Community Development Department
–
Planning Division
1600 First Street + P.O. Box 660
Napa, CA 94559
-
0660
(707) 257
-
9530
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
PLANNING
COMMISSION
STAFF
REPORT
DECEMBER
18 , 202
5 AGENDA ITEM
7. A
File No. PL
19 -
0 0
16 ZINFANDEL
SUBDIVISION
I.
GENERAL INFORMATION
PROJECT
SUMMARY:
Application for a
Tentative
Subdivision
Map
and Design Review
Permit
to
subdivide an approximately
9 .
56 -
acre property into 5
1 single
-
family residential lots
with
four
(
4 ) open space
parcels,
a
Design Review Permit for
the house plans
, and
a Use Permit to
authorize
use of
f
lag
l
ot
and
s
mall
l
ot
d
evelopment standards
.
LOCATION OF
PROPERT
IES
:
1583 & 1657 El Centro
Avenue
APN
s
:
0 3
8 -
361
-
0 09
and
-
0 10
GENERAL PLAN:
Medium
De
nsity Residential
ZONING:
Single
-
Family
Residential
(
R
S
-
4 )
, Floodplain Overlay
(FP)
APPLICANT
/
OWNER
S
:
Robert, Mark & Sandra Biale
2040 Brown Street
Napa
,
CA
9 45
58 Phone: (
707
)
312
-
2095
A
UTHORIZED
A
GENT
:
Randy Gularte
780 Trancas Street
Napa, CA 945
58 Phone: (707) 2
27 -
2362
STAFF
Michael Allen,
Planning Manager
Phone: (707) 257
-
9530
PLANNER
:
ATTACHMENTS:
ATCH 1
–
Draft CEQA Resolution
ATCH 2
–
Draft TM,DR, UP Resolution
& MMRP
ATCH 3
–
Mitigated Negative Declaration
(with
CEQA Guidelines
S
ection 15183
Consistency Analysis
)
ATCH
4 –
Project Description
ATCH
5 –
Tentative Map
ATCH
6 –
Architectur
al
Plans
ATCH
7 –
Landscape Plan
ATCH
8 –
Correspondence
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2 II.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission
forward a recommendation to the City
Council to adopt a resolution
,
a
pproving,
p
ursuant
t
o
a
Mitigated Negative Declaration
a
nd
a
Consistency Analysis Regarding The Certified 2020 General Plan Environmental Impact Report (Sch No. 95033060),
approving a
T
entative
Subdivision
M
ap
and Design
Review Permit to subdivide an approximately
9 .
56 -
acre property into 5
1 single
-
family
residential lots
with f
our
(
4 ) open space parcels,
a Design Review Permit for
the
Tentative
Map and
the
house plans and a Use Permit to authorize the creation of se
ven
(
7 ) flag
lots
and the application of small lot standards to eight (8) of the lots, at
1 583 & 1657 El Centro
Avenue
.
III.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Applicant
s
,
Robert, Mark & Sandra Biale
,
request
a Tentative
Subdivision
Map and
Design Review Permit to subdivide an approximately
9 .5
6 -
acre property into 5
1 single
-
family residential lots,
a Design Review Permit for
the
Tentative Map’s design and
house
plans, and a Use Permit to authorize the creation of
seven
(
7 ) flag
lots
and use of small
lot development standards
for eight (8) of the lots
.
A
more complete project description is summarized below under “Project Description,”
and
provided
in
Attachment
4 , Project Description
.
The proposed subdivision is
located at
1583 & 1657 El Centro Avenue
, as shown in
Figure 1, Location Map
,
which
is the site containing the existing
Bial
e home, outbuildings, and vineyards
.
FIGURE 1
Location Map
Pursuant to Napa Municipal Code (“NMC”) Section
s
16 .12.010(A) and
17.62.050, a
n
application for
a
d
esign
r
eview
permit is required for
subdivisions of five or more lots.
In
conjunction
with the application for design review of the subdivision ,
t
he Applicant
is
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3 required to
provide h
ome designs
for consideration
.
These physical improvements are
subject to review
by
the
Planning Commission and
C
ity Council.
