, workers and visitors hand.
Whereas from time to time signs, flyers and other displays that attempt to divide members of our community
have appeared in Napa.
Under scoring the importance of continued efforts to promote inclusion, mutual respect and a sense of belonging for all and.
Whereas in response, concerned residents formed pro-inclusion Napa in 2023, which joined and became a program of Napa Valley
can do in 2024, dedicated to promoting the core values of respect, acceptance and kindness.
Whereas in 2024, pro-inclusion Napa launched the positive poster project, engaging youth and classrooms in that community events,
to explore these values and create posters reflecting their meaning, resulting in more than 500 posters,
many of which have been displayed at city hall in other community locations.
Whereas in January, 2026, pro-inclusion Napa launched the positive yard sign campaign,
distributing more than 1100 free English and Spanish bilingual yard signs to date,
to empower residents to visibly promote goodwill and counteract hate speech.
Whereas these efforts have been embraced by educators, community leaders, faith communities, parents,
and youth demonstrating the power of grassroots action to strengthen inclusion and unity in Napa.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that I've got, gradually, mayor of the city of Napa along with the city council.
Hereby recognize, can do's pro-inclusion Napa for its leadership, promoting it welcoming and compassionate community
through the positive power project, poster project, the positive yard sign campaign,
and its ongoing commitment to respect, acceptance and kindness for all day to July 21st, 2026.
Very nice.
As you came in the lobby, you may have noticed the posters that have been displayed right now in city hall,
and I've noticed that sometimes people come to city hall and they might not be in a real good mood,
but when they do come through the door and they start looking at those posters that have been created by our students
and our community, it puts a smile in their face and really appreciate that.
So I think Julyan Sutro is here to accept the pro-affirmation.
Do you want it?
We're just so grateful for this nomination.
I'm going to see each recognition on all the community members who have stepped up to promote respect, acceptance and kindness
in our community to our projects.
Thank you.
And I can't tell you about the way we are and how the community has really responded and joined us in this effort
Fighting against divisiveness and for inclusiveness and our beautiful community.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for all you do now.
If you can come around back and like it.
I just want to make a special word of appreciation for Mayor Scott Sedgley and Council members that painter and Mary Leros and city manager Steve Potter for your encouragement and enthusiasm and support of our project.
That means so much to us.
Thank you.
All right, next we're going to receive some informational presentations.
The final presentations from our parks and recreation and trees advisory committee in our public steering committee and senior advisory committee.
The Napa County mosquito abatement.
I believe city manager Steve Potter is going to lead us off on this.
Thank you.
Mayor.
Back in January at the council workshop council ask for presentations to be made with updates of what our board committees and commissions are working on.
This is the first of those presentations that we're going to do to be led by Parks and
Reck Director, Breonna Bryant, plus we will have mosquito abatement giving an update as
well. These are their brief, they're high level, but they're informative so that everybody in
the community knows what they're doing. Breonna. Thanks, Steve.
Thank you. Good afternoon, Mayor Council members. Community were very excited to provide you an
update on all the exciting work that has been going on across our commissions and share with you
some of the big highlights we've seen here in 2026. First up is the Park Recreation and
Trees Advisory Commission, this commission is chaired by Brian Bordona and Vice Chair Rex Stoltz.
Investment in our parks has really skyrocketed lately since the passage of Measure G.
And our commission continually reviews project designs provides input and stays updated on
project status and of all our various projects as they move through planning, design and
construction phases. Some of the significant projects that the commission has reviewed and provided
feedback on this year include the Lost Flores Community Center, our playground and amenity phase two
projects, our various park shade structures, and we'll be soon reviewing our park restroom designs,
pathway improvements in landscape improvements. This year the commission also worked closely
with the Parks and Recreation Department specifically the Parks Division on the finalization
of the city's first urban forestry management plan. It provides a 40-year vision for NAPA's urban forest.
The guiding work plan identifies work in the areas of planning, protection, promotion and preservation
of NAPA's urban forestry. And the commission's work included review and analysis of a complete
GIS tree inventory, tree canopy covers and coverage and updates to the approved planting list.
Data driven work continues to be a big focus for the commission as well. Most recently the
integration of our Placer AI software has provided key insights on park usage and allows the commissioners
to review trends in the way the community interfaces with the parks across our network.
Most note worthy this year has been the city's acquisition of the former harvest middle school
property. As that property came online it quickly emerged as one of the city's most utilized park spaces.
Over the last five and a half months that we've been having interim operations in place at that
property we've had over 36,000 community visits. We are extremely excited for the public launch
of the community engagement initiative around the new recreation campus that will ultimately be built
at harvest. Coming soon will be back before you August 18th to officially kick off the project. We'll have
our architect and design team here to meet with council and for you to provide some guiding direction
on the project and we have three key town hall dates already scheduled August 26th will be a virtual
meeting in September 2nd and 3rd will be in person at the harvest campus. Work is already underway
with our various focus groups. And with that I'd like to invite up Vice Chair Rex Stoltz. You can
come to the middle one here, Rex. To provide a few comments. Thank you very much. It's an exciting
time to be on the park's recreation and trees advisory commission for the reasons that Brana just mentioned.
Getting direction on the project and we have three key town hall dates already scheduled. August 26th will be a virtual meeting in September 2nd and 3rd will be in person at the Harvest campus. Work is already underway with our various focus groups.
With that, I'd like to invite Vice Chair Rex Stoltz. You can come to the middle one here, Rex, to provide a few comments.
Thank you very much. It's an exciting time to be on the Parks Recreation and Trees Advisory Commission for the reasons that Brana just mentioned and you guys noted in the Proclamation earlier.
I'm Rex Stoltz, Vice Chair, Finishing at my second term. Measure G's provided incredible opportunity to invest in our community in general, but especially the impact on Parks is tangible, visible and significant.
And as Brana noted, the city's purchase of the former Harvest Middle School property is just massive for this community, it's such an opportunity for every single resident of Napa.
We recently had a commission meeting in a field trip, my favorite kind of meeting.
And when I went out and toured the site, I had not been there since I spent almost 20 years as a volunteer basketball coach for the Parks and Rec Department and our practice is always out at Harvest Middle School.
And a tour of the property, we're going to be working to be a part of developing a vision for the property and and playing at the commission, playing important role alongside the architect team and staff and participating in the focus groups that are upcoming.
I'm super excited about this. I just submitted the paperwork to hopefully be a part of a third term on the Parks and Rec Commission. If you'll have me.
And the commission does hear from people at our meetings, as you guys do. And a couple of themes that we hear commonly that you might want to be aware of is the need for as we go forward and planning.
Our parks to be inclusive and accessible to to all abilities, which makes sense, moms want shade that makes sense to and we also hear the need for additional sports fields and sports courts, especially any guesses.
Pickable all the pick. I know when I walk in to set up where you're sitting now and there's people in the crowd. I'm like, we're in here about pickleball tonight, public comment.
But they're right. And so an exciting time and it's great to be a part of it. Thank you.
Thanks, Rex.
And with that, we're going to move forward and review our public art steering committee, which is chaired by Julie epic and vice chair John Hanford.
Hi, lights this year include several several permanent public art installations. These are projects that are specifically funded all or impart by the city's public art fund.
Downstream by local artist Jacques Lisec was installed along the Soxical Medians and leaves on a line by Daniel Woodarsick. The city's first playable public art piece opened at Fuller Park in May.
Coming soon. A project just on the horizon is the Napa Tapestry by Danielle Davis. It will be a pavement artwork along second street downtown.
And additionally due to the construction of phase two work on first street the loudspeaker piece was recently relocated to the Goodman Library.
You see an image of leaves on a line at Fuller Park. It marks the largest investment in public art work to date here in the Napa community. This project was extra exciting as it was a collaboration between our park recreation and trees commission and our public art committee as well.
Here you see a visual depiction of downstream along the Soxical corridor, the inclusion of lights on this piece made a significant impact to the street landscape during the evening hours.
Temporary installations are another important component of the city's collection and require an active commitment from our public art steering committee to keep things fresh.
Highlights this year include diamond spirit, the new mural located at Quanus Park.
There have been a couple notable banner programs as well. The Dia de Las Muertos Street banner program received over 200 submissions and 15 were featured in banners installed at the event.
And in celebration of America's 250th birthday the city launched a July banner program and featured 10 local artists banners downtown.
Our public art coordinator Sarah Winsky provided three public art tours which was new this year and we are currently working to launch a new land art initiative at Oxbow Preserve known as nature culture are in the open and we are planning for four to six installations that will be reviewed upcoming by our steering committee.
There you see an image of diamond spirit at Quanus Park.
And of course the light of art festival this year was your eight of the annual event 2020.
Six event featured 18 installations and had approximately 75,000 visitors.
With that I'd like to invite up our vice chair here this afternoon John Hanofford.
Make a few comments.
Hopefully just a few.
I just wanted to speak a little bit about how each and every one of these projects that Brianna mentioned what it does.
How is art up to our community rather than going with each project us.
Art lifts it transforms shared spaces into like vibrant landmarks.
It fosters the daily celebration of the community ways by adding to our sensory experiences and seeing our town in whole new ways.
It brings out neighborhood beautification all of which has been shown to bring out neighborhood identity.
And reduce crime and vandalism.
It catalyzes local economies by fostering social cohesion.
Driving increased local business drives tourism local jobs and economies.
A strong local arts in most boost business like through art walks public.
Art installations enriches the community gathering opportunities.
So in many many ways it does that one is new place making an identity.
Which is where murals and sculptures turn blank or abandoned areas individually engaging gathering spaces.
Many times new gathering spaces that weren't used before reflect in the local heritage and creating unique recognizable character.
painted sidewalks as one that was just talked about.
The enhanced the pedestrian safety as well as slowing traffic as well as being beautiful.
So so occasion of break our breaks down barriers.
Unites neighbors it creates opportunities for common goals it builds trust.
Collaboration projects theater music art they create social capital.
Art celebrates the diversity of an app as vibrant community.
Well being and healing public art throughout the community has shown to reduce stress inspires dialogue.
It includes youth and like the art programs to improve educational and civic engagement.
So while art like to a lot of people the image or the beautiful things are aspects that adds it to it's so much deeper and I appreciate.
The council's really strong commitment to arts and I guess the only one I really want to kind of talk about a little bit is the the one in the park the floor park playground project play art.
Because this is a movement that's world world wide where you take a park that only just gave physical opportunities because physical emotional mental cognitive and especially this design where it's inclusive and.
I know that people have talked sometimes about the funds and things like that but the actual portion that we're responsible are a little part of that is really essentially almost the same price is a midnapa home.
You have for decades and decades and decades it's going to be filled with smiling faces and opportunities kids challenging themselves and of all the things that I personally worked on over the years that that's one of the most proud of that reason.
And I'll stop now but I could tell you all the things I've heard in the park from different people including one parent who had a child with a disability that they've never been able to go to the park and now but before.
So here in her to learn a partner about it was almost major want to cry so.
I just want to think that you guys are your support of what we do and everything that we do we actually collaborate with the community through many many community meetings business meeting group meetings panels it's a it's a wonderful experience to have enhanced the art within our community so thank you.
Thank you John.
Thank you for all your investment in our community it's shown.
Next up is our senior advisory commission which is chaired by Jim Holland and vice chair Liz Marx.
Some of the key highlights from our senior commission this year include participation in the parks and recreation departments leadership alignment workshop.
And the commission work to identify recreation priorities for older adults as we know here in Napa 20 nearly 25% of our residents are age 60 and older so the voice and representation on our senior advisory commission is very significant.
Those serving as commissioners on the senior advisory commission in any of our commissions really are truly ambassadors out there in the community and to do that effectively it's important that we keep the commissioners well informed.
This is a huge value to the city both in helping us to spread key messaging out there and as well as correcting misinformation that may be circulating out in the community.
When he and if should have this year was a senior survey of our participants at the senior center and so I'm pleased to report that for out of seven 4.7 out of five overall satisfaction with our senior center which is fantastic to hear 97% of our seniors feel welcome 92% of our program support healthy living 98% would come back and participate again.
And 98 would recommend our programs to others and overall we did see a 12% increase from 2024 and our overall visitation at the senior center which reached 76,000 visits this past year.
And with that I'd like to introduce commissioner Tom Wolf up to say a few words.
Good afternoon my name is Tom Wolf I serve on the senior advisory commission and I'm very pleased to serve on the commission it's I think the seniors are growing group that need clear attention.
And we're very pleased to be able to do things like the leadership alignment workshop which is a special opportunity for the commission stairs to work with seniors to figure out what we need to do in Napa.
I'll be on the senior center for the senior senior center and we're very glad to see that it's gotten so twice acceptance they've been doing a lot of work on the senior center and it's.
It's been playing a bigger role I think in the community of the seniors and a big part of our job to is to keep track of all the services that are available for seniors which big list and a lot of more overlap.
But making sure that seniors have access to food.
Transportation help with the you know access to medical services or transportation all those those little things that.
They can't handle on their own for whatever reason we're getting more and more involved in that I think to our partnerships and it's great to be able to kind of serve as a sort of a central resource for that.
Because there's I don't there is there's are so many resources available and I know a lot of people have trouble navigating that.
So being able to kind of guide folks to the right resources is really critical part I think of what we need to do.
I'm just delighted to be part of the senior commission and just you know continue to work with Napa and try to act as an ambassador to make sure that seniors are properly cared for particularly is the demographic continues to increase.
So anyway thank you.
Can you do.
And our last highlight this evening is the Napa County mosquito abatement district.
Okay that work because I got plenty loud voice anyway.
Okay I'm West buffet I'm the director of the Napa County mosquito abatement district and I'm just going to give you a little update and then I'm going to get right to the issue that we've got at hand.
If we can go to the next slide please.
So the district was formed in 1925 we've been controlling mosquitoes throughout the entire county since 1925 we have a staff of nine and budget of about 3.2 million and anywhere somebody complained about mosquitoes we will show up into our best to take care of the problem.
We also deal with ground nesting yellow jackets you locate a ground nest coming in out of a hole we will come take care of it we've done a number of nests for the parks department over the years as they find them.
And so that's sort of the gist of the program our focus is primarily mosquitoes but we will work with other organisms that cause problems or vector disease.
So the key focus for mosquito controls mosquitoes need water to develop and so if you eliminate the water you eliminate the problem that said what lands are essential.
The pre-cure essential in the ski does will take advantage of that. So what is that balance in the community and how do we get that work done?
There are a number of materials and methods you can physically control them, meaning eliminate the water source.
You can use biological control, which is mosquito fish, you can use insect growth hormones or bacteria.
And these are all the safer methods. Last resort would be a dull deciding, which means you are now trying to kill the adults with pesticides.
That are much more toxic, and we really try not to do that type of work as much as possible.
So when we talk about, and if we can go to the next slide, that would be great, the biggest issue is in and around the home.
So there are all sorts of habitats for mosquitoes. We'll take advantage.
Some strains, pools, spas, any place where the water establishment has been neglected.
And so that is a challenge for the district, because we don't have access to these sites.
Now, I've been doing mosquito control for 38 years. So I know the days when you could go in and out of people's yards and folks just loved having you.
They didn't care. There wasn't all of this sense of personal property rights and privacy that we now have that makes a job much harder.
And if we can go to the next slide, so let's talk a little bit about the issue that's coming in.
That is a non-native mosquito known as the yellow fever mosquito.
This mosquito first showed up in California in 2012. It is now widespread throughout southern California and the Central Valley.
It has been found in Solano County, Contra Costa County, Santa Clara, Placer, Sacramento, and Waitfort, Chasta, as well as in three counties in Oregon.
So this bug has really taken off.
This specifically adapted to breeding in water habitats that humans create, specifically small containers.
So in this case, we have a slide here that shows sort of a, what you call it, the saucers for potted plants.
And it will breed in that small amount of water. And it will also breed if we go to the next slide.
Take advantage of items like small children's toys, water systems.
We have in the last 20 years folks have begun to save rainwater in their in barrels.
And this bug takes advantage of that like nobody's business.
Why is this such a big deal? Well, also if we talk a little bit about bromeliads, because where the water collects in the leaf axles and the next slide will show this,
you will see those little lines are actually harfing for eating in the water where the person has overwatered their yard and the leaf axles and bromeliads collect the water and breed these mosquitoes.
The big deal is that this particular mosquito has adaptive strategies for survival that are very different than other mosquitoes meaning.
It engages in something called skip over position, so rather than laying a bunch of eggs in one spot and maybe having four or five batch of the eggs and it's done.
This mosquito does one egg here, one egg there goes to the next yard, does a couple more eggs goes to the next yard.
And so it just continues to lay an egg here or there and can cover an area up to almost a third of a mile.
So this is a really difficult insect to control. It is also resistant to most pesticides. So how do you control this thing?
It has to be a community effort. And if we go to the next slide, I think we've got a couple of children's toys.
This in this case was refuse in a yard, so we're talking cans, small bottles containers, and oh by the way it will breed in bottle caps. So it takes almost nothing for this insect to take off.
What is the big deal here? The big deal is not only is it resistant, not only is it hard to control.
