Spring is in full swing and we’ve been quite busy at the County. In this newsletter we’ve included updates about the Watershed and Tree Protection Ordinance, Bird Cannon Customs and Standards, our Ground Water Sustainability Report, and events in the Fifth District. Take a glance and please let me know if you have any questions.
Spring might be my favorite season in Napa County. I love the crisp mornings and blooms of this season. Soon we’ll be adding our summer garden and 4-H livestock projects into our lives. Check out the “Around the Table” section of this newsletter for ideas on what you can plant right now. I hope the increase in sunlight bring you into the outdoors more. Happy Spring!
Sincerely,
Belia Ramos
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Board of Supervisors News
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Water Quality & Tree Protection Ordinance
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After nearly 8 hours of public comment from over 50 community members and Board deliberation, the Board voted unanimously to adopt the
Water Quality and Tree Protection Ordinance
. The Ordinance will provide additional protection for trees, water quality, and streams while providing a viable pathway for responsible development and practices to manage properties in defense of future wildfires. This ordinance affirms the County’s continued commitment to protecting agricultural land, providing for the conservation of natural resources (including water, soils, fisheries, wildlife, trees and other important plant species and habitats), and balancing the interests of all residents – home/business owners and our economy. The Ordinance is scheduled to come back to the Board for final reading and adoption on April 9th.
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More Funds for Affordable Housing!
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The Board allocated an additional $654,537 in funds for the Worker Proximity Program that were received as loan paybacks and equity earned on previous down payment assistance loans as well as two transfers related to the Special Projects Fund. The funds will be reissued as new housing down payment assistance to applicants that work in Napa County and earn less than 120% Area Median Income (AMI). To date, 128 loans have closed totaling $4.8 million. To learn more about the program,
click here
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Groundwater Sustainability Report
The Board received the 2018 Groundwater Sustainability Report and authorized submittal to the State Department of Water Resources. Key findings from the Annual Report include (
Full Report):
- Groundwater level trends in the alluvial aquifer system of the Napa Valley Subbasin are stable in most wells according to long-term groundwater level records.
- Due to the high recharge potential of the Subbasin in most years and relatively low water requirements for agriculture, the Subbasin remains full relative to its storage capacity.
- Cumulative changes in groundwater storage, the difference between annual inflows and outflows to the groundwater system, show a net increase of 4,388 acre-feet from water years 1988 to 2018, reflecting long-term stability in groundwater supplies across the Subbasin.
- Groundwater extraction in the Subbasin in water year 2018 was 17,889 acre-feet. This volume is within the sustainable yield range of 17,000 to 20,000 acre-feet per year identified in the Basin Analysis Report. These and other findings on groundwater conditions and trends demonstrate the Subbasin has continued to be managed sustainably through 2018.
- In the Milliken-Sarco-Tulucay (MST) Subarea, groundwater level declines observed as early as the 1960s-1970s have stabilized since about 2009.
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You'll Be Missed Chief Biermann
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Congratulations to
Fire Chief Barry Biermann
on his retirement after more than 33-years of service. Barry has served Napa County very well and helped us through our community’s most trying times. Thank you Barry for your tremendous service and dedication to our Napa County community. You will surely be missed. Enjoy a wonderful and well-deserved retirement!
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Customs & Standards for Bird Frightening Devices
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On March 8th, the Napa County Ag Commissioner's Office hosted a community meeting to provide the opportunity for members of the community to provide feedback on the
Draft Customs and Standards for Propane Cannons (Standards) that is currently being crafted. The focus and input from the community, including industry groups and County departments, has been to include standards that limit the number of propane cannons allowed per acre, as well as the hours of operation, and distance from an occupied residence or animal pasture. Ultimately, adoption of these Standards will allow County staff to clearly enforce existing laws by establishing acceptable guidelines that must be followed. Staff is currently in the process of finalizing the Standards, which are tentatively scheduled to go before the Board in June 2019.