A use permit is also
required
to authorize
the creation of f
lag lots within the
R
S
-
4 Zone District
pursuant to
NMC Section 17.
08 .020
and for application of small lot development standards pursuant to NMC Section 17.52.470
. Details
related to the
seven
(
7 ) flag lots
and
eight (8) lots
using
small lot development standards
are further described in
Section V
below.
I
V
.
SITE CONTEXT AND HISTORY
The proposed project is located on an approximately 9.56 -
acre site located at 1583 and
16 5
7 El Centro Avenue
.
The project site is bounded by El Centro Avenue to the north, Salvador Channel to the south, and single
-
family homes to the east and west. The single
-
family residence located at 1657 El Centro is not part of the project and is excluded from the project bou
ndary
.
The project site is currently developed with vineyards and also contains one single -
family
residence, a detached garage, small outbuildings, and a driveway connecting to El Centro Avenue. Salvador Channel runs through the southern portion of the project si te, separating
approximately 1.07 acres from the main project site. A pedestrian bridge in the southeastern portion of the project site crosses Salvador Channel, providing access to the southernmost portion of the project site. Aside from the vineyards and
structures, the
project site currently contains native oak trees and landscape fruit trees near the Salvador Channel and residence. Additionally, roughly half of the site is located within the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Flood
Hazard Zone AE
.
V
.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Applicant is proposing
to subdivide
the existing
9.56 -
acre
property into 5
1 single
-
family residential lots with
seven
(
7 ) flag lots and f
our
(
4 ) open space parcels and
application of
Small Lot Development Standards for
eight (8) of
the lots
. The
subdivision
would feature
a
new public street
providing access to the subdivision
from two
intersections with
El Centro Avenue
. The proposed subdivision features lots ranging from
3 ,
984 square feet
to
7 ,
423
square feet with
eight
(
8 ) separate
house plans
, each with two
architectural elevations
. The homes
rang
e
from
1,
004
to 2,
362
square
feet including
12 accessory dwelling unit
s
(
ADUs
)
in the Oak Knoll and Atlas Peak home models
and
10 Junior ADU’s
in the
Coombsville and Chiles Valley home models
.
The improvements
include
approximately 2.26 acres alo
ng Salvador Channel set aside for flood detention
and
dedication of
a strip of land
for a future bike path that would be created as part of a
future
City project
. For a more detailed description see
Attachment
4 ,
Project
Description
.
VI.
ANALYSIS
A.
General Plan
T
he Project site's Land Use Designation
is
Medium Density Residential
which
requires a
density range of
8 to 18 units per acre
per the current
General Plan, “
General Plan
2040
”
.
A
pplied to
t
he
9.56 -
acre
site, the
Project
would
normally
have to provide
between
76 to 172 housing units
.
However, the project application was deemed complete by the City on July 1, 2021, prior to adoption of
the
General Plan
2040
, therefore the previous
General Plan
, “General Plan
2020
”
applies
to this project maintaining the previous
Land
Use Designation of
Single
-
Family Residential
(SFR
-
20)
which required a density range
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4 of
4 to
8 units per acre
.
At 9.56 acres the
Project
site must provide between
38 to 76
housing
units
. The
51 -
unit development would have a density of 5.33 unit
s
per
acre,
which is
within the applicable General Plan’s density range, although
not at the high end
of the range.
The ability to reach the high range is hampered by the
dedication of
approximately 2.26
acres
of the Project site for Salvador Channel flood improvements.
The project is also consistent with several policies and principles of the General Plan
2020
. These policies encourage the creative and efficient use of vacant land along with providing an increased mix of various types of housing throughout the City to meet the community’s housing needs.
The following is an analysis of the consistency of the project proposal with the City’s General Plan
2020
and applicable General Plan
2020
policies:
Land Use Goal LU
-
3 encourages an even rate of development within the Rural Urban Limit (RUL). The RUL generally contains the incorporated lands of the city of Napa and “county pockets”, where in the past, residents have declined to become incorporated into
the city, even though these areas are surrounded by land under City jurisdiction.