It requires a community effort. The mosquito control can't do it alone. The community can't do it alone. We have to do this together.
That means the assistance of code enforcement, planning, environmental health, health and human services, public works, and specifically public works because one of the biggest things that's happened with this mosquito in California
is it has adapted to breeding in storm drains. And there are in this city over 5,500 storm drains that we inspect on a monthly basis about 6,700 of them hold water and breed mosquitoes.
This insect can breed in that. It can also breed in the water to collect in the pipe farther back, where there may have been settling, and we can't see that.
In Orange County, they have a very large program now for controlling mosquitoes and storm drains, and they literally have folks teams of folks that go out at night, and they literally fog in the storm drains to have the adult aside penetrate the storm drain system to get out these mosquitoes.
It's continuing to spread. It's continuing to be a problem. We know that at some point it will show up in Napa County. We don't say if we say when. So I'm not looking to do the fire and brimstone fear of God stuff. What I'm really talking about is that it's a community effort, and it will be a community effort. There's no other way to manage this insect.
The big deal is that it also carries a number of diseases yellow fever, Dengue, chicken, guinea, Zika, and we all heard about these things. Dengue is fairly widespread in the tropics, including Mexico, Latin America, South America.
We've had outbreaks of Dengue in the states, probably over a hundred years ago, also have had outbreaks of yellow fever.
And we're talking big outbreaks of yellow fever in the Tennessee Valley, South Mississippi Valley, last outbreak was 1905 in New Orleans, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
We have a very mobile population. They travel to areas where yellow fever, Dengue, Zika, all of the diseases exist. They can bring it back and it can become established in the mosquito population here.
So it really requires a community effort to manage this insect.
I'll eliminate the water, you'll eliminate the bug with that. I'll open up the questions. Thank you.
I think Chris, will you check my water?
Thanks for that. I think the first three presentations were a little more lifting than we all thought.
Hello fever in mosquitoes, but yes, we hear you standing water. I was at the cemetery and I noticed your people were dropping a little tablets and all the urn vases all throughout the cemetery. They're a perfect place for mosquitoes to breathe.
And we do have a high population of mosquitoes, not the yellow fever mosquito, but it's still in the mosquito that bites people. And so yes, we do all the cemetery earns throughout the county. There's two cemeteries in St. Lena. There's one here in nap. I think there's one monocelow. So it's a number of places that we go.
Never thought about it. Well, thank you so much.
Appreciate your time. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. I don't know too many people who enjoy mosquitoes.
Starting the edge.
Thanks Brianna. Thanks everybody for your work on our board's commissions and committees.
At this time public comment during the public comment portion of the meeting. The public is invited to address the council on any item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the council that is not on the agenda.
Please focus your comments on either past actions taken by the council or proposed future action to be taken by the council.
However, if the subject of the public comment is not on the agenda state law strictly limits the council's ability to respond at this meeting.
So our city clerk has little special announcement that we're going to change up some things here at council meetings.
So I think you're going to roll that a little bit for us.
Yes, we do for this meeting. This is the first meeting since the passage of SB 707 where we also have members of the public participating via zoom this afternoon.
So I will go ahead and read for our members of the public on zoom for each section of the agenda when public comment is called members of the public who wish to speak on items should use zoom's raise your hand feature to indicate that you would like to speak.
Those members of the public who have joined the meeting by calling into the teleconference phone from their phone. You would push star nine to indicate that you'd wish to speak.
We will be calling on each speaker and allowing them to turn on their microphone to comment when prompted you may be asked to unmute yourself or if you're on the phone you would press star six to unmute.
I submitted two three minutes, which will be indicated on the timer that shows on the screen.
And we will begin first with public comment and calling members of the public participating in person and then we will move to members of the public who are participating via zoom.
So I will start. I do have some comment cards for general public comments a total of five.
I have Harris Nussbaum, Councilman George Barrage, Jennifer Garcia and Ingrid.
Thank you. Harris can might up to the mic.
I just want to start by thanking you for recognizing pro inclusion and doing your part to eliminate prejudice in the valley.
Thank you. What I really would like to talk about is you may know that not the public TV channel 28 lost their place, their studio and right now they're in a temporary facility, you know, which is not the greatest.
I've heard that may be harvest was a possibility of a place, I don't know the details of that, but what I would like to say is I really urge you to do all that you can to help the public TV find a location in the valley.
I think the service helps a lot of people and I think our, you know, our government as well.
And so if you would please do what you can to help the public TV find a location. Thank you very much for listening.
Thank you Harris. And I agree with you 100%. We got to keep that local local access live and strong. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you Harris.
Next speaker, no particular order. If you heard Janayan, come on up to the mic.
Good afternoon council. Good afternoon council. Question for you. Have you ever gotten a parking ticket?
Arroneously. Have you ever appealed a parking ticket in Napa? Well, I have.
And I want to explain how ridiculous it is in the city of Napa. My citation was erroneous and silly. Let me explain.
So I appealed the parking citation and there are four levels of appeal. The first level is you send in a written appeal to code enforcement.
Code enforcement officers, a rubber stamp it and provide nothing. The second level of appeal is you appeal to citation processing services.
Your subcontractor for these things. You provide photos and you make your argument, particularly.
And you get another rubber stamp back supporting staff. The third level is an in person hearing at city hall.
With some clown from out of town working for citation processing services. I had that opportunity here at city hall.
I sent you email you all a YouTube link of that ridiculous hearing for your review.
Here in this type of hearing, the city substantiates nothing.
They provide no evidence. No oath of office. No oath to tell the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help you got.
I provided. I am provided no opportunity to provide additional evidence that I had with me. I could not have witnesses attend to provide testimony.
I can't cross examine anybody. I can't cross examine staff. Because nobody is there to corroborate anything.
The hearing officer won't even provide a business card.
I moved to dismiss the case on level grounds for procedural issues and for lack of evidence. The motions denied.
It's quite a racket that I witnessed. I get a letter in the mail from citation services. Your guilty pay up.
My offer of compromise from weeks ago is once again rejected. My emails to the city council are ignored apparently as of this morning.
So now I'm forced to appeal to Superior Court and Napa for due process.
See the problem here. Total waste of time and money. I have a right to confront my accuser. I have a right to an impartial hearing officer.
Not an outside contractor working on behalf of the city to always find for the city. I have a right to basic discovery and time to do public records requests.
And review personal files complaints on the officers and all that. More important. Nobody will meet with me to confirm the lack of proper signage that parking in this area that I was parked at is not allowed. Nobody seems to care.
This is racketeering an unbecoming of the city of Napa. I say fix it and I'm here to help you fix it. Meet with me. Let's forgo a real hearing before a real judge.
If not, this is going to happen again and again and again until common sense prevails. The current citation appeal process is a shake down.
Design.
According to where people down to give up and it said, Jim property, please not on your watch. Thank you.
Next speaker. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. I'm here to talk about aunts and cockroaches. Just kidding.
No, it's not funny. Okay, a couple of things that are city related.
They're not going to take one. Somebody posted on next door. I'm not on there a lot, but I just happen to notice a post about kids on bikes on the road in front of cars, doing wheelies,
taunting cars, swearing at drivers. And this isn't going on for months. This morning's situation was on settler.
And one kid almost ran into the driver doing what they do is they do these things and they posted on social media.
And I'm not sure what we could do about it or if you guys have any suggestions on that. I just wanted to bring it to your attention.
And okay, second thing is, thank you very much for paying West Lincoln. It was desperately needed. I appreciate it.
And so far, the work has not begun on West Lincoln and my concern is schools going to start in a few weeks and 29 gets a lot of traffic going to nap a high right there.
And I would recommend that they start on West part of Lincoln as opposed to East just because of that to get that lane reduction bike lane situation done.
Because they said it would start on the 10th and now it's the 21st and nothing's been done.
And lastly, I noticed that green plastic paint they're using for the bike lanes and y'all feel as you go on to the freeway. It's peeling right off.
It's just not holding up. I see tire tracks covering up the green all over the place. It's it's it's not holding up. It's only just want to tell you guys.
And the other things have to do with animals and the so I guess that's county right the animal shelter.
Yeah, we we partner with them. You partner with them. Okay, so right now there is a kitten crisis. It's called panluko pinia and it's the shelters been hit twice with it right now.
They have it again. They have a room full of kittens with this virus. It's deadly.
I just rescued seven kittens that were found in a nap a fire truck water hose.
And I had them for three days in my bath tub because they were only five weeks old.
And I and I and I and I brought them to the animal shelter on Sunday and they tested positive for the virus.
So right now, my point is we need low cost stay in nutrient and vaccinations in Napa. We don't have that.
And if we did, we could combat this virus. We can combat the Feral Cat population. If they can just put a trailer on the county property right by the shelter.
And I'm higher a full time that to do this seven days a week because Napa he made is not a solution.
They only do it on Fridays and it's not cheap and that's what I'm going to recommend to the board of supervisors meeting.
There was one more thing with that.
I can't remember right now.
Oh yeah.
The county budgeted a million dollars for the shelter.
And I was told that's going to be used for the roof.
It's not a big building. A million dollars for a roof.
Is that rages? You know, it's not. I know it's government, but do they get different beds?
I mean, I wish that money would go towards the animals towards expansion toward that kind of thing. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Was that our last speaker?
Is it clear?
I still have one card from Jennifer and then I did get a new card from Sarah van Giesen as well.
Hi, I'm Jennifer Garcia.
I just had two things.
Oh, the post office downtown.
I'm understanding they're wanting to turn that into a hotel.
It's on the agenda for the evening, yes.
Yeah, I think they should turn it back into a post office because that's what we do need.
We don't need another motel here and now, but we've got they already took out holes.
They only one of the stores that people did have and they're building a huge humongous store there right now.
I mean, hotel. I mean, it's you, I'm sure you guys have seen it.
I think we've got plenty of hotels. I think they're getting overwhelmed with all these building of hotels.
They need to redo that post and make it back into a post office.
And I feel that they also need to put something here for the kids here in Napa and the families water slides.
Instead of building all these houses out there by Costco, how about a water slide for families to go to and keep our money here in town.
See, we have to go out of town if we want to go swimming or going to water slides and take our money out to another town.
So I think that's something like that they should take into consideration too because they, I know they do make a ice skating ring for a couple months of the winter time.
I think they should do a water slides here also.
So, you know, a family can do things together.
You know, because you got nothing for the kids to do besides go to the movies or, you know, just out there doing nothing.
So, I mean, I have grandkids and I want my grandkids to be able to do something here and have fun here and not have to go out of town to do that all the time.
Do you guys have kids? Grandkids? Okay, wouldn't you want to have them be able to do something fun here over the summer?
Be able to go to water slides, swimming, you know, a big recreation part for them to.
I'm sure you guys would like that too. I mean, not have to take it out of town.
But, you know, an area where they got, when I was a kid, we had places to go swimming.
Places to barbecue, skating, rink. We had a skating rink. It was napa then. It's not napa anymore.
It's just this, just too many tourists coming into town. And that's fine.
But we also need things for families to do here too.
Not just for the tourists. There's families that live here.
So, when do you guys take consideration of that also?
So, maybe think about putting water slides here.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
It's going to give you a shout out later, but you're coming up here.
Well, I didn't know, and I didn't know if it was public or not.
But Sarah van Giesen, 12 minutes full of art.
I didn't know what was happening in the moment.
And if this isn't the right time, then I could say something in a moment later.
But I figured I just wanted to thank council and also thank city staff.
And what we've had the opportunity to be with the Cultural Heritage Commission and my time there,
which has been just a few years, as you all know, I just wanted to thank you all,
and I wanted to thank you all, profusely.
I see that it's on the consent calendar for the next session, for commissioners.
But I wanted to say if this was the appropriate time, that the city staff that supports the Cultural Heritage Commission
are doing a really incredible job.
I've seen several over the years, and I just wanted to give them a shout out for their time and their efforts
because the quality of plans that are coming in front of the commission now are beyond what some of the things that we had received in the past.
And so I think we're there leading to, I know, often understaffed what they're working towards at this time is a great thing.
And it makes our job easier as a commission to be able to get through the projects and find the best solution for both the applicants
as well as the staff and the city.
And Paul O'Neill, it's not a great job, writer.
I can never say his last name, Dilly, correctly.
And Myra Espinoza, all deserve a shout out, and I don't ever get the opportunity to see you as much.
And I did see that at some point the commission will probably have an opportunity to come and present to you,
but I didn't know when that was.
And I just, but I just above and beyond, thank you.
I know we can't please everybody all the time by far, but our hope, and I'll save what our hope for the commission is later,
is to work on cultural history here that not only helps preserve it for our community and all the local serving folks and people that have been here forever.
And those that come to this community because heritage tours and is real, but a historic signage program can jump on all of our other signage at this time.
And I think it's an excellent opportunity for our city.
So thank you to the staff and thank you for Council for supporting the commission and my, my term coming up.
And just a little kudos to you all.
So thank you.
Thank you, Sarah.
Okay, I think that concludes our comments in, in person.
So we will now move to our comments on zoom.
I do see one hand raised from Laurie.
So Laurie, we'll go ahead and give you permission to speak and then we'll start the timer.
And then if you could just, okay, there you go, Laurie.
Hi, I'm honored to be the first person to, is the Zoom pop platform.
I've been advocating for SB 707 and you guys need to go talk to the city of Sonoma, please.
They're way past, but that it's very important for people like me that are homebound and and then a wheelchair and everything and having this access is great.
Your public comment is wonderful.
The here in Sonoma County, they need to take lessons from you guys.
But one thing I wanted to bring up and this is what Mr. Barracks was talking about in his specific situation, but it's a.
In the city of Totti.
There's been problems with administrative hearings and the.
Code enforcement official was paying the administrative hearing officer and this is caused.
Four cities in Sonoma County to contract out to a national regional.
Computer base one so that there's not selective enforcement and all those kind of things and I think you should.
They're an api go through your administrative hearing processes to make sure that they're fair and not targeting people.
Take it or it's going to happen like it didn't Sonoma County where there's a federal lawsuit over what happened to Katati and he had contracts everywhere else and.
It's been replaced, but it's.
It shouldn't have to go to a federal lawsuit to have administrative hearings that are fair and.
In partial.
Thank you.
But you are it.
Thank you or is there anyone else on zoom who would like to make public comment for general public comment on agenda items.
If so, please raise your hand otherwise we will move on.
No additional hands on zoom.
We can perfectly move on.
Good job.
I know the clerk's office been working hard work.
Make it all work.
Yeah.
So we'll see how it moves forward.
So great.
We have one under our belt.
Our next item on agenda is our consent calendar.
Consent calendars are considered routine and may be approved by a single vote of the city council.
There's 12 consent items on the calendar.
And we have six eight through six L.
And also I wanted to shout out item six B C D.
We have some representatives.
I think Sarah Van Lieson is one from the cultural heritage bill.
Two weeks has also coming back up.
I don't know if quants.
Consuelo is here.
There's consuelo raise your hand.
So thinking new member on the disability access board.
Of appeals and ray backster.
With our.
And we have an app of LA transportation advisory tax committees right here.
Thank you for stopping by joining the meeting.
Thank you for your interest in serving on committees boards and commissions.
So you are on the consent calendar for that approval.
I don't know that.
I have not received any requests for consent items.
Council.
I'm a commission to approve the consent calendar.
Motion by council.
Second by council.
Thank you for that. All right. We are all the way to item 7 is a consent hearing, hearing items are considered routine, like the consent calendar, and may be approved by a single vote of the council. However, a member of the public or council may request that the consent hearing be pulled for discussion.
One item on the consent hearing, it is item 7, a short term rental facilities, stemming from Senate Bill 346.
You received any communication, seat clerk?
I have received no comment cards. Is there anybody who is attending the Azum, who wishes to pull consent calendar item 7, a for comment?
I see no hands being raised on zoom, Mayor.
Thank you.
I'll make a motion to approve item 7, a short term rental facility.
Second.
I have a motion by councilman.
Painors, second by council mayor, Leris, all in favor.
Any opposed?
Here is unanimously.
Thank you.
Now we're item eight. This is a public hearing.
Item eight is a Jefferson Street bed and breakfast in, so for our public hearings.
We have two tonight. We'll start with a presentation from staff.
Then we've disclosed any information we may have learned outside of this public hearing.
We will open the public comments, period for the public testimony, and close and deliberate.
So, Jefferson Street bed in breakfast.
This is a second in Jefferson Street.
Good afternoon, everybody. I will be presenting on the proposed bed and breakfast in at 845 Jefferson Street.
This is an application for use permit to allow for the conversion of the structure into a four guest room bed and breakfast in.
In addition, it's an application for a certificate of appropriateness permit to allow major modifications to a local landmark.
Within the city's first in Jefferson potential historic district.
The project's applicant, Michael Clark, is also in attendance and can answer any questions.
The project requests to entitlements a use permit for the conversion of the structure into a bed and breakfast in.
This use permit was recommended for approval by the planning commission at their June 4th, 2026 regular meeting.
The certificate of appropriateness permit was recommended for approval by the cultural heritage commission at their May 14th, 2026 regular meeting.
