The County recently approved a loan for $500,000 with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) and a grant for $750,000 awarded through the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) that will be used to fund the Manzanita Family Apartments in Napa. This housing development will include 50 income-restricted units with a mixture of one, two, and three-bedroom units. In exchange for the use of HEAP funds, six units will be set aside to provide housing to individuals or families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Construction is anticipated to start in spring 2020 and completed in 2021. Stay tuned for more updates!

I am pleased to share that a new solar farm has just come online right here in American Canyon! Located on approximately 21 acres, the project will produce 8 million kWh, enough to power 1,000 homes per year right here in Napa County. This is equivalent to avoiding more than 5,700 metric tons of CO ₂ emissions annually, which is similar to the volume of greenhouse gases emitted from 1,218 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year. Congratulations to Renewable Properties and MCE for getting this project to the finish line!

With the current moratorium on commercial cannabis ending in December and state law prohibiting us from extending it any further, the Board directed staff to maintain the status quo by preparing an ordinance explicitly prohibiting the commercial cultivation, manufacturing, and/or retail sale of cannabis in the unincorporated area of Napa County. A draft ordinance is scheduled to come back to us for consideration at the October 15, 2019 meeting.

A series of public outreach meetings will also be held beginning in January 2020 to gather public input on commercial cannabis activities. This will allow the Board to be better informed before deciding what, if any, types of commercial activities may be allowed in the unincorporated area, where they may occur, and to what extent. Upon completion of these meetings, staff will return to the Board in April 2020 with a summary of the comments received and recommendations regarding next steps. Stay tuned for upcoming meeting dates!

A Red Flag Warning is issued by the National Weather Service when low humidity, warm temperatures, dry fuels, and strong winds (or any combination of the above) may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours. During these times, extreme caution is urged by all residents because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire. 

Residents are encouraged to be ready by taking personal responsibility for themselves, their family, and their property. In the event of a Red Flag Warning, residents should fuel up their car; remove debris from the roof and gutters; place their "Go-bag" in the car or near the front door; charge their phone; have a flashlight and portable radio readily accessible; etc. For a full list of precautions and what to avoid during a Warning, visit NapaFireWise.org.

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I'm excited to report that the Airport's main runway is open in its rehabilitated state with fresh asphalt and crisp markings! The final phase of the project (Phase 6) is scheduled to commence on Monday, October 14th and will conclude on Tuesday, October 29th. This phase will require nightly closures (M-F, 9pm-6am) of the main runway for asphalt grooving and final application of pavement markings. For more information on the Airport's Runway Resurfacing Project, click here.

Napa Recycling and Waste Services (the provider of waste and recycling services for the City of Napa and parts of Napa County) offers free curbside pickup* and drop-off locations for the recycling of household batteries. For a full list of drop-off locations visit NapaRecycling.com/batteries/. For more information and to learn how to recycle other materials check out Napa County's Recycling Guide.

*battery pickup must be combined with another Recycle More pickup.

On September 24th, the County recognized residents who have reached the 100-year mark or more! This year, 16 centenarians honored us with their participation in our 9th annual celebration. They shared some incredible life stories with their fellow centenarians, family members, friends, and local officials.

It was my pleasure to celebrate this wonderful occasion with District 5 residents Constantinos Courcoumelis, whose advice to future generations was to stop the wars and global warming; Erling Fredell, who encouraged us to keep learning, keep trying, and never quitting; and Ethel Mary Hearty, who misses the truthfulness of people when reflecting on the "good ol' days." (All three pictured above).

Do you want to provide direct input to the Napa County Board of Supervisors and other County leaders? Then become a part of team Napa County by applying for one of the County's advisory committees, commissions, and boards. Put your knowledge, energy, and passion to work for your community.

Current Openings:

Please visit the  County Clerk of the Board  website for more information and a list of all current openings.