The Project site has been within the City’s Rural Urban Limit Line and
has been
designated for residential uses for more than forty years .
The properties had been a
County pocket until their annexation in 2006 and 2007.
As proposed, this project is
consistent with this Land Use Goal and the City’s regulatory documents.
Housing Element Policy H1.1 encourages the efficient use of land, and Housing Element Policy H1.4 encourages approval of well
-
designed projects in the mid
-
to high
-
range of
the General Plan density.
The proposed
51 -
unit
infill development project has been designed to achieve a density that is at the
m
id
-
range
for the General Plan
2020
density of this property.
Although, the
higher range would be more desirable, the necessary dedication of approximately 2.26 acres for the Salvador Channel flood improvements render s
achieving the high range
impossible. However,
t
he achieved density makes the most efficient use of land within the Rural/Urban Limit, consistent with Policies H1.1 and H1.4.
Land Use Element Policy LU
-
4.5 encourages projects to be compatible with the
surrounding neighborhood.
The development’s
approximately 4
,000
to 9,000
square foot lots would be built with a
density between that of the 4
,000
square
-
foot lot
s
adjacent to the site on the
east along
Moss Lane
; the
5 ,000 square
-
foot lots
to the
south
along Valencia
and Lassen Streets
;
and the
primarily
4 ,000 square foot lots located to the
north
of the site. The proposed lots
are compatible in size with those in the neighborhood. The proposed single -
family houses
would be a mix of one
-
story and two stories tall, like the surrounding
neighborhood
. They
would reflect a contemporary interpretation of traditional building styles that have similarities to the architecture of the existing neighborhood and are compatible with existing residences in the area consistent with this policy. The proposed sing le
-
family use,
lot sizes, and density are consistent
with the pattern of single
-
family development in the
area.
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5 Transportation Element Goal T
-
1 seeks: “To provide for extension and improvement of
the City’s roadway system to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
The proposed subdivision takes access from
El Centro Avenue
in the form of a new
“horse
shoe” shaped street that connects to El Centro Avenue in two locations . Currently, the
frontage for this parcel is un
-
improved. As proposed, th
e
project will add an additional
7 3
0 feet of gutter pan to create a parking/bike lane across the entire frontage. Additionally, the frontage improvements will include a
6 -
foot landscape strip with detached sidewalk.
The new street will include curbs, gutters, sidewalk and street p arking on both sides.
B.
Zoning
The property is located within the R
S
-
4, Single
-
Family
Residential
Zoning District, which
requires a minimum lot size of 4,000 square feet. R
S
areas include subdivisions typically
with regular lot patterns, varied designs, and a limited mix of unit types. Single -
family
detached developments are permitted within the R
S
-
4 Zoning District.
The subdivision
contains seven (7) flag lots
. Pursuant to NMC Section 17
.08.020
, subdivisions with one
or more flag lots require
a use permit.
Ana
lysis of the flag lot standards is discussed in
Subsection VI.C of this report.
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.62.050, subdivisions of five or more lots require home designs
to be submitted with the application for design review
of the subdivision. The design review permit is subject to the review and approval of
the
Planning Commission and
City Council. Further analysis is discussed in Subsection VI.D. of this report.
Table 1
below shows the R
S
-
4 development standards. As proposed, all lots would meet or exceed RS
-
4 development standards
with the exception of Lot
Numbers 8 through 15
.
These lots propose the use of
s
mall
l
ot
d
evelopment
s
tanda
rds
in accordance with NMC
Section
17.52.470
which is discussed in
Section VI.C of this report.
TABLE 1
R
S
-
4 Development Standards
As
prescribed in
NMC
Section
17.08.030
;
the RS
-
4 development standards may be
modified
for up to 20% of the lots
with a
U
se
P
ermit
for the application of small lot
development standards
as prescribed in NMC Section
17.52.470
; Small Lot
Development
.
Criteria
Standard
Proposed
Lot Area (sq.
ft.)
min.