The project is located at the southwest corner of Second Street in Jefferson Street within the business professional general plan designation and the commercial office zoning district.
This property is within the first in Jefferson potential historic district, which was identified by the 2008 West Napa Historic Survey and report.
It was determined to be eligible for inclusion on the National Register and the California Register of Historic Resources.
The property is a local landmark.
It was designed in the prairie style.
It is notably a work of local architect, Luther and Turton.
And it was constructed for Henry, Jim and Assy, the son of the owner of the Sawyer Tannery major local employer.
This shows the side and rear facade of the structure.
As you can see, the property's unique horizontality and unique details.
The property also contains a detached garage in the rear yard.
Some other notable details include the unique lattice trim and the roof eaves.
The porch columns and unique plantar boxes integrated into the structure's chimney.
Also worth noting is the site has experienced many modifications over the years and damage.
The properties chimney was destroyed in the 2014 South Napa earthquake.
And some original windows have been lost.
The porch was enclosed and other modifications have been made.
With conversion of the interior of the structure in the four guest rooms.
And sweet bathrooms would be added to each guest room.
There will be an ADA accessible unit on the ground floor.
The project also proposes communal areas including as shared living and dining room on the first floor in a shared library on the second.
The project would also include the installation of a commercial kitchen on the first floor at the western end of the structure.
In addition, the project would include required managers unit in the basement.
It is worth noting that this would be the addition of a residential unit at the site.
This is the proposed ground floor plan.
And see the one ADA accessible suite and the proposed commercial kitchen, the ground level.
And this is the proposed second floor plan with three additional guest suites.
And this is the proposed manager's residential unit in the basement.
The facility would be operated consistent with the city's requirements for better reference ends.
Breakfast would be served daily to guests of the end only.
The project is conditioned to prohibit any event that would host non guests of the end.
This includes weddings or live music or any other similar event.
And the project would host an on-site manager who would reside at the site providing a near 24-7 staff presence.
In addition, the applicant proposes some site improvements.
They propose to maintain the existing parking area along the second suite front edge.
They propose a new second entrance and an ADA lift at the rear of the structure.
It is worth noting that the project would utilize permeable paving only to avoid any stormwater impacts with the project.
This is the proposed site plan.
As you can see, the maintenance of the four existing parking spaces along the second suite front edge.
And the proposed paving and other additions to the site.
Maintenance of the parking area along the second suite required approval of an exception by the public work department.
It's actually a goal of the city's transportation element and historic and cultural resources element to provide flexibility in parking requirements on sensitive historic properties.
Moving in to some of the exterior modifications.
This is the front facade along Jefferson Street.
The only real significant modification to this facade is the relocation and existing window to replace the inappropriate window at the first level.
Moving along to the side, second suite facade, the secondary primary facade.
You can see restoration of the balcony at the roof of the porch restoration of the porch replacement of inappropriate windows with more historically appropriate windows.
And other repairs.
Moving into analysis of the project.
The project would be consistent with the city's policies for better reference ends.
The site would host an onsite manager.
The size of the benefit is consistent with requirements.
One meal would be served daily breakfast.
The applicant would provide parking consistent with the parking requirements for a better breakfast and any signage would be consistent with the requirements for better reference ends.
Signs are limited to two square feet and must be attached to the structure directly.
The number of gas rooms is proportionate to the size of the structure and to not exceed 10.
The property is located within 300 feet of another better breakfast.
But staff did not find that the conservation excuse me, concentration of ends would harm the character or livability of the neighborhood.
It's worth noting that the nearest better breakfast is a block away along the first street.
The design of the project was found consistent with the design guidelines for the nap of a whole fuller park historic district which are utilized for all exterior remodels of better breakfast.
In addition, it's worth noting that this property is currently utilized as an office or was most recently utilized as an office.
It's currently vacant.
As a result, there would be no loss of residential units with this project.
Instead, one new residential unit would be added the owner manager suite in the basement.
A note on sequester found that the project would be exempt from sequester California environmental quality act pursuant to sections 15301, which
Exams the maintenance of existing public or private facilities and section 15331, which exams the rehabilitation of historic properties consistent with the secretary of interior standards for the treatment of historic properties.
To approve the project, council would have to make the findings for our use permit.
Specific findings for bed and breakfast ends.
And with that staff makes the recommendation that council dot, a use permit and a certificate of appropriateness to allow for the conversion of 845 Jefferson Street and to a bed and breakfast end and determine the project is exempt from sequer.
Thank you.
Thank you Paul.
Council disclosures.
Anything learned outside this public hearing on this.
No disclosures.
I didn't talk to anybody but I did drive by the property and I thought I saw for sale sign.
So I will just put that out there's information that I gathered outside of this.
Okay, thank you for that.
Paul, I think you said the applicant is here's the applicant which to make a statement.
Yes, the applicant would like to introduce himself.
Michael Clark.
Welcome to Clark.
Yes.
So I guess the answer your question.
The house isn't for sale, so I'm not sure.
Yeah, did you recently see it or I go by and check it every day.
Maybe it was a different property but I thought I saw for sale sign out front.
Interesting.
I'll walk by my way home.
Okay, so yeah, if you have any questions I could answer for you.
I'm really excited to keep moving on this project and restore that beautiful home.
So.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
It isn't true.
The historical Luther Turton.
One of our probably the most prominent architect in our town.
And his home was right on Laurel across from Fuller Park.
I don't know if you were aware of that.
I am.
I actually don't know which house that is.
Yes.
It's kind of a pretty looking one.
Some you know, low lower roofs with a big car port next to about half block.
Okay.
Yeah.
No, this house is it's truly amazing house.
And just structurally how was it built is pretty incredible.
It was one of his last projects I understand.
Yeah.
I think it was.
And then the monastic in action too with what's on the tannery.
Historical.
Great.
Well, thank you for those.
At this time we will open the public.
The testimony for our public hearing.
I don't know if there's any speaker cards or requests to speak on this.
Applicants project.
Major.
I have no speaker cards.
Here on the dies.
But I will call for our attendees via zoom.
If anyone who is attending via zoom would like to make public comment on item eight.
Please raise your hand now.
I am seeing no hands raised via zoom either.
So I have no.
No comments.
Okay.
There might be a hand in the if you.
Yes, you can, but if you can come to the podium.
So everyone can hear please.
Thank you.
I know the area.
And I can sort of use four rooms.
Where are they going to park?
It's a busy street.
We'll answer that.
Is that a question?
That was my question.
Okay, thank you.
Any other public comment under the public hearing?
I still have no hands.
I see you in more hand.
Council.
Thank you for hearing me.
I just want to compliment.
The effort being made here.
This is outstanding.
I mean, I can appreciate that building.
And the effort that went into it.
And I can't even imagine the effort.
And that you've gone through to go through the city.
I know my experience just could develop an ADU.
How difficult that was.
I can't even imagine the amount of money and time and energy.
So I want to compliment this effort.
And I encourage it.
And I encourage the council to allow this to happen.
Because this is amazing.
Thank you.
You're pretty easy to work with.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Any other public on the public hearing for the proposed bed and breakfast?
All right.
I'll interstate a motion and close the public hearing.
Make a motion and close the public hearing.
We would buy a vice mayor, Dean Natali. Second, council member Navais on the favor. Any opposed? Thank you. The quick question came up. The parking is on site. It's parked on site. So there'll be the kind of the redo. I think to show some pictures in the packet. It's showing how it's going to park. After you have one parking spot, you have to five spaces, right? One for each room and one for the resident there. Yeah. So that's how it's going to park. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments there. I agree with you. It's a historic building. It's a great spot. That's why I think it's supported by the community because it's in the right location downtown. It's not removing any housing units. It's actually providing an additional one plus a spot for us to come. So bringing it back to council. Any questions? Any comments? Any action? Council member Painter.
Yeah. I appreciate following Helen because I agree. It's a thorough process. It's gone not only through planning commission, but through our cultural heritage commission.
And I think I just want to compliment, you know, the owner as well as as our staff. It's a thorough and complete process. I'm very supportive of the project. I think you have done a really great job to to maintain it. The only thing I would ask her or maybe hopefully will be.
Maybe hopefully will be there because you know, it's something that you don't get the history just in looking at it. So I'm hoping that there'll be something on display inside for guests to really understand the history of who built the home and and to try to relay that. So I'm kind of seeing another. Yes, it's something to definitely share. So not that I would condition it to require, but it would be nice to share that with your guests. Thank you.
Otherwise supportive of the project.
Thank you.
I'm also supportive of the project. I think this is a great project in the right space. And I'm super excited to see the building return to its past glorious. That's a very exciting to see. Thank you.
Yeah, I agree. I think it's kind of a funky building, but I think this is a really creative way to find a new use for it. I think it's absolutely the right location for a B&B. It's not going to change in the neighborhood in a negative way.
I will still remember it is more of a learnhards law office, but I think it's great that it may have a new future.
Yeah, and counselor learnhard walking down third street to the courthouse from that building.
Okay, the scoreboard is dark. So if there's no more comments deliberation, I'll entertain a motion to approve staff recommendation on this application.
I will move staff's recommendation for this item.
Oh, she's like, most of my council member Leros, second by California and painter, all in favor. Any opposed. Thanks.
Thanks, sir.
And as we're changing a few spots, this is our second public hearing item 8B. This is a new, a nevinnisable code amendment to the charter and it's sidewalk vending ordinance.
So as the first public hearing, we'll hear a brief report from staff, we'll disclose, open public hearing, close public hearing and the liberate.
So, right.
Okay.
Thank you. Good afternoon, Mayor members. The city council, Tony Valedez, compliance programs manager for the city.
So this presentation is regarding a proposition for sidewalk vending ordinance to enact into the napa municipal code chapter five dot eight to.
And to establish a clear and consistent regulatory framework for sidewalk vending within the city of napa district. So basically what we're talking about is.
Sidewalk vending ordinance in response to Senate bill 946, which was put in place back in 2018 prior to 2018 the city of napa had a napa municipal code that regulated street vending and vending of the sort.
So what happened after SB 946 was enacted through the state was our inability to enforce as code enforcement officers any sidewalk vending or street vending that was occurring.
The purpose of Senate bill 946 was to regulate vending specifically through objective health and safety base standards and because our municipal code at that time.
Did not fit within those standards of just help and safety based regulations.
We were unable to enforce that the purpose of this ordinance today and to enact chapter five dot eight to into our municipal code does just that by meeting SB 946 standards and giving code enforcement stability once again to be able to enforce these codes.
It also creates a simple permit system and a clear operational rule and framework for people that want to vending legally.
So there will be a permit process associated with this ordinance and it's outlined here in the sort and it's as well.
Operational restrictions include time, place and manner restrictions so for example.
If a permit if a vendor obtains a permit and wants to then they cannot been within certain times restrictions manners such as within a hundred one thousand feet of a school during a rival dismissal or lunch period.
Or within 500 feet of a farmer's market or within five feet of utility that could cause some possible health and safety related issues.
These restrictions are all narrowly tailored again back to public safety and pedestrian access constraints all outlined in SB 946 and this ordinance again just lines with with those requirements.
In short, this is basically saying that when a vendor obtains a permit.
It will then be able to operate safely within these guidelines.
So our goal with code enforcement has always been voluntary compliance and this this ordinance is no different.
When it comes to enforcement of food vendor violations, we will follow the same standard processes we do for any other code enforcement related case, which means if there is a violation we will begin with a courtesy notice escalate to a compliance order if compliance is not met.
If there is a notification at a hundred dollars second violation at two hundred dollars and then third will be five hundred for every violation thereafter.
For any vendor that is operating without a permit that fee escalates so the first citation will be two hundred fifty dollars second citation five hundred.
And third will be one thousand for every subsequent violation thereafter.
In order to stop an ordinance like this improves pedestrian emergency access provides clear objective rules for vending supports.
Compliant business activity reduces conflicts within public spaces and provides staff with consistent enforcement tools to be able to address these issues.
So the recommended action today is to approve the first reading and introduction of an ordinance amending the napa municipal code enacting chapter five dot eight to sidewalk vending.
And determining the actions authorized by this ordinance are exact for exempt from sequa.
I happy to take any questions.
Thank you Tony.
Any disclosures.
No disclosures.
So at this time we will open public testimony.
Please come up to the you can and.
Okay.
Our new commission number.
Hello.
I do have.
I have two questions in particular.
You can ask us.
Sure.
We'll ask before you.
But you ask us.
Okay.
Thank you.
I know that the majority of the street inside walk vendors in napa are of Hispanic descent with the jury of the more Mexican and many of them do this as.
As a form of income for their families.
So I'm concerned about the language and the approach of code enforcement and ordinance.
I'm wondering if they will be provided announcements in Spanish as well as an English just in case they may not be fluent in reading English papers.
I'm also concerned about if this is a major source of their income if they are removed.
If the you know.
If the compliance orders if they are not, you know, informed of the existence of needing the permit in order to do it.
If there is no delineated location of here is where you are allowed to sell your purpose or whatever, then they may not be able to follow the code as well as we may hope they do.
Unless we want to start putting like signs of like this is a street vending acceptable place for you to sell your food or sell it like the like you know the drinks or sell whatever it is.
It may be more difficult and cause more problems for the Hispanic communities in napa than expected.
My second question is I was wondering about what kind of conflicts were.
One of the implications of the of the proposal was that it would prevent conflict.
I'm not sure what conflict is happening when people are selling tacos or.
What is the problem exactly I understand that it is under health and safety but I'm don't quite know what the issue is if you don't want to purchase the street food.
Then you do not have to purchase the street food and you will not have any health.
Any negative health consequences because you did not eat the food.
So those are my two questions about the ordinance and I hope that you would consider them before making any motions.
Thank you.
Is there any other discussion on this proposal?
Please come up to the mic.
And I will well, Ben's coming up with a card I will also note if anyone on zoom is wishing to comment on item eight be now is the time to also please raise your hand.
Okay.
Hello.
Are you.
Good.
My name is Ben and I'm family and I are the owners of mother's tacos.
We've owned a couple of restaurants in this city now for going on 11 years crazy to think.
Thanks first of all for you guys for bringing the ordinance to the table.
I mean this has been going on for a couple of years and there's been a lot of conversation around the street vending.
At the end of the day for me just isn't really an issue of fairness to the business community restaurant owners and other business owners alike.
We have a lot on our shoulders as business owners who are held to a standard are held to rules regulations.
We we were inspected by the health department just this afternoon as luck would have it right and we also employ a lot of people our two businesses employ somewhere in the range of 45 to 50 people of which 95% are citizens of this community.
We generate sales tax as a restaurant community as a small business community that help to run the government and for me again it's an issue of fairness there there is really.
If there's an easy path for folks to get.
Get a license to get a permit to make a living I'm totally all for that I'm a capitalist at the end of the day so.
I'm not anyway trying to say that they should be disallowed but I do feel like if we as business owners are being held to a standard the standard should be fair and equal for all involved.
And I've spoken to a number of this happened a couple of years ago it started with mostly the taco tents right and a lot of the downtown businesses weren't as involved or as vocal about the issues because most of the taco tents were outside of the downtown.
Now you know on on events where there's city events and the the naplet of the art festival you walk downtown it's like you're in the middle of Oakland and you got people.
You know selling all sorts of things and selling hot dogs and balloons and it's just like is this what we want to be the.
The look for for the city right so I do think that it's smart you guys are addressing this now.
I'm not trying to hold anybody down for making a living and and being able to support their family I just think again it just comes down to an issue of fairness so I would encourage you guys to support this and.
One question that I would I would have is how the enforcement the hours of enforcement most of these things are after normal business hours and so how it is a city plan on if this is passed enforcing outside of normal business hours weekends and the like so.
Thank you for your time and yeah appreciate it.
Thank you Mr. Hold it.
We'll get to your questions first for checking the hands raised I have no hands raised mayor so we can very good.
At this time I'll entertain a motion to if there's no more public speakers I'll entertain close public hearing.
So moved.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
And for the one comment I think Mr. Honig answered that fairly well I think most of all it's it's a fair playing field for for brick and mortar stores that are selling often the same fair.
And it was mentioned you know the sales tax it's not just the health and safety issues but that that whole thing is play by the rules.
Your capitalist makes the money but play by the rules so it's not an equal playing field I think that's the biggest part of it I know and we have some of these big events some of the those established brick and mortar stores are calling my office and saying.
Are they able to sell without permit, with any kind of accountability, so we get a lot of those during the big events.
And I think the city's responsibility is to try to manage that.
The enforcement piece is always difficult.
I told you, I don't take a try to answer the enforcement piece.
I know when we do it on a plan, you know, when we anticipate, like the light at our festival, like the, for the July parade, you know, a lot of those come up.
And so we try to, try to establish some, some staffing to do the enforcement there.
And we work with the county, a health department in concert also from that.
You know, it's, you know, it's, the one speaker talked about affecting income of people that are out there to doing it.
And yes, indeed, if you're doing it unpromitted and not by, by law, it may affect you.
So, the only, you know, recommendation that I can give is just, you know, apply for the permit and play by the rules and do the best you can.