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Firewise Chipping Program Open for 2019
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The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation, in cooperation with the Napa County Fire Department, provides a
FREE
chipping service to all Napa County residents who live in a designated fire hazard zone - meaning most all of rural Napa. The intent of the program is to encourage residents to comply with defensible space requirements of both the State and County, in addition to being Firewise. To submit a Chipping Request, visit
NapaFirewise.org.
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Spring Planting:
Let's Keep Pests Out of Napa County
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Spring is finally here and that means landscape plant shipments to Napa County will increase. Staff from the Ag Commissioner's Office will be at plant retailers and landscape job sites inspecting plants for pests.
Homeowners
- If you get plants delivered directly to your home, be sure to contact the Ag Commissioner's Office at (707) 253-4357 and staff will come out the same day to inspect your plants.
Grapegrowers
- Remember to give staff a call when you start receiving grapevines so we can inspect them for GWSS and vine mealybug lifestages. Everyone's cooperation in these efforts is important and appreciated.
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Testified in Support of In-Home Supportive Services
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On March 20th, I had the privilege of representing Napa County and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) to testify before the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services in support of the Governor's proposal to revise the County IHSS Maintenance of Effort (MOE).
Under the current structure, counties are facing realignment shortfalls of several hundred million dollars in the coming years and negative impacts to health and mental health programs that would harm the well-being of residents. As a result, the Governor is proposing to lower the County MOE base, reduce the annual inflation factor from seven to four percent, and stop the redirection of funding from health and mental health to social services. These changes will increase state fund commitment to IHSS by $1.6 billion over the next four years, allowing counties to continue providing critical services to seniors and disabled individuals to help them remain in their own homes rather than in more expensive institutional care.
The Subcommittee did not vote on the proposal, but are holding the item open to vote at a later date, likely following the Governor's May Revision. Stay tuned!
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Late April and May is when our Napa County soils are finally warm enough to plant flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden to help supply food for our native pollinators (e.g., honeybees, butterflies, and birds) and for your own table.
UC Master Gardeners will help you choose the right plants and make them flourish. Learn about flowers and herbs that can enhance your garden and be used to create lovely bouquets for indoors or for a delicious addition to your home cooked meals. May is also the best time to plant vegetables for a summer harvest – tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, and squash to name a few. Learn more about these and other home gardening topics from UC Master Gardeners of Napa County on their website or at a hands-on class. To find the complete calendar of events go to
napmg.ucanr.edu.
Upcoming hands-on classes:
- April 27, Flowers and Foliage for the House – grow flowers to create your own creative bouquets and help the pollinators too.
- May 4, Culinary Herbs – learn to grow wonderful tasty herbs and some flowers that will enhance your home cooked meals.
- May 11, Hydrangeas – these wonderful plants grow easily and will reward you with many shapes, colors and textures. Learn the tricks to make them flourish and bloom.
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Become a Part of Team Napa County
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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:
- Independent Hearing Panel for Solid Waste Issues
- Winegrape Pest & Disease Control District Board of Directors
- Advisory Board on Alcohol and Drug Programs
- In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Advisory Committee
- Napa Valley Transportation Authority Active Transportation Advisory Committee
- Napa Valley Transportation Authority Citizen Advisory Committee
- Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council
- Housing Commission
- Flood Control and Water Conservation District Floating Alternate Director
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Community Recognition Ball
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Discover Coombsville Grand Tasting Event
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Join the Coombsville Vintners and Growers for their Inaugural Spring Event to discover, taste and celebrate the unique terroir found in Coombsville wines. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit
Coombsvillenapa.org
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Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meetings . . .
April 9, 16 & 23 at 9:00 a.m.
on the third floor of the County Administration Building—1195 Third Street, Suite 305, Napa.
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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: 25
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District Agricultural Association, Napa Valley Transportation Authority, Association of Bay Area Governments, North Bay Water Reuse Authority, Latino Caucus of California Counties and Rebuild North Bay.
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Supervisor Belia Ramos, Fifth District | Napa County Board of Supervisors |
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