4 ,000
min. 4,823
Height (feet)
max. 30
max. 28”
-
9’
Front Setback (feet)
min. 20
min. 20
Side Yard
min. 5/10
min. 5/10
Side
Setback
*(corner lot
-
feet)
min. 15
min. 15
Rear Yard (feet)
min.
15 min. 15
Lot Coverage (percentage)
max. 5
0%
max. ≈ 46.8%
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6 C.
Use Permit
–
Small Lot Development and Flag Lots
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.08.020, the Applicant is requesting the approval of a use permit for the creation of
seven
(
7 ) flag lots. Flag lots have less than the minimum required frontage on a public or private street, have access to a public or private street by a narrow strip of land, and the largest portion of the lot is situated behind adjoining lots which front on a pu
blic or private street. The front setbacks for the flag lots would be measured starting at the edge of the access easement with the side
and rear yards measured from
the interior property lines in
a typical
manner. In addition to meeting parking requirements
in NMC Chapter 17.54, one additional on
-
site guest parking space shall be required for
each flag lot.
Lot
s
19,
38, 39, 40,
49, 50 and 51
are
identified as flag lot
s
that
have
access
to the public street provided by a private driveway. The largest portion of the lot is situated behind adjoining lots.
All
driveway
s
provide the minimum width required for access and
each flag lot
provide
s
one (1)
guest parking
space
to make up for not providing a guest
space on the
street like a
street adjacent lot would
. The City of Napa Fire Prevention Staff
has determined that the proposed design of
all
the
flag lot
s
are
consistent with the Fire
Department regulations. Staff has determined that the Project is consistent with the f
lag
l
ot standards. As proposed, this is an appropriate use of flag lot s
.
As part of this application, the Applicant is also requesting a Use Permit approval for application of the City’s
s
mall
l
ot
d
evelopment
s
tandards in accordance with NMC
Section
s 17.08.030 and
17.52.470. Lot
8 through
Lot 15
do not meet the minimum square
footage requirements and
all
are requesting the use of
5 -
foot
side
yard setbacks on
both
side
s
of each lot.
As previously mentioned, NMC 17.
08.030 specifies up to 20% of
the
lots of a subdivision
with 10 or more lots may use small lot development standards.
The
eight (8) lots
u
sing these
s
tandards
re
present
s
less than 17
% of the 51 lots.
In applying Small Lot Development Standards, the following standards apply:
1. House Plans. House plans shall be included as part of the application.
House plans have been included.
2. Lot Size and Width. No specific requirement; however, plans shall consider neighborhood development patterns.
The development is located in a transitional area along El Centro Avenue
between
traditional
4 ,000
square foot traditional lots
north of El Centro Avenue
and
the
5 ,000
square foot
lots
south of the Project site
and the smaller, mult
i
-
family lots west of the
Project site
. The proposed size of Lots
8 -
15 is consistent with the surrounding
neighborhoods.
3. Lot Frontage. Shall provide adequate frontage for the house, driveway and side yards/side setback. On a public street, 18 feet of continuous full height curb shall be provided.
All lots
using small lot development standards
exceed the
18 feet minimum
and provide
36 feet to 48 feet of continuous full height curb
at lot frontages.
4. Side Yards. Duets: zero feet one side; five feet one side; detached dwellings: five feet one side; five feet one side.
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7 Only Lot’s 8 through 15
take advantage of a
5 -
foot
side yard setback.
5. Front and Side Setbacks. Homes fronting on
existing public streets shall use
the
setbacks
of the base district. Homes fronting on new private or certain new public streets may utilize the pedestrian friendly street standards.
All lots provide a
20 -
foot
front setback which is consistent with the RS
-
4 development
standards. Lot
s 1, 27, 28,
34 and 47
provide a
15 -
foot
minimum
“street” side setback
which
is
consistent with the RS
-
4 minimum street side setback of
15 feet.
6. Other: All other regulations of the underlying district and this title shall apply to small lot developments.
The deviations that are proposed for the Project are as follows and are permitted by application of the small lot development standards: 1) lot sizes for Lots 8 through 15
that
are below the minimum
4 ,000 square foot lot size, 2)
5 -
foot
side yard setbacks for
L
ots
8 through
15 . The
remainder of the
project conforms to all other regulations of the RS
-
4 district.