We are at council member Nerviahs.
All right. Thank you.
I'll kick this off.
Well, thank you for bringing this up.
I know we've talked about this.
We received a lot of comments from business community from, from members of,
the presence of, of Napa regarding this and I agree. I think it has to do with fairness.
Some of the things I'm looking at is, is process, communication, education to some of the, the vendors.
You know, I'm not sure if I heard, but we do a good job at this bubble.
I guess we'll have this and, and Spanish as well to make sure that the process.
We're able to communicate to the, the master majority of vendors.
Yeah, we're, we're well aware that there is going to be a community communication requirement that that will need to be bilingual.
And after the second reading, we basically have a 30 day period in which this code gets enacted as an official municipal code that becomes enforceable.
During that period, we plan to work with our communications manager internally here at the city to figure out bilingual communication strategies to get this information out to everybody that that would be interested in hearing more about the permitting process as well as the enforcement requirements associated to it.
And then include staff that's able to speak in other languages as well.
And I just, the documentation. Correct. Okay. Perfect. Thank you.
And then as far as the, the enforcement, the process of enforcement, the different tiers.
I know there's a, the warning, the warning part, but the warning, the process of warning is it just, is it a citation or document that gets, that, that gets documented as well as a process of how to get a permit.
Yeah, it typically in our code enforcement process is a warning is considered courtesy notice just more of an education piece informing you this is what the municipal code says we noticed you doing this.
This is us communicating to you that you must have a permit if you wish to operate as a vendor.
So that's us encouraging them to obtain a permit if they wish to continue operating as vendors and that would be the first level.
If, say, for an app for example, they continue to operate after we give them that warning, then we can document it as an official compliance order where we would continue to move forward beyond that.
After that, if we return on a different day, after we've issued that compliance order and the compliance order specifically stays that they must cease operating without it if they do not have a permit.
And then we would escalate to something like a citation following in order. So the process is courtesy notice compliance order and then it becomes citations.
Thank you. And who's going to be in charge of making that contact the in person contact with that with the vendor.
That would be the code enforcement division. So my team would be in charge of making the first contact with those vendors.
Great. And as far as the hours of operations, because we have a lot of vendors after 5 p.m. after regular business hours. How will we handle working.
Yeah.
Great question. To be clear, work hours right now Monday through Friday 8 to 5. That being said, their job duties also in tail being able to work weekends holidays and into the evening hours.
And that over the past few years, several times to work hand in hand with the county and the police department for food vending operations where environmental health is taking the lead.
So there are definitely opportunities in terms of overtime or doing some schedule adjustments with some of our code enforcement staff to be able to address those evening or weekend operations that may exist.
Well, law enforcement be available or needed. I mean for the enforcement for the fines or anything that you anticipate and kind of events, you know,
Confortation or escalation. No, at first level of code enforcement can take care of most of the initial problems. It doesn't really require any escalation to other departments divisions or even other agencies, unless we see frequent violations that continue to persist.
Got it. Okay. And so when I look at vendors, we see a few different ones are saying physical objects, you know, widgets, toys, things like that, and then we have food vendors.
And one of the questions I have is, well, are, you know, some of the applies and we issue a permit or a license that we're kind of permit, but we believe right, so a permit.
Would they need to have if they're selling food, are we requiring them to also have a food handling license issue that can be for we issue our license or we will be, are we going to issue it regardless.
If a vendor is vending food, they're also required to obtain any health license requirements through through the county County environmental health and that is a requirement per our our permitting process. So yes, it would be required to do that perfect.
And then we have the roaming in stationary.
We have food trucks, we have push carts, food trucks, kind of, I mean, the roaming, I'm thinking like ice from traps and push carts, it's stationary like tables and boots and food trucks.
So food trucks are different, they have different municipal code that can they also obtain different permits through the county.
So this doesn't necessarily touch that this is more for stationary vendors or roaming vendors.
I think like light at arts festival, the vendors that have widgets and toys as well as vendors that have food that that's primarily what's getting addressed with this ordinance.
Thank you. I think the buffer is fair.
We're going to make sure that, you know, we have versus it's access for our first responders to get to it to an event, right, that's not.
That we create a path for responding to to an event. Also, you know, if for me, it's it's fairness to business is also public safety. So if there's an issue with something has been sold with their food and item that we're able to hold something responsible.
So those are two things for me.
How will the public be able to know if I.
Our arts that I recall enforcement one of the things that concerns me and in them sure some of you have seen it.
I think was that light at our it was an event downtown that there was it was very public with social media.
I'm a bit of a bad dream when the vendors.
We was you know, so I want to make sure that the public knows that there's a process if they believe there's a vendors and permitted to be able to know if I us and for us to handle it the way that we want to handle it so we can be productive and informative.
I just want to be.
I just want to make sure that we have a clear path for a public to less know about that so they're not trying to end with things on their own.
It's exactly so if somebody witnesses a violation the the proper protocol should be to contact the proper authorities, which would be code enforcement.
Phone number four city of Napa code enforcement to 7072579646.
You may also submit any complaints on our city of Napa service center, which can be found on our primary web page at city of Napa.org.
Thank you and one last question or comment.
When the vendors are handling food.
And they apply for license, but don't have the food handling license.
Are we communicating with the county saying, you know, you reach out and make sure that they're informed on the process.
Because then we'll have our process.
We have a jurisdiction with food handling.
Napa County does.
I think there's an opportunity there to work with them.
And be able to one is address these issues and help that person, you know, with the process.
What's the what's the plan with community with Napa County?
Yeah, so as code enforcement officers that is our duty report any violations that we may witness.
And if those violations exist under a different agency, we will communicate with that agency.
For food vending specifically, if we notice any food handling violations or possible food handling violations, we will work hand in hand with Napa County environmental health.
Sometimes that may turn into just as simple as providing the communication from the vendor to environmental health, so environmental health may contact the vendor or vice versa, the vendor may contact environmental health that they wish to all the proper protocol and process.
Or if they are vendors that just continue to violate the rules and do not make contact with the environmental health.
If it escalates to that point, then we can make contact jointly with environmental health with the vendor.
Thank you.
I'm very supportive of this.
There is a kind of a culture element to vendors in other parts of the world.
And some of that you can see where, you know, there's pop up vendors and there's a lot of pride in that in the community is very supportive.
So we're not, you know, for me and in supporting this ordinance is not in all of any shape or form and attacking that part, but it's really having capability to the public when things are sold, being able to be safe and have their business practice.
So I just want to make sure that we're also able to communicate to public and any potential, you know, people that are concerned with our permit that it's not about the, you know, attacking anybody.
Going up any kind of business.
I think I've been said it right about fairness and I'm supportive of this.
What I would say is I'd really like to, you know, can I get kind of up the, you know, six months or a year, whatever's appropriate to see how that's going.
Yeah, is there is, I don't know what the workload's going to be like.
If staff is going to have, you know, a lot where they need more resources every getting a lot of complaints.
You know, so I just kind of, again, up there at some point, just to see how we're doing and and what kind of things we can do to support you and your team.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your work on this and also, you know, it's been a long time coming.
Also, thank you for our community for being patient with us while we've worked on this.
It really has taken longer than I think any of us wanted it to.
It is an issue of fairness, but I think it's also an issue of health and safety.
An unpromoted street vendor is not necessarily following the same rules, the same health standards that the county requires.
And I'm sure Ben can tell us they are extensive.
And some of the vendors are unsafely blocking sidewalks and they're limiting access.
I've walked out of bottle rock at 10 o'clock when the festival ends with thousands of other people into a wall of hot dog vendors with really hot girls and it's dangerous.
So I really appreciate the language I saw in there regarding events. I think that's that's really helpful.
I do agree that enforcement is going to be a challenge and we may need to dedicate resources at some point towards this for a while.
I think just in the beginning to kind of get the word out.
And I agree with Councilmember Narvez that I think it'd be helpful to get an update, but maybe in the city managers weekly internal update just to kind of see how it's going for the next few months.
Thank you.
Bill's more fair. Okay.
Tony, thank you for this. I want to just echo that I know it's been a long time coming. I know you've spoken to many members of the community about this.
And it is really an important issue. Obviously, really tied around events.
So I do have a couple of questions. First of all, just to clarify and build on what Councilmember Narvez was asking about the particularly for food vendors.
Will we hold off on issuing a permit until we see evidence of a county permit?
Typically, we wouldn't need to see that environment, a health permit to be able to give them a license.
Okay. Good. I just want to clarify that because I don't want to issue permits and then say, well, you know,
and that should be a part of the information that we get out under any sort of outreach or educational campaign, which I do think is really, really important.
I'm happy to hear about sort of the courtesy notice slash grace period.
And I know you and your team will be working, you know, with folks who really want to try to follow the process.
Curious if we know yet what the cost of a permit is.
I don't have that number right in front of me, but we do have a permit costs in our fee schedule.
And that will be communicated to the vendor when they come to obtain their permit.
I can also try to incorporate that into our 30 day period when it comes to communication.
Well, when you come back for second reading, maybe if we could just get that update, I think it will be nice for us to know what the cost is.
Because I think in comparison to what a restaurant spends and various other things.
I'm hoping it's not going to be cost prohibitive, but it will be really nice to know that.
I would agree, I think one of our biggest challenges is special events and those are often, you know, you might see first time of, you know,
people who would be getting their first notice or courtesy notice.
So I do think we need to look at special events a little bit differently.
And something to work out where, and I don't know if this is a possibility, but perhaps our PD could also issue those citations, particularly during special events because that's when when we do seem to have a problem.
My last comment is, you know, maybe there's an exemption for this, but I just want to make sure that when we have other things like I think about, you know,
Girl Scout setting up cookie sales in front of Brown's belly market or other, you know, things like that.
Do we need an exemption section that would look at non-profits or, you know, those are folks that might be concerned, do I need a permit for that?
And if we need to add an exemption section for something that would cover non-profits or something like, you know, that's the only example I can think of there could be a few others.
You know, maybe lemonade stands at the side of the road, but, but we might want to consider that kind of language in an exemption section of the ordinance.
I don't know if you have any comments of that, or anybody else has any.
I do have a quick follow-up, so $337 for a new permit, $257 for a permit, your renewal permit is good for one year,
and it expires one year from the time that you purchased the permit, renewal, $257.
Okay, that's totally reasonable amount. And I don't know if anybody else has comments on various exemptions, but I want to make sure that we don't impact some of those small nonprofits that try to
sell things like girl scout cookies.
Yeah, at the moment it doesn't look like our ordinance speaks to any possible exemptions, but there is a permitting process that looks like it does give the police department some level of authority over the permitting process, so we can discuss with the police department on that.
Yeah, good, thank you.
Otherwise, you know, I realize this was a lot of work. I do appreciate, you know, the report back, and if there's minor tweaks like exemptions, you know, hopefully we can handle that in a easier fashion.
Thank you for your efforts.
Vice Mayor Dean of Alley.
Thank you.
Thank you, Tony, for this presentation. I want to start.
I do share council member painters concern about legacy fundraising groups like Girl Scouts, like maybe some of our varsity sports at the high school level that are selling things to support their programs, so I'd love to have some more thought about what that process looks like for nonprofits, whether it's a permit that has zero cost or something like that that we can do so they can continue their fundraising that's happened for years.
I share also the comments by all my colleagues. I did also want to kind of lean into what council member Narba has said, having a permit for these vendors also offers them some safety as a permitted vendor.
I think a lot of the conflicts I've seen has been people having conflicts with the vendors themselves.
So I think going through the permitting process and having a permit gives you cover to say I'm a permitted vendor. I'm here because I think the biggest thing I see is what gives you the right to be here.
So I think that's important. I also want to reiterate I think it's very important the educational process on both sides both for the vendors, but also for the public.
I think the public's been asking this for this for a while, so a real clear sense of how you report things and what the process looks like so they don't have to take it with their own hands, but really leaning into a long process of education. I think we'll serve as well, but thank you for all your work from this.
And before I go back to Councilor Leros on the, you know on the, the girl's got cookie sales, you know, it's kind of a once a year event. A lot of this stuff is complaint driven.
I haven't really seen a lot of people complaining about a neighborhood lemonade stand or a girl's got cookies out in front. I don't know that it's to start plugging in exemptions could really open up a can of worms.
I think it's, it's a problem that we don't have. And we do have a problem with the normal vendors council member Leros.
As the resident mom of a girl scout cookie seller, I can tell you the girl scouts don't sell cookies on public right away. We only sell cookies in private spaces where we're, where we're invited. So this wouldn't apply to us anyway.
That would be cool.
All right. I think we're through the, the question and the answer period and comment. So if we're having no other concerns or issues, I'm looking at vice mayor.
I think, yeah, I'll make a motion to adopt, I make a motion to adopt. I am a B sidewalk bending ordinance approve the first reading introduction of an ordinance.
Many then that minutes of a code and actually chapter 5.82 sidewalk bending and determining the actions are authorized by as ordinance or exempt from sequel.
Council member vice second.
Vice Mayor, being the valley, all in favor.
Hi. Any opposed?
Here is unanimously. Thank you. Thank you.
Any comments by council or city manager? I'm going city manager first.
Do you have one announcement in this at our public works department has a community meeting for the Jefferson court or transportation safety and connectivity plan scheduled for Thursday evening this week.
I'm going to go to the state of July 23rd, 2026 from 530 p.m. until 7 p.m. Right here in this room.
It's a drop in style. People can come in. They can talk to the project team ask questions share input and find out about the next step.
So we'd like to get as much feedback as possible from the community. So everybody is welcome.
Thank you.
We don't need a hand raise for this one. This is no. This is a separate one.
Council member nervous.
You know, we haven't been here since, you know, several weeks.
So the fourth of July, I prayed really well. I just want to thank.
Seeing that before working with someone.
Some was our rotary for playing that on and, you know, it was a really great community event.
So thank you.
All right. We'll go to the city attorney to provide the required announcement for closed sessions.
Yes. Thank you. The council is going to meet and close session regarding two items item 10 a conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation for the case listed in the agenda as well as item 10 b conference with labor negotiators.
I think we're ready for public comment on this item.
And I have no cards and there are currently no guests on Zoom.
So. Okay. Thank you very much.
Well, we will recess to close session. We will return at 630.
Thank you.
I'll look over to City Clerk. Get that head nod. It is 630.
Welcome, everyone. Welcome to our evening session, the June 21st City Council regular meeting.
We have roll call, please.
You can.
Okay. Sorry. Excuse me, Mayor.
Okay. Council member is a painter.
Here.
There are those.
You're.
Here.
Here. Are there any changes to the agenda or supplemental reports?
There are no changes to the agenda mayor. We do have supplemental reports for item 14 a.
We have written communications from Tim Williams.
Jenny gas, as well as Alonzo Corona on behalf of the Napa County Historic Chamber of Commerce.
And we have a presentation from City staff as well as from the Napa County.
Thank you so much.
This portion of our meeting is devoted to public comment on non agenda items.
Drung public comment portion of the meeting. The public is invited to address the council on any item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the council.
If it is not on the agenda please focus your comments on either past actions taken by the council or proposed future actions to be taken by the council.
However, if the subject of the public comment is not on the agenda state law strictly limits the council's ability to respond at this time.
So the clerk has a little bit to report on there's a little change.
Today is the meeting and so the clerk will explain.
Due to the passage of SB 707 this is our first city council meeting where we have also incorporated the use of zoom.
So members of the public can participate remotely as well.
For each section of the agenda when public comment is called members of the public who wish to speak on an item should use zoom raise your hand button to indicate that you would like to speak.
For those members of the public who have joined the meeting by calling into the telephone conference via zoom.
We will start nine to indicate that you would wish to speak when the item of interest comes up.
We will be calling on each speaker and allowing them to turn on their microphone to comment when prompted to speak.
You may be asked to unmute yourselves and if you are on the phone that it's star six to unmute.
Time is limited to three minutes as indicated on the timer that is out here in public and also on zoom.
We will begin by calling on members of the public participating in person first followed by remote participants.
For general public comment I do not have any cards for general public comments.
If anyone via zoom wishes to speak on item 13 public comment can you please raise your hand now.
And I see I see no hands.
Be a zoom and no one here in public either.
Well thank you no general public comment and we still encourage you to come on down.
We just we'd rather have you come here in person make public comment but that option will.
The clerk's office done a great job implementing this for tonight's meeting we did it in the afternoon session and it seemed to go fairly well.
So our one item this evening is a public hearing and it's a big one.
Big project I should say a lot of a lot of work's been going on for quite some years on this so it's item 14 a on your agenda.
It's the Franklin station to redevelopment project and development agreement so if a public hearing first we will hear a report from staff.
We will disclose any information that we've learned outside of this public hearing.
We will open the public hearing close public hearing and deliver it.
Good evening Mayor Sajali members of the city council.
Molly Radigan community resources and development director joined here with writer dilly are planning manager who will be doing the book of this presentation.
But I will kick us off.
The first thing I wanted to do is talk for a few minutes about the process that we've been through with this project because we don't see a lot of big projects like this coming to the council.
