November was an exciting month for affordable housing in Napa County, with 70 new units for families just in time for the holidays. Read more below.
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with the FCC and members of Congress regarding wireless connectivity during disasters and PSPS. As we maneuver through these challenges, know that the County remains committed to our collective emergency preparedness. To that point, read below for more on tomorrow's IPAWS emergency alert
test
.
As we approach the busy holiday season I want to wish you and your family happiness and joy. May you have a happy New Year and be safe!
Sincerely,
Belia Ramos
|
|
Welcoming Families Home for the Holidays!
|
|
Last month, Napa County along with the City of Napa and nonprofit developers, welcomed families home to the new and affordable Stoddard West and Napa Courtyards Apartments! When I said that I was committed to providing affordable housing, I meant it. Since 2017, the County has supported the creation of 329 units, including the 20-unit Napa Courtyards and 50-unit Stoddard West communities.
It's critical that we continue working with our public and private partners to ensure that we maintain housing that is affordable so that those that currently live in Napa County can stay in Napa County. Thank you to our partners for making these projects a reality.
|
|
Celebrating the Airport's
Runway Rehabilitation!
|
|
Thanks to a $15 million competitive grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Napa County Airport was able to resurface the runway, which was first built in 1943 by the US Army. The original concrete surface had handled millions of takeoffs and landings by small aircraft, and was in need of a major makeover. Many thanks to Public Works and Airport staff for bringing this project in under budget and ahead of schedule!
|
|
Renewable Energy Draft Ordinance
|
|
Earlier this year, both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors requested that existing zoning regulations concerning the siting and design of renewable energy systems be evaluated to determine if additional refinements are necessary. After discussion related to protecting agriculture and incentivizing these projects outside of Ag zones, the Board provided direction to staff to bring back zoning changes and design criteria for utility-scale renewable energy projects. The draft
Renewable Energy Ordinance is now available and the Planning Commission provided staff with additional direction at their December 4th meeting. Upon incorporating the Commission's recommendations, the ordinance will go before the Board for consideration on December 12th. Stay tuned!
|
|
 |
Elected Vice President
of ABAG!
|
What an honor it is to be elected as Vice President of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) alongside the new President, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin.
Napa County having a seat at the table for regional discussions has value for our local residents by bringing additional resources into our County to address key issues the County is facing. The New Year will bring new opportunities for regional cooperation and problem solving, and I look forward to being a part of the consensus building that ABAG fosters for the entire Bay Area.
|
|
|
|
On behalf of the 58 counties of the State of California, I am honored to receive the Circle of Service Award for my contributions to California’s In-Home Support Services program funding. Allowing our parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors to age in place through supportive services isn’t just an entitlement it’s the right thing to do. I am proud to conclude one year of service to the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Board by receiving this award.
|
|
|
|
Please be aware that Napa County plans to test its Mass Notification Systems on December 11th from 1pm to 2pm. The test will use the Nixle and IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert & Warning System) that will send messages to cell phones in or near Aetna Springs, Pope Valley, and Angwin.
The message will read: " Emergency Alert TEST message. Go to www.readynapacounty.org/IPAWS for feedback. No other action needed." If you get this message, click the link to complete the survey that will help us improve alerts during emergencies.
|
|
Napa Valley Travel Behavior Study
|
|
Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) recently released the
2019 Napa Valley Travel Behavior Study.
The goal of the study is to understand travel demand and patterns to refine the Napa Travel Model and inform various planning efforts such as the transit route planning and the Countywide Transportation Plan. The study focuses on gathering transportation data related to employment, residents, and visitors, which will help NVTA and all six jurisdictions understand commute patterns, modes of travel, and trip purpose. Key findings include:
- 3.4% of trips occurring within Napa County on a weekday are pass-through trips, 15% are trips into Napa County, 14% are trips out of the County, and 67% are intra-County trips
- 55% of trips entering Napa County in the morning come from Solano, 21% from Sonoma, and 8% from Contra Costa
- 41% of trips leaving Napa County in the morning are going to Solano, 29% to Sonoma, and 11% to Contra Cost
- Approximately 69% of Napa County employees live in Napa County
- 12% of weekday trips average a length of 0-1 miles, 19% average 1-2 miles, 32% average 2-5 miles, 15% average 5-10 miles, and 11% average 10-20 miles
|
|
Welcoming REACH 3 Air Medical Services
|
|
Please join me in welcoming REACH 3 Air Medical Services to the Napa County Airport! REACH 3 has proudly served the communities of the North Bay for more than 32 years, providing timely, safe, and expert care to those in need. We are lucky to have this level of EMS response located within out County. If you see a red chopper in the air know that help is on the way.
|
|
|
Access to fresh food is important for combating food insecurity and creating a healthier, stronger, and more sustainable local food system. Napa Local Food's
"Find Food" Map is a new guide to help residents and visitors find local food options including markets, farm stands, restaurants, emergency food services, and more. Explore your food options and support our local growers!
|
|
|
|
Feeding it Forward Napa Valley works to alleviate hunger while also reducing waste. They rescue excess perishable and prepared food within Napa County and deliver that food to other organizations serving Napa's most vulnerable communities. To volunteer as a trained food runner or if your organization is interested in donating, visit
Fifnv.org, for more information.
|
|
|
|
Napa County Seeking Vote Center Workers
|
|
|
Imola Corridor Improvement Plan Workshop
|
NVTA is holding a community workshop from
6-8 PM on December 12
, at the Napa County Office of Education to discuss changes along Imola Ave.
The
Imola Corridor Complete Streets Improvement Plan
will create a new vision for Imola, to transform it into a place where people can travel safely and comfortably, whether walking, bicycling, riding transit, or driving. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
|
|
|
|
Holiday Home
Decor Contest
|
December 16 - 20, 2019
Get on Santa's "Nice List" this year by spreading some holiday cheer! Let's see those lights and sparkles! Let's get to it! Who will be the family with the most holiday spirit?!
Click here, for more information on registering your American Canyon home or business for the contest or to learn how to vote for your favorites.
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meetings . . .
December 17 at 9:00 a.m.
on the third floor of the County Administration Building—1195 Third Street, Suite 305, Napa.
|
|
|
|
Raised in unincorporated St. Helena and Pope Valley, Belia is a first-generation Mexican-American who was born at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa. She currently resides in American Canyon, but calls all of Napa County home. Belia is a business owner, educator, community advocate, and mother of three children. Belia attended St. Helena public schools from kindergarten through high school. She graduated from Saint Mary's College of California in 1999 and UC Hastings College of the Law in 2004. Belia served as an American Canyon City Council Member from 2010-2016. In 2017, Belia was elected to the Napa County Board of Supervisors. She currently serves on the following panels: Napa Valley Transportation Authority, Association of Bay Area Governments, North Bay Water Reuse Authority, Latino Caucus of California Counties and Rebuild North Bay.
|
|
Supervisor Belia Ramos, Fifth District | Napa County Board of Supervisors |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