The Project also proposes curb
adjacent sidewalks on both sides of the new interior street (
Clementia Circle)
.
Per NMC Section
17.52.360
.E
, Pedestrian
-
Friendly Street Standards,
curb adjacent sidewalks
may be considered if General Plan minimum densities cannot be met due to unusual site constraint
s.
T
he Salvador Flood Channel’s location across the
Project site and the approximately 2.
26 acres
being set aside for flood improvements
along the channel represents an unusual site constraint that hinder s the Project’s ability
to achieve the G
eneral Plan minimum density.
Therefore,
the curb adjacent sidewalk is
an acceptable design alternative.
D.
Design Review
Pursuant to NMC Sections 16.
04 .0
9.B
and 17.62.050
.C.1
, an application for a
D
esign
R
eview
P
ermit is required for subdivisions of five or more lots. In conjunction with the application for design review of the subdivision, the Applicant is required to provide home designs
for consideration
. These physical improvements are subject to
review
by the
Planning Commission and
City Council. To approve a Design Review Permit, the
Planning
Commission and
City Council
are
required to make the findings prescribed in NMC Section
17.62.080. Th
e
se findings are
found
in
Attachment 2
,
Draft Resolution
.
In addition to the Design Review Permit findings, t
he project is subject to the City’s adopted
Residential Design Guidelines
.
However, pursuant to the Housing Accountability Act,
Government Code Section 65589.5, the City may only apply “objective” development standards and design standards to the project. Therefore, the City may only apply those provisions in the existing Reside
ntial Design Guidelines that are objective, which is defined as “a standard
involving no personal or subjective judgment by a publ
ic official and being
uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant or proponent and the public official. ”
The
project
conforms with
the objective design standards in the
Residential Design Guidelines.
For example, t
he architecture
uses a variety of forms and materials including wood trim,
stone veneer
, and
stucco. The
house plans provide for a variety of architectural styles and schemes.
The
proposed
home
s
vary,
but
have a coherent architectural composition
, while
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8 the r
oofs,
walls, and materials gracefully transition from front, side and rear elevations.
The
proposed
massing
for each style is also
broken up with bays and stepping wall
plains.
E.
Proposed House Plans
The Project proposes
eight
(
8 )
different
house
plan option
s, each with
two (2) different
architectural elevations
identified as; Urban Farmhouse and Napa Valley Contemporary.
Model
No.
1 –
Oak Kn
oll
As shown in
Attachment
6 ,
Architectural Plans
and in
Figure 2
& 3
, this model is a
two
-
story home at a maximum height of approximately 2
3 .5
feet and
combined with an
attached Accessory Dwelling Unit
(ADU)
,
is approximately
1 ,
7 68
square feet in size. This
floor plan consist
s
of
a
1,087 square foot, two
(2)
bedroom,
one (1)
loft/
den, two story
main unit
with an
attached
682 square foot,
one (1) bedroom, one (1) loft/den
ADU
.
A one
car garage is provided for each unit.
FIGURE
2 Oak Kno
ll
–
Option No.
1 –
Board and Batten
FIGURE
3 Oak Knoll
–
Option No. 2
-
Stucco
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9 Model No. 2
–
S
pring Mountain
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure 4
& 5
, this model is a single
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately
2 2
-
feet
and is approximately
1 ,
004
square feet in size.
This floor plan would consist of
2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and a
1 -
car attached
garage.
FIGURE
4 Spring Mountain
–
Option No.
1 –
Board and Batten
FIGURE
5 Spring Mountain
–
Option No. 2
-
Stucco
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10 Model No.
3 –
Mount Veeder
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure
6 & 7
, this model is a
one
-
story home
but with
a cathedral ceiling over the main living room
area
at a maximum height of approximately
2 1
-
feet
and is approximately
1,17
0 square feet in size. This floor plan would consist of 2 bedrooms and
2 bathrooms, and a
1 -
car attached garage.