So generally what happens is the applicant submits their application staff reviews it negotiates it and ultimately we take it forth to commissions or council.
In this case a project like this went to the planning commission first for review of the items in there per view and then to the cultural heritage commission for their review and recommendation.
I wanted to mention that because there were some newspaper articles and things sorry I didn't mean to throw my pen across there and there's some newspaper articles and things that were referenced as though the project had been approved and I just wanted to clarify.
That we are here tonight for the council to hear this item for the first time.
Have the opportunity to hear the recommendations which are recommendations of approval from their commissions and this is the first time that you as the council are discussing the project in this form.
So there was a previous project which writer will go over so it's not the first time this project has come before you well before the city council I think before you as a city council it's the first time you're seeing it.
So I just wanted to provide a little bit of context of the process that we've gone through and the commissions that have reviewed it.
I also want to just give a few minutes spend a few minutes talking about development agreements also not something common that we do here in the city of Napa.
However, the government code does give authority to cities and counties to enter into development agreements and it's really a tool that we use when the the regular entitlement process may not work or there may be something unique about the project or there may be something complicated about the project and there's a need to do something different and you're looking at shared gives and take shared benefits and shared.
Opportunities that go with that so you may remember some of the big development agreements that we've done here in the city of Napa before the Napa pipe development cost go.
Was the benefit there but it was really about housing 945 housing units with a significant percentage of affordable housing units and a dedication to land.
You may remember the braiden what we know is the braiden apartments it was called the this to a key project at the time.
It included a road extension in the bridge over a creek in an exchange for the development of market rate housing.
And then obviously the most recent one that we've done was the first street hotel the corner first in Maine.
To included a TOT share and the developer fronting a significant amount of public improvements on brown street a landswap between what was the white marine plaza and a Paseo and different things.
I mentioned that because they all have each development agreement no development no two development agreements are going to look the same and nor were the benefits in their impacts be the same.
So I just mentioned that tonight that is we start talking about tonight's project the uniqueness of this project really does center around the historic preservation of the Franklin station post office.
And while there is a covenant that is held outside of the city of Napa.
Part of part of the development agreement that staff is brought forth to you tonight and brought forth planning commission really acknowledges that preservation is costly and how do we take a privately owned property and.
Project and help make it pencil through the development agreement process. So that is a little bit
on development agreements. And now I'm going to turn it over to writer who's going to talk specifically
about the Franklin Station Project. Thank you, Mollie. Thank you, Mollie. And thank you, Mayor members
of the council. This is a pretty substantial project. There's a lot of moving parts, a lot of
information. So I'm going to try to be brief, where it's possible to be brief, understanding
that there's historic preservation. I don't think you can ever be fully brief with historic
preservation. You've got to get into the nuances of the details a little bit. And generally,
not to make upon there's history involved with the decisions that have made post-earth
quick. But the consideration in front of you tonight is an application for multiple entitlements,
including a development agreement, a zoning amendment, a mending the planned development overlay
PD37 district, a tenant a parcel map, a designer view permit, a certificate of appropriateness
and related approvals to provide for the redevelopment of an approximately 1.44 acre property
with two five story buildings consisting of up to 120 hotel rooms, up to 44 cell hotel units and
other amenities and the preservation of the Franklin Station post office. The applicant is James Keller
and he's in the audience tonight, along with his the rest of his applicant team,
architects from BA are architects and historic preservation architects. The project is located generally
on the south side, south east side of second street, generally dividing Randolph street, both on the
west and east side. The nuance which we'll get into details and then the difference between what was previously
considered and what is considered in front of you tonight is that this project does not include
the Zellers Ace Hardware parcel and it does include a portion of the young building. Those are key to
be noted. The request entitlements include that planned development overlay, which establishes
which repeals the PD37 overlay district and establishes development standards, design guidelines,
processing procedures. For up to that 120 hotel rooms and then the 44 cell hotel units 37
of those new construction three conversion of the young building, it's important to note that that
is the cap that's being requested but the design review permit obviously reflects the plans that you see
which include the 94 hotel rooms and then the 25 4 cell hotel units plus the three in the young
building. This request entitlements also include the DA, the design review permit which we're going
into detail about the 94 hotel rooms, the other amenities rooftop cafe bar, restaurant and event and
meeting spaces, and those 25 4 cell hotel units rooftop unit shared amenities ground floor retail.
It's in a parcel map which reconfigured four existing parcels in the three parcels for furthering
the ability to be able to condo subdivide four of those 4 cell hotel units and then the adoption
of a resolution considering the certificate of appropriateness which would authorize major alterations
to this historic resources which is both on the national register of historic places and a local
landmark by designation. Going back in time a little bit, it's important to notice that that
culturally and within the community the fragmentation post office has had a huge civic presence,
both by the nature of the way it's designed and just by practice. It was a post office for a substantial
amount of time within the community, a substantial amount of time where members of the community saw it
as that a gathering space to both collect their mail to mail off letters to loved ones.
Getting to further detail but it was renamed back in 2010 to the Thomas consguard post office
by the U.S. Congress but we'll get into that timeline a little bit later.
So in 1933 architects William Will Coralette and Walter Reed of the Oakland firm,
Reed and Coralette designed the post office notable art deco style and we'll get into the character
defining features on the building in a little bit. In January 11th of 1985 it was added to
the National Register of Historic Places. So it's important to note that as a post office itself
it was seen as valuable in the era of which it was constructed in the style of which it was constructed.
In 2010 the U.S. Congress acted to rename that post office to the Thomas consguard post office. So
tonight will generally refer to as Franklin Station post office because it's just a little bit
easier for people to grasp that but I think it's important to note and I don't want to lose the decisions
that have been made of the past that it was officially renamed as it was still a post office.
On August 24th, 2014 the South Napa earthquake damaged the Franklin Station post office
where an experienced substantial damage and later had to close that. The U.S. Postal Service had
movement due to the cost of reconstruction to demo the post office entirely because the cost
to reconstruct it to rehabilitate the post office as a post office was going to be cost prohibitive.
But there were local efforts extending from when it was damaged into 2015,
coordinated many campaigns across local groups as well as Congress and Mike Thompson.
The U.S. Postal Service agreed to halt the demolition plans for the Franklin Station post office
building and then said pursue the sell of the building and the reason why that's notable is
we'll get into the preservation covenant a little later. Napa County landmarks, the party to the
preservation covenant. The city is not a preservation to the covenant but one of the main reasons why the
Postal Service was willing to sell it was with the understanding that it would be preserved and that
those character defining features would be preserved. In 2017 it was purchased by the applicant in which
they executed that preservation covenant shortly thereafter and then it got into
considerations of how it would be rehabilitated a project that was presented for 163 hotel room
project including the Zellers Ace Hardware parcel and then the parking lot B was a mechanized parking
garage. That was the consideration at the time. So in 2018 City Council proved that project which
included that purchase and sell agreement and then execution of the original DA.
Going from 2021 to 2025 there were subsequent amendments to the DA, pretty much extensions to that
DA as well as amendments to the purchase and sell agreement for the parking lot parcel. In July
3rd of 2025 the applicant actually submitted an application and the application being considered in front
of you tonight. Important to recognize that there was also an amendment to that purchase and sell agreement
that was executed in September. The preservation covenant is important I think for context because it's
an obligation between the applicant and the preservation of any redevelopment of that post office.
But noting that the US Postal Service that was one of the main reasons they were even willing to
consider the sale of it. But it's important to distinguish that the city is not party to that covenant so
the city is led efforts in the way that the draft conditions, the language of the DA, the draft ordinances
and resolutions incorporating regulations that the city would be able to enforce if Council is moved to
adopt resolutions and ordinances in front of you tonight. But still important for context because the
preservation covenant is there. Key project components. So rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of that
store for inclination post office with a five story upper upscale hotel with up to 120 hotel rooms,
other amenities and then the mixed use development which is the redevelopment of parking lot
parcels sometimes referred to as the bill close parking lot or parking lot be as the city recognizes it.
The five story building with up to 374 cell hotel units such units in the past were referred to as branded
residential beds you can recall there was a joint session between the Planning Commission City Council where
there was recognition that it was more of a commercial use due to the transient nature. So staff
moved to redefine the classification of that to four cell hotel units and then integrates the three existing
condo units to four cell units within the adjacent young building and then includes onsite parking facilities
and retail on the ground level that mixed use development. Key components of the plan development overlay
PD37 amendments defines four cell hotel units to individually own units that are developed conveyed and
operated as part of the hotel that rely upon the hotel's management services staffing and amenities for
their use and operation. So should these units be rented out they have to be rented out back through
the hotel and managed by the hotel but it is important to distinguish that they can be lived in so
although the classification due to the transient nature of these units they still can be purchased
and then lived in as if they were residences. So the owner's may occupy it but when it is rented it must be
rented for occupancy for periods of less than 30 consecutive days which count portions of calendar days
as full days and then we move to define lock-off. So lock-off is generally when you've had a hotel room
that shares a door with another hotel room and if you've had two parties that are standing you want
to access between the hotel units that is generally what a lock-off is. So as part of that plan development
overlay they're requesting the flexibility to be able to like if there's a third bedroom of the
four cell hotel unit use that and rent it out as a lock-off. That in itself could still be lived in
by the original owner but if it is rented out it has to be rented out back through the hotel and that has to
be a period of less than the 30 days as well and so that lock-off shall not constitute separate dwelling
unit and for the purposes of the standards that have been established it's like another hotel room.
So when looking at some of the flexibility that will get into that's being asked lock-offs are considered
hotel rooms so at any point the cap is still 120 hotel rooms so they are requesting some flexibility
between both that mixed use development and the post office redevelopment but that's important to
to distinguish and then for the four cell hotel units the cap is still 40 overall so 37 new because the
three existing corner units. As far as entertainment uses they are requesting joint or incidental
entertainment uses associated with the hotel to be permitted between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. Outdoor entertainment
which would generally be a use permit they are requesting that that be considered by the director
and should operation exceed what the downtown specific plan allows that would still push it up to a
use permit. So the downtown specific plan establishes framework for uses outside of the entertainment
district boundaries recognizing that if they conform to those other standards of the downtown
specific plan like the hours administrative permit would allow staff to evaluate any request for
outdoor amplified music generally and then design guidelines the project must comply with the
design guidelines which were incorporated as exhibit be of that planned development ordinance.
Project parking can get a little nuance so it lays over it now but if we want to go into further detail later
which I assume we will we'll get into that. Understanding that the expectation at least for
those four cell hotel units is that parking be provided on-site or through irrevocable
easement as right now the parking is provided on-site through ground floor parking and for hotels generally
is that the spaces should be the one parking space for each four cell hotel unit and 0.8 spaces
per lock off unit. 0.8 spaces per hotel room and then all other uses shall be part consistent with the
downtown Napa specific plan. So in the planned development overlay minutes which we can get into
certain changes through motions that planning commission had of what changes occurred to the plan
development overlay in the amendments. Recognizes both the ratio and that the parking shall
either be provided on-site or through some long-term irrevocable easement or agreement and the last is that
if the city agrees to enter into a parking agreement for summer all the required parking then parking
may also occur on city property in accordance with the terms of that agreement. Project amendments
that the PD-37 overlay does authorize the community resources and development director
to approve certain discretionary actions if that project is consistent with the overall planned
development overlay and those will be subject to the pickled design guidelines remain subject to
established appeal procedures important to note and should be incorporated as part of the recommendation
tonight there have been some changes to the project facing sunset provisions just for consistency
with the DEI is that the post office redevelopment generally is being referred to as phase one and then the
mixed use development shall generally be referred to as phase two so there's priority and establishing
that the preservation of the post office should be should come first if one phase was to come first
both can occur concurrently but the sunset provisions reflected in red or where the edits have been
Is that October 1st, 2029, unless phase 1 has a, well, sunset provisions meeting, the planned
event overlay would expire. On October 1st, 2029, unless phase 1 has attained complete building
permits. We reserved for the second option, and then April 1st, 2034, unless phase 1 has obtained
a certificate of occupancy. So make sure that the project continues to progress, in accordance
with the agreement, and then for the 4th, assuming the second phase we constructed in a similar
timeframe October 1st, 2034, unless phase 2 has obtained a certificate of occupancy. And then
if both phase 1 and phase 2 have obtained all C of those, the overlay shall remain valid
until amended by city council. Generally, the floor area ratio remains the same up to 4.0 floor
area ratio, but it does exclude those sub serene areas. So the post office redevelopment has
the basement level, but then the mixed use development has the ground floor parking, so excluding
those areas. The maximum building height is 60, but there are certain height limits where
can go up to 75 feet for those rooftop features that are further defined in the planned
development overlay. And then generally, the downtown specific plan tries to establish certain
maximum setbacks, but recognizing what's been defined as a character defining resource of the
post office. Generally, the facade has to sit back slightly further to make sure that the presence
of that post office is still front and center. Side step back, no requirement, rear
step back, no requirement, which is pretty typical of downtown development. The stepbacks generally
are establishing those design guidelines, but my suggestion, understanding that requirement
is looking to the design review and the project plans in front of you tonight, because there's
a lot of overlap between the approach in recognition of the historic resource and the actual
material selected through design review. So understanding that there is a little bit of overlap
between the design review permit and certificate of appropriateness. For minimum lottery, no requirement,
lot with no requirement, lot frontage, no requirement. The plan development overlay district boundaries,
generally shown in green is what's proposed with the existing plan development overlay 37 being
removed from that space from Zeller Ace Hardware parcel. And then for the development agreement,
the project would rehabilitate and preserve the earthquake damaged post office is one of the primary
benefits, as well as the transient occupancy tax and other tax revenues that the project would be able
to contribute to. It was a discussion in the planning commission, generally, but the project will
pay the hotel motel rate of $6 per square foot for the entirety of the project. Additionally,
the project will contribute in additional $1 per square foot upon close of each four cell hotel unit
to the affordable housing fund. The discussion that came up during planning commission was consideration
of a $2 per square foot additional fund. So that could be a discussion here tonight. The $2
is what was contributed as part of the first street phase two redevelopment. Site plan here,
generally referring to the post office redevelopment as the preservation of the post office and that
five story hotel building and the mixed use redevelopment.
Generally, try to glaze over some of the elevations in the architect from the applicant's team
can get into more detail and then I'll focus on some of those character defining features for the
certificate of appropriateness. This is the primary north-facing facade for the post office redevelopment
where you see the United States post office building and the glass curtain walls that straddle
it trying to distinguish between both the old and the new. As well as the south-facing facade with
a green wall is facing third street, both the west and east elevations. He kind of an important
feature to note the service area located on this western facade here is away from the
the resource that is the post office. It generally tucked back behind not to obstruct with some of
the circulation patterns of which we'll get into a little bit and then the post office redevelopment floor
plans to the basement ground level first level second level third level fourth fifth and then the roof top.
And then generally the mixed use building where access can come off of second street here vehicle entry
in the north-facing facade south-facing facade. We'll get into some of the planning commission
discussions a little bit later and the size has been important to notice that there was a tension
that was paid to the south-facing south-facing facade. If any architectural embellishments could be incorporated
and or public art as part of that so we'll get into the motion from planning commission here in a moment.
So the west-facing facade east and then there's that ground level that makes use to
development first second third fourth and then the rooftop. This shows a little bit more of that
shared access over to the young building units that exist there. So it would seek to demolish that wine
valley box parcel exist that post office and the connection through part of the merger of the two
parcels would go through that. Generally shown shown here in the tenant of parcel map.
Now to get into some of the more granular detail of the certificate of appropriate and so the actual historic
preservation of the post office and they said the applicants architect is here to get into some of the
discussions of what's significant what's not but a lot of those character defining exterior and interior
features were both identified in that that nomination form extending back to the National Register of
Historic Places as well as the surveys and investigations that were done post earthquake as far as
what features could still be salvaged were still significant. Ultimately concluding through many different
reports to CHE and many reports to city council that the post office was still significant.
It could still be identified as both a local landmark and then on the National Register.
But as part of the draft resolution the recommendation is including some of the maintenance and
treatment of some of those character defining features both on the exterior interior and external
spatial characteristics will get into that because of the civic presence of the post office as far as
what's going to be preserved protected repaired. And then consideration of how that new addition plays into
what's the character defining feature. So the intent as the applicant was to maintain the historic
frontage along second street and place the new construction back behind it. So as I spoke about the
glass curtain walls, the distinguishing difference in the material selected that are a little
bit more subtle allowing not to imitate but to play off of that historic post office and the material selected
as well as how it's step back to make sure that the post office still sits in that front present.
Important to note that although the mixed use development is on a separate parcel, that does
emulate a traditional kind of street grid presence with the building up closer to the frontage.
And when we look at the site plan, another way to play off of that and ensure that although you're bringing the
buildings closer, but it's still safe for pedestrian and vehicle movement is the bulb out that you'll see
in the site plan. I mean talked about the upper story setback. I'll kind of glaze through these character
defining features because I want to show you the actual pictures of them but the exterior interior and
external spatial characteristic. It's important to note that CHG gotten to the details a little bit more
about some of the other features within the post office lobby they believed should also be maintained in
some fashion that part of that discussion got into the original cast bronze drop lights that the
architect can get into further detail of not being fully original to the structure but the mailboxes,
the clear story windows generally. Now to get into this character defining features,
looking at the external spatial characteristics, this projected central area that are flanked by two recessed
wings. The seven peers talk by terracotta capital and the stylized floral motif.
That corn is extending from the roof line form of terracotta ram and house heads and here's
the picture up close to it. Ornament that consists of decorative brickwork and terracotta panels in
a geometric motif. Those bronze and milk glass earned shape light fixtures adjacent to the
entryways. Those are most notably even behind the fence that you see today but they are
generally covered but you know where they are. Large terracotta panel containing the art deco eagle
and up close. The monolithic windows in the front facade front granite steps in every way with granite
plants and bases and ornament iron railings. The carved granite cornerstone got into the
devs into some of those records a little bit and the original flock was actually removed back in
like 1933 and actually back behind the cornerstone it was tradition to include some form of time capsule.
So what we haven't been able to determine is whether that time capsule has ever been removed was
assuming there's still a time capsule that sits back behind that card granite cornerstone.
Moving to the interior that decorative terracotta floor marble wains cutting.
Raise plaster ceiling ornamental plaster panel with geometra metricized floral pattern at each
end of the central freeze. Raise and painted plaster ceiling and walls carved art deco with lentils
over the service counter as original brass frame bolts and boards. Now to get into some of the
the discussions that occurred so on June 30th the planning commission considered their recommendation
on entitlements within their purview for both the development agreement, the zoning ordinance,
the plan development overlay, the designer view permit and the tent of parcel map. In the discussion
they generally focus on that south facing facade of the mixed use development building,
the overall parking requirements, the overall design and materials of the new addition of the post office
redevelopment, the development agreement and the proposed public improvements in the affordable housing
contribution. Planning commission ultimately made multiple motions recommending city council
consider the following zoning be updated to include that the left and right side full glass floor
ceiling panels that enhance the post office building be considered a major amendment if changed
and happy to call out the specific section of the plan development overlay that speaks to that as a
character defining feature and then any substantial change as determined in the discretion of the
community resources and development director to the design style and color materials presented as
attachment six of the planning commission report on June 30th 2026 return to the planning commission
for review and approval so anything that's determined to be a substantial change and happy to call
out the specific architectural sheet that calls out those materials city council considered changes
to the mixed use building south wall with some sort of large formal aesthetic improvement and then
language be struck from zoning and DA documents regarding paying the in-loop fee for the
transient uses and for the in-loop fee can be paid for non-transient uses in hotel and mixed use building.
Generally the document that you see in front of you tonight already incorporates that at its
removed it happy to get into the language of what existed before and what you see in front of you tonight.
At the conclusion of the hearing planning commission recommended approval the project by a vote of
50. Now on July 9th 2026 the cultural heritage commission considered their recommendation to the city council
for the certificate of appropriateness where they generally had discussion points regarding materials for the new addition
the preservation of the mailboxes lighting and clear story windows within the interior of the lobby
and the cultural heritage commission made two motions recommend city council consider the following.
So the commission recommends that the city council consider expanding preservation of the existing
signage and the lobby including preservation of the mailboxes. Clear story windows above the counter and such
other aspects of the lobby that the council may consider and if the council agrees commission would like
input on the modification to the plans and then the commission recommends the city council consider
requiring the applicant work with a qualified third party to be approved by the community resources and
development director to provide more detailed document all history including nomination forms and
We're in treatment as well as an archival record. At the conclusion of the hearing, the CHE recommended approval
of the project by vote of 50. As with every discretionary project, we considered review
pursuant to CEQA. And so staff recommends city council finds a project would not have
environmental effects that would not examine in the downtown specific plan EIR. And the project is within
the scope of the development program analyzed in the downtown specific plan EIR. And that no subsequent
EIR is required for the project as document in the section 15168 analysis in the
agenda item as provided in the CEQA ed. And in the project mitigation monitoring report program
MMRP and alternatively the project is exempt from CEQA under section 15332 or class 32 exemption.
And none of those exceptions to CEQA plot. Generally, city council be moved to make findings for the first
reading and approval of the zoning amendment the following findings shall be made with the additional
findings for the plan development overlay district. Generally gotten to some of the details of why a city
might enter into a development agreement. The following findings for a designer view permit, which include the additional
finding when approving a design review permit when the proposed development is consistent with the
approved PD or plan development overlay to need a parcel map findings. And then findings
that you can't make or you shall be required to deny the project. And then certificate of appropriateness
the findings. So I won't go over all of the recommended actions yet but understand there's a
recommended action for CEQA. Generally for the plan development overlay for the development
agreement for the design review permit into an parcel map and for the certificate of appropriateness. I
understand that's a lot of information. So generally staff is available for any questions that you have
as well as if we want to get into the details of the material selection and just other design
features the architects from the applicants team are here. That concludes staff's presentation.
Thank you, writer. At this time, and I failed to mention my opening remarks about the applicants opening
statements. I didn't forget about it. It was there. But now go for disclosures.
I met with the development team on July 7th, so post planning commission hearing. And I
have toured the building poster earthquake, which many others probably have as well.
I've met with the applicant in the legal council last several weeks and saw a little bit of what
they had in mind.
Yeah, I was here for the 2018 entitlements for the project, so everybody's I'm pretty familiar.
I think it's a community where very familiar with the project but no real disclosures of any sort
with the applicant words team.
I've met with the applicant team in about a month ago.
I toured the building in 2015 and I've met with the applicants team several times over the last ten years.
Thank you.
So at this time, we'll ask the applicant to provide any remarks they wish to provide.
I think we'll do the initial ten minutes.
Let's see a little bit more time. We can probably negotiate that.
Good evening. Mayor council members. My name is Jeff Dodd. I'm a land use attorney here in town representing the Franklin Station team,
which is comprised of Jim Keller behind me developer owner, David Oliver, hotel operations guru,
and our design team made up of Earl Wilson and Jim Brennan from Bar Architects.
And of course our historic preservation architect, Mark Holbert from the preservation architecture.
This has been really an incredible team effort.
So we all really want to acknowledge and not ignore the incredible time and care that staff has been put into this project.
I think writer just evidenced that with that amazing staff report and incredibly detailed note.
No detail overlooked. Certainly, but you know, writer, Neil, Tony, Molly, amongst many, many others.
Thank you very much for getting us here. I appreciate all the time and effort on this.
Certainly, again, as writer mentioned, there's a great amount of detail, great amount of land use entitlements.
But the central goal of the project is simple. I've worked here in the project is here to save our historic post office.
It's a local landmark. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.
And it's a legacy that we should protect.
Unfortunately, that goal comes with a very harsh financial reality.
I'm a reality that the Postal Service confronted after the 2014 earthquake when demolish was the obvious choice.
It was kind of a no-brainer when you evaluated the cost of actually rehabbing the building.
It was also a reality for many other developers and other buyers, you know, later down in the road when the Post Office considered selling it.
They thought they did their due diligence, but not a lot of folks could really stomach that level of financial risk.
That's because before you even start paying for the new construction piece, you must account for the 10 to estimated $13 million up front costs.
Just to do the historic preservation work that the Post Office required, the Postal Service required, and make the building seismically safe for the public.
So, I mean, as you see many development projects come your way and through the application stages, it's incredibly difficult to do a project.
Just a regular development project given the high cost of construction and this kind of a volatile economy of all the financing market that we have.
But when you begin again with that 10 to $13 million negative on the budget sheet, a cost of the normal project doesn't have to absorb it presents a really meaningful challenge.
So, thankfully, we had a local family, the colors, step up, and really through an incredible partnership with Napa County landmarks who's here tonight, many of their members and their director, a found a viable pathway for it to save the Post Office.
And bring this part of second street back to life.
And I just want to add a little bit just, you know, last year, her mayor's call and council members call for greater certainty.
So, this isn't one of those hotel entitlements that kind of gets approved and never gets built and is this kind of moves on in perpetuity.
That's not what this is. We've committed and worked really closely with staff and the city attorney team to provide clear deadlines and milestones that provide
that transparency, that accountability as the project moves forward.
So, with that in the economic realities that I mentioned earlier, I think you'll find a design really exceptional making Franklin Station, the centerpiece, and I'll turn it over to Earl Wilson to walk you through our beautiful design here.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council members and staff.
My name is Earl Wilson. I'm principle with B.A.R. Architects in San Francisco.
We're a 70 person firm founded in San Francisco approximately 60 years ago with, with a long history working in Napa.
And I personally have a passion for creating a sense of place, special places, based on the unique qualities and characteristics of the places in which we work and Napa certainly one of those.
Our process to get to that is really one that's founded on research and uncovering the really special aspects that contribute to our project DNA, if you like, and it starts with generating these these architectural design pillars.
And a lot of time was spent just on the site in Napa with our client, Jim Keller, David Oliver, coming to these pillars of authentically Napa making it uniquely of the place,
revering and respecting the post office and creating a place to gather and bringing vitality into Napa.
You know, revering respect for us is taking direct inspiration from the historic post office and making the post office the centerpiece, the jewel box at the heart of the project.
And we really have tried to harmonize the architectural character and bringing in this notion of continuity over time to revere and respect this post office.
You know, as writer mentioned, pulling the face of the hotel back and revealing the post office for the jewel box that it is.
And ultimately, it's about preserving the character of this post office and revitalizing it. The project is really about being able to restore these character defining features and the unique craftsmanship of this building.
And we've used this device to separate the historic building from the new building using these these glass separation, but also at the same time, bringing in brick to the facade of the building and detail to harmonize the architectural character.
And this is also, I think, the wonderful thing about a hotel use is bringing in the vitality setting the building up for the next 90 years and creating street life here south of first street to revitalize the streets in the neighborhood.
Authentically, Napa, one of the pillars is, you know, using the indoor outdoor experience at the street and connecting the building to the street to take advantage of the climate that we have here.
And we're using similar of the same pillars, really, for the branded residences or the mixed use building, same pillars apply here, but in a little bit more of a residential architecture.
And, you know, ultimately, this is about allowing the opportunity for this building to thrive well into the future. People to be able to visit this, both locals and visitors enjoy this wonderful building, reconnect with the history of Napa and revitalize this part of downtown Napa.
Thank you. Thank you.
Good evening, Council members and Mayor Sedgley. Just wanted to come up and say a few quick words. I'll start by talking about how hard this project is.
Mary had a little bit. She's been hearing about this for the last eight years or whatever she said, but it's been it's been a while. I bought this back in 2017 late 17 and we've been at it for quite a while.
So what I'm going to say is pretty much what it's going to take to get this project done throughout all those years of watching seeing learning.
Again, it's difficult, very costly to be in the whole that significant and pull yourself out.
I've done what I've done is initially talked to you guys about two years ago and said, hey, here's here's what needs to happen.
And with your support and encouragement as well as plenty of encouragement from within the household and community members.
You know, I brought in the ATM, I brought BAR attacks, I brought David Oliver who's done this before he was involved in a lot of four seasons developments.
You know, I've pretty much exhausted the resources that need to be exhausted to get this project done.
And I know that you guys have all been here and seen the process and I appreciate your support.
I also want to say thank you to Molly and writer who've been of great assistance and cooperative with my team to get this to where we are.
The significant thing about war were at tonight, and with this approval, is that we will have design review.
Passes will have, you know, the hurdles that is going to satisfy the investment and the operator that needs to come in and make this happen.
This isn't just another, you know, we're here again. This is another step.
And in my opinion, the final step that needs to happen to see this thing get built.
One little, you know, historic, and you guys know, I've, I've other, you know, properties assets here.
A lot of, in downtown App, I'm a big believer in Appa. Always have been, and that goes back five generations.
My wife and the audience and her, her grandfather, Wade Schifflet was, was great friends with Judge Khan's Guard.
If you guys walk in this building, which I know you have, you have all these old Napa legacy names that have had post office boxes there, and it's, that's what, that's what I'm doing this.
Passion about it, and I think we're here. So I appreciate the, the help.
I can't forget that the first thing that we did when we brought this back and started the process was reached out to landmarks.
And Terry Wonderlick and Christine French have been absolutely phenomenal.
I think you're going to hear from Christine and, and we've been with, you know, with their partnership as a covenant holder.
That was obviously the logical thing we needed to do, and, and that was met with with open arms and zero resistance and, and a collaborative cooperative approach and partnership.
Them and BAR and, and our team and, and I'm really proud of where we're at.
And I hope you guys are as well because it's, it's a historic preservation and all this is not, it's, it's everybody that, that has a hand in this.
So thank you guys. Thanks to everyone here that's, that's in support.
Thanks, Miss Killer.
We're good. At this time, we'll open public hearing.
So, uh, said clerk, have you got the in person speaker cards?
I do, Mayor, I have two cards from Christine French and Melody Durham.
And then just, if anybody is attending via zoom and would like to make comments on, um,
I'd like to, i'd like to know your question.
I'd like to, I'd like to know Mayor.
I'd like to hear your comments on, i'd like to know please.
Raise your hand now.
Good.
Public hearing is open. Come on in.
Good evening everybody, I'm Chris Madrid French.
I'm Chris Madrid French.
I'll take you to director of, of nappe county landmarks.
And our address.
And our address is 1443 Main Street.
On behalf of our board of directors.
and we have seven members of our Board of Directors here tonight and also a couple of
former board members. All of who have been involved with this post office since the time
of the earthquake and even earlier than that. I want to thank everyone who has helped us
bring this project to this point including Jim Keller and his team. We are proud to support
the rehabilitation of the Franklin Station post office. We have added a page for our website
looking at the history of the building and providing a context for understanding the significance
of this incredible structure. So encourage the public to visit our website.
As a historian I spend a lot of time looking backwards. Every once in a while though, we have the
privilege of watching history being made. Tonight is one of those moments. For nearly a century,
generations of Napa residents have walked through the doors of the post office. To mail letters,
pick up packages, greet neighbors and take care of life's ordinary moments. That's how a building
becomes part of the identity of the community. Napa County landmarks is honored to hold the preservation
covenant for this remarkable place. We see that responsibility as both a privilege and a promise
that this landmark will continue to serve Napa for generations to come. We are dedicated to
helping the project team with the development and completion of this project, which we are certain
will elevate Napa status nationwide. Thank you. Thank you.
Hi. Hi. My name is Melody Durham. I'm a local resident. I've lived in Napa for 22 years.
I'm retired firefighter and a small business owner. I came tonight to get some more information
in which I have great information for you guys. Most like most of my friends, if you guys look at
next-door and Facebook, most of us think, oh my god, another hotel, especially because we're looking
at the big blue beast that's going up with the 500 rooms and not a lot of additional parking.
So the idea of another hotel is not really palatable. It feels like as a local, we're not kind of being heard.
But after hearing about the 10, the 13 million dollar restoration fee, I'm curious, one thing
where there are other avenues explored about who might be able to buy that and develop a
bit besides a hotel. That's one question. It kind of sounds like they're about the only business who
could do that, so maybe that answered the question there. One of the next question is about parking.
I didn't quite understand your explanation about the parking as it relates to
residences versus hotels. That's probably complicated. But again, I think if this project would have
been approved before the big blue beast went up, it would have been kind of a no-brainer, but because it's
beautiful. It's hard to argue that that's going to be, that's not going to be a gorgeous building
and that locals are going to be partaking. It does feel like downtown is definitely shifted gears
more towards what tourists want, what benefits tourists, not what's good for the local,
especially when the town square got annihilated. So this has a different feel to it and I'm hopeful
that the thought about locals will be included as a development goes on. But parking is a big issue for
locals. Most of us don't speak for me and my friends. We don't come downtown on the weekends because
you can't park. If you're already here as saying in a hotel and you've got here without driving,
you can walk around town. That's one thing. But when you drive downtown, usually if it's on a
even on a Thursday night, you have to park clear across town half the time. So parking is a big issue.
I didn't quite like I said, I didn't understand if there's actually going to be additional parking
for all of these for the residents in the hotel rooms or if you're going to rely again on city parking that's
existing. That's probably one of the biggest concerns. The other concerns that I came with tonight
were answered in the information that I got and appreciate that. It kind of feels like if that
information was actually out there, some way besides us coming to a city council meeting, it would gain
more traction amongst the locals. So just to thought, that's what I had to say. And maybe somebody can
answer the question about parking. We'll get to that. Thank you.
Good evening. Mayor, members of the Council, Jerry Hanson. I reside in Napa, but I am here tonight
also representing the Napa Chamber of Commerce. Last month, the Chamber had the opportunity to express
our support for the Franklin Station Project at the Planning Commission meeting. And tonight, I'd just
like to simply reinforce that support and thank everyone who's helped move this project to this final step.
And it was really gratifying to see the partnership with landmarks. I think it brings a lot of integrity
to this project and a trust in that process. Projects like Franklin Station represent really much more
than a single building, as we all know. They demonstrate what's possible when historic preservation,
private investment, thoughtful design, and long-term community benefit come together. For more than
decade, one of Napa's most recognizable historic buildings has set vacant. And this proposal gives
us a meaningful future with that building while also honoring its past. And a funny story. I was planning
a day coordinator for a leadership map of Bali several years ago in Mr. Keller was kind enough to let
our class walk through the building just to see what it looked like. And it felt frozen in time.