FIGURE
6 Mount Veeder
–
Option No. 1
–
Board and Batten / Gable Roof
FIGURE
7 Mount Veeder
–
Option No. 2
–
Stucco / Hip Roof
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11 Model No.
4 -
Coombsville
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure
7 & 8
, this model is a
one
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately
16 -
feet
9 -
inches
and is approximately
1,
517
square
feet in size. This floor plan would consist of
3 bedrooms and
3 bathrooms, and a 2
-
car
attached garage.
FIGURE
7 Coombsville
–
Option No. 1
–
Board and Batten /
Gable Roof
FIGURE
8 Coombsville
–
Option No. 2
–
Board and Batten
& Stucco / Hip Roof
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12 Model No.
5 –
Chile’s
Valley
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure
9 & 10
, this model is a
one
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately
16 -
feet
9 -
inches
and is approximately
1,753
square
feet in size. This floor plan would consist of
3 bedrooms and
3 bathrooms, and a 2
-
car
attached garage.
FIGURE
9 Chi
le’s Valley
–
Option No. 1
–
Stucco with
Hip Roof
FIGURE
10 Chile’s Valley
–
Option No. 2
–
Stucco with Gable Roof
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13 Model No. 6
–
Stags Leap
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure
11 & 12
, this model is a
two
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately 2
7 -
feet
6 -
inches
and is approximately
1,964
square
feet in size. This floor plan would consist of
3 bedrooms and
3 bathrooms,
a loft,
and a 2
-
car attached garage
.
FIGURE
11 Stags Leap
–
Option No. 1
–
Board and Batten
/
Gable
Roo
f
FIGURE
12 Stags Leap
–
Option No. 1
–
Stucco /
Hip Roof
Model
No.
7 –
Like Father Like Son
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure
13 , this model is a
two
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately 2
4 -
feet
and is approximately
1,997
square feet in size.
This floor plan would consist of 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, including a “retreat” in the
master bedroom
, and a 2
-
car attached garage. This plan option would also feature an ATTACHMENT 8
P
L
19 -
0 0
16 –
Zinfandel
Subdivision
14 optional fourth (4) bedroom in
-
lieu of a loft and an optional
220 square foot
covered patio
to the rear.
FIGURE
13 Like Father Like Son
–
Stucco / Hip Roof
Model No. 8
–
Aldo
(with ADU)
As shown in
Attachment
6 , and in
Figure 1
4 , this model is a
two
-
story home at a
maximum height of approximately 2
6 -
feet
6 -
inches
and is approximately
1,999
square
feet in size.
This floor plan would consist of 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and a 2 -
car
attached garage. This plan option would also feature an optional 383 square foot
accessory dwelling unit (ADU)
.
FIGURE
1 4
Aldo (w/ADU)
–
Stucco / Hip Roof
ATTACHMENT 8
P
L
19 -
0 0
16 –
Zinfandel
Subdivision
15 F.
Tentative Subdivision Map
As shown in
Attachment 5
,
Tentative Map
, the Applicant is proposing to subdivide an
approximately 9.56
-
acre property into 51 single
-
family residential lots with seven (7) flag
lots and four (4) open space parcels. The standard residential lots would range from 4,823 to 8,246 square feet.
Approximately 2.
26 acres of the Project site along the Salvador
Channel
will be
set
aside for
channel and flood protection improvements.
The inability to
develop
this portion of the site
required variations to the development standards for the Project to achiev
e the
minimum density required by the General Plan 2020.
This
necessit
at
ed
the need for use of
S
mall
L
ot
D
evelopment
S
tandards
,
F
lag
L
ot
D
evelopment
S
tandards
as well as a
pede
strian Friendly Street Standards
for a curb
adjacent sidewalk along the new
street
(Clementia Circle).
The subdivision has been
designed
to avoid the Salvador Channel
and
to include
terracing
along the north and
south banks of the channel
to lessen floodplain impacts mitigating potential impacts related to 2, 10 and 100 year flood events
. The
overall
design of the
subdivision makes
efficient use of the developable portion of land
and
uses
one looped road with
two
access
points from El Centro
Avenue
.