And the clock was stopped and things were left. Personal items were left there and it was
eerie. And now a woman clutched her chest and went, look, and we all rushed over to see what this
item was. And she said, it's a floppy disk. So I think it's time to clean the floppy disks out of the
post office and bring it back to life. And really from our perspective, this reflects many of the priorities
we're here from our members every day. It's significant private investment into our downtown.
It supports construction and permanent employment, creates new spaces where residents and visitors
can gather and really help to activate an important part of this urban core. And just as importantly,
this project sends a message about Napa's future. I know we hear a lot about what that future might
look like. But this says that we value our history, enough to invest in preserving it. It says that we
welcome thoughtful investment that strengthens our locally economy. And it says that we believe
our downtown should continue to evolve in ways that benefit residents, businesses, employees, and visitors.
Franklin Station is exactly the kind of project that demonstrates preservation and progress do not
compete. They don't have to. They can succeed together. We thank you for your leadership and encourage
your support of this project this evening. Thank you. Thank you, Jerry.
And there I have no requests to comment from Zoom. I think online and no other comments from the audience on
the public comment, the public hearing. Nothing online. All right. Well, I will go ahead and close the public hearing
and take a motion and close public hearing. Move to close the public hearing. Vice Mayor Dean of Hally.
Second. I can make councilmember paint or all of favor. Aye. Any opposed?
Right before I go to any rebuttal for the applicant. No, I think I'll just go right to that now.
So we'll close public hearing. So will any. Does the applicant want to rebutt on anything or answer any
question? I was going to ask staff on the other options. I think Mr. Keller can probably answer the question
on where other options are considered on what could, what could rehab the post office and what could
possibly be an investment. So, but if you don't feel like you need to, don't do it. And then the parking thing,
I'll probably go back and we're to staff to clarify the parking. We all understand parking challenges in our
downtown. We're working on a study that's coming up pretty soon. We've had some of those before on how we're
going to provide more public parking. But my solution to parking is I write my bike.
And it works pretty well. So if there's no rebuttled any of the comments, we'll just move into
all our staff for the clarification on the parking.
Sure. Do you want us to also address any other options? Sure. I just we understand. Sure. I just I think for
the record. Just the property was owned by the federal government. It was never owned by the city of
Napa. The federal government, as as writer went through the history, sold the project to Mr. Keller,
Mr. Keller, as a private property owner, goes through the planning process, which is how we're here today.
So, the city did not. The post office was locked and was stared there.
The post office was at yes. The city did not as never the owner of the building. And when we're not
the owners of properties, we don't generally consider what can happen on individual properties outside of
what our general plan or our downtown specific plan guides us to do. So I just wanted to address that.
Okay, parking parking is a little convoluted. And there's sort of three approaches to it. So
there is the four-sale hotel rooms. Sometimes called branded residential and the lock-off units.
That parking is provided on site on what we now know is a lot B is part of the building that they're going
to be building there. So that is probably around 44 spots. It'll obviously vary depending on the
number of units that they end up building, but in the design review, we're just assuming about 44 spots.
Then there is what I'm going to go to the next piece of it, which is, there is what the downtown is an
a parking exempt district, which means there are certain things that can be developed and built
without adding parking on site. And usually that's about staff parking. That's about some of the
amenities like restaurants. So the parking required as a result of those can be just paid through the
in Luffy, which is what if you were to just build a restaurant on that site. For example, it would
meet the same criteria. And then there's the third prong, which is the hotel rooms that will be in the
rehabbed post office building. So the ratio of parking to be provided for that is 0.8 spaces per
each hotel room, because not everybody brings a car when they stay here in Napa. And then it's rounded
to the nearest one. That is still what we're talking about and working on. So there are a few options.
The first is they provided on site, which is not likely to happen just based on the character of the
property. Two is they find private parking on some other property in the downtown area that fills
those that need and does that. Or three, part of what we have said in our development agreement is that
we will consider a conversation. We will continue a conversation with the developer on options
for parking to be provided in some sort of city owned a lot or city fashion. So if all 120 hotel rooms
are built, that would be 96 parking spaces that we're looking for. If 94 are built, I can't do math
that fast. I think it's like 88. In my head, but the math.
Maximum spaces that were kind of required looking at as 96 spaces. As you referenced, in the reason that staff has says we're going to continue the conversation on parking is we are doing a parking study of downtown and they do have 20 valid as our code compliance manager who runs parking if you really want to get into the nuances of parking, but that's not really the topic of tonight.
We are coming back to you on April 18 with our results of a parking study that we've done in the downtown area and options for the city council to consider to direct staff to continue to look and work on the parking issues in the downtown.
So we didn't want to get ahead of what the council might do on that. So that is why there's a little bit of an unknown on the parking for this project. So there's options.
And there's thoughts. We're still talking. We're still working. We're talked. Actually, I owe Jim a phone call to fund some parking questions. So we're still looking at that very much so, but it is something that the parking for the hotel rooms is something that remains to be worked out.
I will say that and this is really at the developers risk and and Jeff reminds me of that regularly, which is, you know, they know that they have to work out this parking issue whether it be with us or through some private option.
The risk to the city is, I guess, approving a project that won't eventually be able to find parking, but we will continue to have that conversation with them about options that might exist downtown.
Thank you for that. And ultimately, the 96 spots will we'll figure that out at some point together.
You tell me yes. I mean, I guess the answer to that question is you tell me we will be coming back to you with the parking city.
There is no commitment in the development agreement to provide those 96 spots at the point, but the conversation is continuing.
It could be a long term was a 30 year typically we do 30 year agreements or we require irrevocable agreements for a term of 30 years if they were to sign parking on private.
We do want an irrevocable easement or agreement for the term of 30 years.
That just says that after five years, we don't end up with the problem that we should have dealt with, I guess.
Thank you, Molly.
Council. Any other clarifying questions from staff?
There's a lot here, a lot of recommended actions on the legislation text.
So let's start it off.
Yeah, the history of this building, anybody that's been around, I mean, in the 1960s it was a civil defense bomb shelter.
The basement was identified as if the Cubans launched the rocket.
It was one of the spots we would go civil defense downstairs in the basement.
And then it was also a, it's where I registered for the draft in 1969 to downstairs.
It is a lot of history in the town in just the remarkable building.
And so I think that the biggest comment that you know, and other than other purposes,
that maybe that some private investor that would take on the primary goal and the applicant has stated that is to preserve the,
the, the facade, the features of the lobby and the front.
So I think everybody's on board with that.
So I'll go to council member Leros.
Thank you.
Yeah, and I will just add the basement still has the markers for the bunker, the bunker thing on it.
It's really cool.
So I just have one question about the, the public art requirement.
The DA says that's considered covered by the historic renovation.
Is that, I guess, two questions, is that consistent with our public art ordinance?
And then has the value of the preservation work been independently supported or is that $12 million figure the applicant's figure?
The $12 million figure is what the applicant has shared with us in their performer.
We typically do not independently evaluate those things.
Our public art ordinance does allow for there to be a in lieu with so in lieu with historic preservation.
However, in addition to that, the DA allows for the flexibility to change those things.
So while there is, I would say the previous DA for this project was written a little bit differently.
And there was a small contribution to the public art fund at the time.
So as part of the DA proposal, we are proposing that you consider the in lieu be the historic renovation.
Which is supported by our ordinance, but it's typically only on the ordinance restricted to the actual building that the renovation occurs.
So it is a bit more with the second building that's being built as well.
What is your dean of the committee?
I just wanted to commend you on a great proposal.
I think this proposal is much better than the one that was brought to council before.
So thank you for that.
I think it's a great attention to detail.
But I do need to circle back to parking.
I think we have so much detail in everything else and that's a detailed left hanging which concerns me.
I don't think we can afford as a council to be flippant about parking right now.
So I really think we need to dig in and think about that.
I mean for my numbers and lot be we lose about 50 spots which are replaced for 44 there.
And then we're looking for another 96 and I don't know where the city is going to be if we're going to have them at the end of the road.
So I see that has a very big risk in delaying a project that I think is very important to the city of Napa.
So leaving that is a hanging detail is of great concern to me.
Thank you.
Feels more painer.
Okay.
Thank you.
This has been a long time coming.
I actually forgot to mention I served on planning commission during round one of the DA.
So very familiar with what it takes to get to this point.
I do have a couple of questions and then I'll get into a few minor comments.
I did listen to the planning commission meeting and you mentioned a couple of the design features that they were very interested in making sure would come back for design review,
including those glass walls which I really agree with.
And you said that's included in the PD overlay language is that is that right?
Yeah if we look at subsection four.
We're refers to zoning and subdivision map discretionary approvals and then.
Percroff one of that and in section four there's added language where there are no modifications to the left and right side full glass for the ceiling panels.
And then five.
There are no substantial changes in the discretion of the community resource and development director to the design style color materials approved.
Of resolution by planning commission or city council.
Then the community resources and development director may make the final determinations on any applications for.
Okay. Okay. Good. No. I'm glad it's been included. I just want to point out that I would agree when you look at that facade and you look at the glass walls.
It really makes that building pop and that's that's really significant.
In terms of the parking.
I know it's a little bit hanging and I understand that concern, but I really see it as.
Something that is more of a burden quite honestly to the development team than to the city.
The one change that did occur at planning commission was to say that the inlue fee can only be used.
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the inlue.
Luffy can be used for non transient uses and.
How am I reading that incorrectly?
Wait a minute.
No. That's your jump in.
Sure. Yes.
So they know it's not the point was and I heard the applicant say this a planning commission that they don't want to pay in luffy and and just.
Not have parking available that the goal is to have parking and then before I finish.
So my point that this would all be resolved and work out prior to insurance of building permits is that correct.
That's correct.
So yes, parking would need to be worked out before the insurance of building permits.
So the original proposal, the way that it was written in the development agreement was that the inlue fee could basically be paid.
Instead of providing for any of the spots that they weren't providing on site and so the hotel rooms would have had the opportunity to just pay the inlue fee.
That would have had non exclusive or dedicated parking from from the city.
So you are correct that the language is now.
There's certainly really two options for the hotel rooms.
It's fine parking on a private site elsewhere or work something out with the city of Napa which.
You know, again, we'll look to you for that direction as we go through our city, but you know, right now there's no commitment to a number of parking spots in the development agreement.
There's no longer the option to just pay the inlue fee for the hotel room.
Okay, good.
Well, I think that was a good direction and I think planning commission covered that really well.
The last question I have is that planning commission.
They also had a long conversation about the blank wall and I didn't hear any discussion of that tonight.
Some wondering if there's been anything further on that if there's been anything language added to.
The DA or otherwise or if the applicant maybe wants to say, I know there was a potential of coming forward tonight was some ideas as a kind of a short timeline to come up with that, but what.
What is the plan there?
Yeah, there there have been no formal changes to any of the documents seen in front of you, but we brought it to your attention is the planning commission's recommended city council consider.
What that relief to the facade could be.
And they had discussions of could it be public art, could it be a mural, could it be actual some some kind of architectural relief.
The difficulty there and got more into the details there. It is a party wall.
So they're fire, fire rated construction. So there are limitations to the types of architectural relief generally can't have openings along the party walls unless you have recessed like a recess facade outside I think it's a three foot buffer but I don't want to miss quote that.
So there are difficulties to architectural enhancements.
Okay, no understood and so party wall for those who don't understand is that eventually there could be another building built there so whatever is done and expenses spend on mural or otherwise is going to get covered up.
But does the applicant have anything to add in terms of you know color of that wall or what your.
What what it may look like to address what the planning commission had concerns with.
Thank you council member Peter it's a Jeff Dodd.
Tiffany would be possible or a writer to pull up our presentation please.
The wall is a very interesting good discussion at planning commission.
A lot of back and forth I think one underlying topic as part of that discussion was just thinking about the ultimate costs of that work and what could be there.
And relative impacts when you're considering you know we're looking at the project from at the street level.
So as opposed we focused a lot on we had this slide which is really a bird's eye view I don't know how high we are maybe 200 feet which you know people don't walk up here.
Typically so but you know it is something we we we do want to give some thought to ultimately there is a lot to be considered when we haven't selected ultimate hotel operating partner yet so there's a lot of design thought behind that piece.
And in addition to that you know just again as I mentioned earlier just economics of this project are really really tight enough.
So I think what when a commissioner was very thoughtful about that's like why why why are we pushing this piece.
So I do have you know if you wouldn't my we have just given some thought of just hey what could this maybe look like and what's a thoughtful way to approach this issue but overall again you know not to.
being a dead drum here but of course but you know thinking about cost but then also another piece is competing is when we put something up there trying to think about a thoughtful process to get that done without having to go back through a long discretionary approval process.
Is another consideration important for the you know capital investment to.
Yeah thank you Jeff and we we did think about it there's there's I'll say that we give it consideration and in the initial design for sure but these were party walls and and they're.
anticipating that there could be development in the future these are absolutely typical responses when you're right up against the property line which we are in both of these cases where where we have these walls.
But you know since since the planning commission hearing we have thought about it and.
I would note that that the rendering had the finishes a little light and so we've warmed them up.
These these are now the actual finishes that we have in our specifications which is a warm plaster color.
So I think it's probably better than the last version of the rendering that you saw.
But you know this is two examples I think one on the right is a building that's very well known in downtown San Francisco the Hobart building.
You know it has a very beautiful or native facade like the Hobart building we focused our attention on the streets and so you know we really put a lot of attention on activating the streets thinking about the materials per the design guidelines adding detail.
Looking at the context of Napa but but you know here's an example where they did that too and but they left a blank wall and anticipating something in the future.
It's not happened but there's an elegant graphic on it which speaks to the history of the building.
The the example on the left and I would note on the right that that even though that is a blank wall in the city it's often used for light shows on market street they they activated certain times and it's beautiful.
And the left is really a case where the facade is turned corner excuse me and and the materials are being brought around the materials in coloration and you know we can certainly do that and I.
I think we're already thinking about that in some cases. And these are things that don't involve
expensive graphics or artwork that might be covered up. And I did do some research and look
around the city and you find as many sort of bad examples of people doing that, trying to
add graphics or add that, you know, and then when it becomes artwork, it's
so everybody has their own taste about that sort of thing. So, you know, I'm not
sure either of these cases would be better if they had big pieces of artwork on it.
And so we've been trying to think about restraint, elegance, and focusing the attention
on the streets.
Okay, and if you could maybe go back to the elevation that I think one of the things that
could have generated, yeah, that's the one, more conversation was that it was very light
and white in one of the previous renderings. I think this does look much more, you know, it
kind of blends in a bit more. So, I'm really comfortable with that. If there's opportunity
for the number of years that it's going to be a blank wall until something else has built,
you know, we consider during the lighted art festival or other opportunities for some
contemporary lighted use of that wall. That would be really helpful, but I would like
to make sure that at the end of the day when it's done through the design review process, that
the color would be, you know, something consistent with this muted tone, because I think that
does make a difference to show the color correctly. So I appreciate that. Thank you. I just
wanted to sort of close that loop because there was such a long discussion at planning commission
about that. And, you know, I think it's kind of interesting when it gets to this point and
in the process and there's not a whole lot more to add, right? So I think that you have really
covered the bases really effectively, particularly Article III and the development agreement that
goes through the effective dates and terms. And I think Mr. Dodd already spoke to that and Mr.
Keller as well, that, you know, this is under a very short timeline, and I think I really
commend everybody for making those commitments. I just had the opportunity to visit an article or
restored article building in Vancouver this week. It's called the Marine Building. I'm sure some
of you who are architect buffs might know about that building, but it is a draw to that, and that's
a big city. But it is an absolute draw to that city, and it's an amazing both interior and exterior
to be able to walk in and see what it is. It was a 1930s building. It was one of the original waterfront
buildings. And now there's all kinds of high rises in and around it. So I really have to agree that
this is going to be a unique and really one of a kind asset for us for the long term and with that,
I have no additional comments. Thank you.
It's a little bit of a rise. All right. Thank you. Great comments so far. I do have a question that
that wasn't very clear on. I don't really understand was cultural heritage commission talked
about third party. Can you tell me what that is that? Is that just documenting? Is that legal
process? Is that something that I might be able to do? Like, the second example of that would
be as they're going through the back end of construction, a qualified person which could be
an architectural historian or something along those lines would be able to document how each of the
character defining features are being preserved, as well as features that may still be significant
to the mailboxes, the clear story windows. There were discussions around the vaults of, and then
when you dive into the character defining features, so if we kind of take a bird's eye view of the front,
third of the building a little less than a third of where that interior lobby goes to,
generally the interior lobby coinciding with the exterior, since a lot of materials were damaged,
they're going to have to look back to the backside as well as the sides of the building to gather material,
salvage materials just to preserve the front portion that is being preserved. So it's treatment
of each of those character defining features, how they're being maintained if they can be maintained at all,
generally a survey of the building because some of those features can't be preserved. So outside
of the character defining features, just other elements of the building may not be able to be preserved,
but an archival record prepared by could be the architectural historian or some other architect
that's qualified for that. Both documenting what it was and then how all the materials are being used
moving forward and then making sure that record is available to the city and then could be available
to the public, generally. That's just kind of summarizing. Okay, thank you. I mean,
absent of that because preservation is the key of this project, how will we make sure that the preservation
of what we're presented here is actually being done other than what we can see. So there's the covenant
that's held by landmarks, which has defining features in it and what needs to be preserved,
also rezoning documents and RDA address what needs to be preserved at the minimum. And then we did,
if you are presuming that you adopt the language of the planning commission recommended, there are
also pieces of that that would preserve the project. But it's essentially preserving the facade
so the front of the building and then it's about what used to be the lobby of the post office. It's about
fifth, maybe fourth of the building and it was in the pictures that writer showed of the pieces
that would be preserved. So that would be part of our review process as building permits come in,
but also landmarks hold the covenant which they can enforce. So there's enough there to make sure
that the preservation is as credible and directly. Okay, thank you. Okay, I'm happy with that.
You know, I can't help but look back at when we heard the news of the post office being saved and through
kind of congressmen Mike Thompson's office being able to work through the government to be able to sell this.
And just I remember, you know, the joy of the community especially from landmarks and the people, you know,
that we're really looking back at when buildings were taken down without preserving history and
this is a big win to be able to preserve this building. So you know, thank for really taking that
risk and buying this building. But you know, that was just part one of the win. Second part is
activating that space maintaining that building. And you know, that can't be done. I think without
that some kind of economic element to this. And I think that's what we're seeing here.
And the length of time that took to stay with this project, you know, I know that you see
the project where things are are sold or tri-off because of the channelage of certain projects. But,
you know, you kept what does I know you you you you mentioned. You care a lot about, you know,
our community, the building, preserving it and making something special here. So I appreciate that.
And I think that overall that you're hitting on some major points here with the preservation,
but also activating that space. There's been a lot of talk and things I've mentioned,
but comments online. But I've got to remind people that, you know, when this is done,
it's not the activation means, you know, TOT property tax, sales tax was your three main revenues
to our city that in terms we provide services. And that feeds into a production wreck,
the events that we have. So preserving this and activating the economic element of this means
preserving providing more services to see. And that's been a lot of people here know that.
Some others may not. So I just wanted to really mention that economic element to that.
It's such an important preservation, you know, challenge that when we look at parking,
I know that's been a challenge by those to pick too of which one to support. Right. And I was
would be to preserve this building, activate the space, and let the economic elements move forward.
So at the same time address parking. Right. I know that's a challenge. But going through this
study that you mentioned earlier, and continuous conversations, you know, I have faith in our
staff that we will be able to address that. I know that there's different options. We'll talk about that later,
but I'm really happy to support this to move forward with this project. I know there's businesses
along that street that talked about activating those that space. And this is a really great way.
I'm not just activate the space there for the hotel and the post office, but the surrounding
businesses. Right. I think the light are festival and the was a really good suggestion. You know,
I want to make that adding ordering piece tied to this approval. I do agree that at some point we should
look at that wall and make something of that that would be nice to look at. But I'm happy to support this.
The other questions have already addressed. So thank you for taking with this and bringing in a good
project. And, you know, I'm looking forward to seeing the progress move forward. Thank you.
It'll be very little. All right. Well, this building is really special to our community. I think we're all
on the same page there. It's worth saving. And in order to save it, I know that it has to be commercially viable.
I think there seems to be this feeling in the community that the city council can just wave a magic
wand and put whatever we want there. And that's far from the case. We had a nice lady this afternoon
who came in during public comment and said she wanted us to turn it back into a post office and put
in some water slides. And I wish we could. But the fact is we can't turn it back into a post office. We don't
get to pick what goes there. We don't get to pick really what goes anywhere. But we do get to take the
benefits of a project and apply it to our community. And I think water slides are a great suggestion.
Maybe first somewhere else. You know, it's clear that the plan wasn't commercially viable. My daughter
was a month old when the earthquake happened. She's treating 12 tomorrow. So that's how long it's been
boarded up. If the old plan was viable, it would have happened already. We clearly need a new plan. I
recognize that it has to pencil for it to work for the owner. I do really like that proposals new design
for the post office building specifically. I think it feels smaller than the earlier design.
I think the massing is better. I also really like the glass curtain walls on either side and how
the design really emphasizes the original building as the primary focus. I agree that the planning
commission was right to mark any changes to those glass curtain walls as a major amendment to the
plan that would have to come back to us because I think those are really special. Regarding the parking
for the hotel, I'm also concerned that that hasn't been figured out by the applicant yet. I don't
we don't have an obligation to provide parking or approve selling city property for parking
for a future TOT sharing agreement for a city garage. And I don't want to create expectations tonight
that we or a future city council are going to automatically agree to any of those options.
I just want to make it very clear that we're we're concerned about parking downtown as a council,
but parking this particular project is the job of the applicant. And we want you to be successful
because that's a benefit to everyone, but I just want to manage expectations about that
conversation as we go down the road. Regarding the additional affordable housing contribution,
I didn't hear much up here about that. I think it's too low at a dollar square foot. I think the
first street hotel project paid double that. I think it's absolutely reasonable to ask for the same here.
It's justified when you consider all the impacts that this hotel will have and all the
concessions that the city and our residents are making to move this forward. And I know that you're
trying to make this pencil, but I think the affordable housing contribution is really important.
I think it shows a commitment to our community that this is not just another hotel for tourists,
that this is something for the whole community. And I think that I would rather see money go towards that
than doing something with the wall, for example. So finally I just want to say thank you to staff.
I know you guys worked really hard on this. You did a great job with negotiating the development agreement
I especially appreciate the litigation protections that are built into this for the city.
We never want or expect to end up in court, but I think that goes a long way just reducing our risk and that's
appreciated. I generally support all the planning commission motions, the cultural heritage,
commission motions, and I really appreciate their work on this too because it's been a heavy lift for them also.
And just again I look forward to hearing from up here what everybody else has thought's
are about the affordable housing contribution.
Vice Mayor. Thank you council member Leros for bringing that up. That was on my list too.
I'm an agreement with how you laid that out. I think that's the right direction to go.
I would also agree I think that's much more important than the wall. I think negative space can be
okay sometimes than I'm all right with that. I think funding the affordable housing is a much more
better or much better use of that money. I do also want to circle back one more time on parking.
I just don't want to get us into a situation we're pity and hotel guests versus residents for parking
as we're building up downtown and bringing back more great destinations like P we golf and roller skating
that the community has asked for forever we don't want to extimate a parking. But I do support this project.
I think it's the only way forward to keep our historic post office. So I commend you on that work
but I do encourage you to really think part about parking and I also do support council member Leros
is impacting. Thank you.
Process if there's a majority of council I want to look at amending the square foot affordable housing
feed that we need to take a break on that and talk to. I think well I think
We think that, yes, we could take a break in chat with the applicant, unless they want to respond now, so we could do that.
I mean, I think it would be that one simple enough that I think a motion, a separate motion for to direct staff to include that in the final DA document would be easy enough not have to write take 10 minutes to write language for that.
So, you might want to ask the applicant if what there is on that.
But what would you say?
Yeah, I agree with that.
I agree with that.
Yes, I agree.
I believe you could turn it over to the applicant right now.
Let me assure with my other council members, go to council member, Peter.
You know, I thought about that.
I looked at that.
We're talking about a dollar square foot and my understanding is it's roughly 55, 60,000 square feet.
This project is, as we've already heard, many, many millions of dollars.
I don't want to get caught up in the minutia, you know, and not that another 60,000 towards affordable housing wouldn't help us.
But at a dollars, it would be a dollar square foot just for, what's confirmed that?
A dollar square foot just for the brand on the for sale.
At the time of clothes.
At the time of clothing.
Not at the time of building permit when affordable housing is typically a bit.
We calculated it.
One dollar square foot is seventy thousand one hundred and thirty thousand one hundred and thirty seven dollars.
It's estimated depends on their square footage at the end of the day, but.
Yeah, I think given the context of what we're trying to do and not that I don't want to see more funding for affordable housing.
My preference would be to stay with the dollar square foot is proposed.
I think this is an addition to six dollars for foot.
So the six. So yeah, so the affordable housing impact, which is on any.
Really residential or commercial property as assess the six dollars per square foot.
We don't divide up the uses of the building.
We see the primary use is that.
So the entire square footage of both buildings calculated at six.
That's done at the time of the building permit.
I think what the reference is to is in previous DAs.
It has been two dollars additional per square foot.
On only the four sale pieces at the time of the clothes of the units.
That was at Stanley Ranch in that.
We have talked with the developer.
We've gotten to a dollar.
Which is where we are right now.
And then yes, I think the question is now with you on that.
So it's an additional dollar.
Right now it's in only one additional dollar on just the residential four sale square footage.
And if you made it to you'd be adding a $70,000 cost.
Me, I also gave this in thought.
And the difference I see in this project versus the other ones is the high cost of the post office and preserving it.
Coming in a radio that deficit had this been from scratch and we're not preserving history.
Then I would be more in support of the two dollars for square foot.
But adding more cost to this project and adding more burden to a developer.
It's not something I'm ready to support.
I like to say at the one dollars per square foot.
I want to make sure we're setting them up first success as well.
And not adding more burden, especially since the risk of acquiring this building.
Preserving it.
And making sure it's successful.
So I like to say at one dollar.
All right.
Well, I see we're a little bit split on that additional one dollar per square foot.
I tend to agree that the significance of that amount maybe is, you know,
a little hard for me to push along where what we're trying to get done and what still yet to be done.
So I'm kind of setting with leaving it the way it is.
So with that said, I'm looking at if anybody wants to take a stab or on the recommended actions.
There are several.
I see councilmember painter.
Well, I would try to make a person about my question is can we do this in a single motion or do we have to do separate motions for each recommended action.
I think you could take one action.
Okay. We could take one action. I would refer to the presentation and staff report.
There are five recommended actions.
Which I'm not going to read all five of them.
But I would move approval of the five recommended actions as proposed.
Sorry.
No, you're changing your mind.
One clarification. We do have some of the planning commission recommendations that aren't incorporated in the materials before you.
I'd be happy to go through this.
Yeah. Why you go through this one?
I'd be happy to go through this one.
So the first one about the glass curtain walls is reflected in the documents in front of you.
So as drafted substantial change.
Identifying the materials on it,
specifically she A4 is also as drafted.
City Council considered changes to the mixed use building south wall.
There was some discussion generated leaning away.
But I don't know if there needs to be more discussion on that.
That is not incorporated as part of the documents.
And the sense I got the consensus here was with polar tones and other things.
We're not really going to require any additional.
So as drafted.
Good to go.
And then language be struck from zoning DA documents.
Regarding the in loopy for the parking is already as drafted.
Now for CHC.
Those motions were not incorporated into the draft,
but were considerations for the council to make.
And so that all repeat both of those.
So the commission recommends city council consider expanding preservation of the existing signage.
And the lobby including preservation of the mailboxes.
The clear story windows above the counter.
And such other aspects of the lobby that the council may consider.
And if the council agrees commission would like input on the modifications of the plans.
It's important to note.
If you look at the floor plan.
Generally those mailboxes in the service counter being removed as an entrance to the greater lobby.
Of the hotel building.
So as drafted in the project plans.
Those items are not being maintained.
So if there's an entrance or an interest.
Generally to maintain some of those other features.
That was the ask of the cultural heritage commission.
And then the other one was regarding archival record.
Generally an inventory of the materials and treatment.
Bill's more painter.
Right or if I could get some clarification on the first item.
Will you say expanding preservation of the existing signage.
The design already shows that obviously the main signage with the post office at the front of the building is a part of the project.
That's there.
That's not changing.
Is that correct?
That that's generally the interest of the applicant is to maintain that.
Ultimately it's up to the postal service.
Is that they're willing to allow that to occur?
Okay.
I guess my concern is I don't understand if we were to say expanding preservation of the existing signage.
I don't know what that means.
It could take the form of documenting efforts to maintain the signage and seeking approval from the US postal service.
Otherwise signage on local landmarks is an admin level certificate of appropriateness.
Well, I'm certainly in favor of the second recommendation because I think that's important to document all the history and to create that record.
We talked about this with the previous project earlier this afternoon about just sort of telling that story of the building.
And I'm hoping that the public will have an opportunity to see that and appreciate it.
I'm just struggling a little bit with expanding preservation of the existing signage without knowing a little bit more about what that means.
So I'm more inclined to include the second option and maybe unless other council members have some more clarity to the first one.
I would not move forward with that.
If I could add some clarity perhaps what it is, is that in the conditions of approval staff include language that says to the extent possible.
Other character defining elements of the post office being incorporated into.
The decor or design of the building and to the, like I said, to the extent possible.
Okay, so even including perhaps moving a sign or moving the mailbox is to a different look yes exactly.
I think that that's the intent of the developer is to use them as I guess decorative features.
Maybe not in the exact locations that there are.
I'm not I'm trying to speak for you, but yes, and that's my understanding.
It's not known if they can say in their exact spaces, but understanding that there are other historical character defining features that aren't necessarily included in the preservation piece of it.
But the how they can be worked into the project should be considered.
And that would be it condition of approval.
Okay, so our is.
Yeah, I'm comfortable to add the language to the extent feasible.
The archives piece, but yeah, until we got in the construction actual construction drop in documents, how do you know where you're going to put some mailboxes we're going to put all those.
Architectural that history to preserve that history I think we all want.
I don't know that that I can dig into the weeds the night on location of the old mailbox.
I think council member Leros might have a suggestion.
No, I just have a question.
It sounded like the commission really wanted input on that the amount of any modifications.
So what would that look like?
Generally, the cultural heritage commission.
Supported just preservation of those features in what form I think the topic went back and forth.
Some of the commissioners shared an interest in maintaining the current location of that.
Some understood that there could be limitations to that in the greater design of it.
And just prefer that they be saved otherwise.
So the direction there went a little back and forth.
I think the option that we talked about at the cultural heritage commission was for an informational report to go back to the cultural heritage commission.
To to the mayor's point, it's hard to say at this moment in time for the developer to say where exactly the mailboxes are going.
But to just provide a report of the additional elements that we're going to be included.
Where they were and what was considered at the time and not have it be an action item per save.
It's just an opportunity for them to report back on on that.
Just so we don't lose track of it either there's one other amendment that would need to be included in the motion that is the updates to the dates.
For the sunset provisions that we had outlined earlier in the staff report.
And those dates are correct in the DA was just in the presentation.
They were correct in the DA the zoning needs to be updated.
So we can walk you through I think if you need us to walk you through the motions that we're hearing it.
It sounds like we'll cancel this fine with the base motion being one motion.
We can do a second motion for the changes of the dates and then we can do a third for the two cultural heritage commission recommendations that are not.
Included in the document because those wouldn't be included in an ordinance they were not in an or maybe it'd be direction to staff to place it in the conditions of approval.
And in the presentation the the dates and red and the language and red is the updated language.
Okay.
And that but the but again that's correct in the DA so proving.
Correct in the DA.
And it needs to be a motion to update it in the zoning ordinance.
Well in that case.
I think we'll look at the first recommended action which is approving a resolution that.
Would look at the sequel approvals.
I'm not going to read the entire thing that I think remains as is for recommendation number one recommendation number two is to approve the first reading an introduction of an ordinance.
That would create the PD overlay district PD 37 is that that is that the document that requires the date that.
So recommendation action number two including the revision to the date as presented to us this evening.
Recommendation number three approving the first reading in the introduction of an ordinance approving.
The development agreement as presented with no changes.
Recommendation number four.
Adopt resolution approving the design review permit permit as presented.
And a recommendation number five.
Adopt resolution approving a certificate of appropriateness.
Authorizing the major alterations.
I'm wondering if that's the recommendation where we perhaps want to consider.
Language.
To address the cultural heritage commission.
I believe that would be appropriate for the inclusion of the archival record.
And the wealth of the material.
Then the other materials could be a condition of approval of that resolution as well.
Okay, so recommendation of number five would include the cultural heritage commission's recommendation for the archival.
Documentation.
I think that's it.
You got it.
We'll see if there's a second.
Second.
We have a motion by Council Member Pater on those five recommendations.
A second by the Council Member Nervias.
I don't think I need a real call vote, but I think I'll just do all in favor, say aye.
Any opposed?
Here is unanimously.
Thank you everyone.
Thank you for a good meeting.
Very good.
Did the city attorney any reportable action close session?
No.
No reportable action is taken in close session.
Thank you. Any comments by Council, city manager?
Just again, reminder that Thursday evening from 5.30 to 7.
Here in the Council chambers, public works will be putting on a meeting for the Jefferson Quarter,
Transportation Safety and Connectivity Plan.
And we would encourage the public to be here.
Thank you. Council, any comments? Final comments before I adjourned?
Thank you so much.
Good job.
Thank you all.
Thank you.