The subdivision
would
also
improve El Centro Avenue
along
its frontage to include
7 3
0 feet of
sidewalk
and gutter pan to create a parking/bike
lane across the entire frontage.
Staff believes that the general design of the subdivision is the most appropriate for the size and shape of the property and its relation to
the
surrounding
development and roadways
, including the Salvador Channel
.
V
I
I
.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project was evaluated for consistency with the development density and zoning established by the City’s 2020 General Plan, for which a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was previously certified (SCH No. 95
-
03 -
3060). In accordance with Public
Re
sources Code Section 21083.3 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, a Consistency Checklist was prepared to determine whether the project would result in any environmental effects that are peculiar to the project or its site, or that were not previously analyz ed as
significant effects in the General Plan EIR, or for which substantial new information shows impacts would be more significant than previously described. The Consistency Checklist, included as Appendix A to the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) (At tachment 3),
concluded that, with the use of Small Lot Development Standards, the project is consistent with the established density and zoning, and that all potential impacts, except for biological resources, were previously analyzed and mitigated as need ed in the General Plan EIR. No
further review is required for those areas
.
An Initial Study was prepared for the project pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (see
Attachment 3
). The Initial Study identified certain
impacts resulting from this project and concluded that the impacts were either not significant or identified mitigation measures to reduce the impacts to an insignificant level. Based on the conclusions of the Initia
l Study, a Mitigated Negative Declaration
(MND)
has been
prepared. Inclusion of mitigation measures
in the Mitiga
tion Monitoring and Reporting
Program (Attachment X)
will ensure that the project does not have any adverse impacts on public health, safety and welfare. The posting period of the Mitigated Negative Declaration was
from
August 7
, 202
5 through
September
5 , 202
5 .
Fifty
-
three (
53 )
comments were
received
during the public review period
; a summary of comments and responses is
provided in the Final MND (
Attachment 3
). Readers are directed to the Final MND for
detailed responses to all public comments.
ATTACHMENT 8
P
L
19 -
0 0
16 –
Zinfandel
Subdivision
16 .
In summary, the CEQA review for the Zinfandel Subdivision Project combined a 15183 Consistency Checklist, demonstrating consistency with the General Plan EIR and exemption from further review for most topics, with
a
MND focused on biological resources,
ensuring comprehensive environmental analysis and compliance with CEQA.
Based on the
Consistency Checklist and
t
he Initial Study
and MND, the City has
determined
that,
with
the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures
in the MMRP
, no significant
eff
ects on the environment would occur. Accordingly, the Planning Department is recommending that a MND be adopted
and the MMRP be approved
for this project.
VIII
.
REQUIRED FINDINGS
Approval of the
P
roject is subject to the required findings established in NMC Section
17.62.080, Design Review Permits, NMC Section 17.60.070, Use Permits and NMC Section 16.20.070, Tentative Maps. These findings are provided in the draft resolutions attached to this Staf
f Report.
I
X
.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice that this application was received was provided
by the City
on
May
12 , 20
19 ,
and
notice of th
e scheduled public heari
ng was provided on
December 5
,
202
5 ,
by US Postal
Service to all property owners within a
500
-
foot
radius of the subject property. Notice of
the public hearing was also published in the N
apa Valley Register on
Dece
mber
4 , 2025
,
and
provided
to people previously requesting notice on the matter at the same time notice was provided to the newspaper for publication. The Applicant was also provided with
a
copy of this Report and the associated attachments in advance of the public hearing on the project.
X.
PUBLIC COMMENT
As of this writing,
City Staff received
two (2)
pieces of
written correspondence
not
related
to the
Mitigated Negative Declaration review period
which are contained in
Attachment
8 ,
Correspondence
.
No further public comments have been received as of this writing .
ATTACHMENT 8
Outlook
Zinfandel Subdivision meeting on 10/16/25
Fr
om
P
aula Iverson
Dat
e
Fri 9/12/2025 1:35 PM
T
o
[email protected] <[email protected]>
Y
ou don't often get email from
Learn why this is important
[
E
X
T
E
R
N
A
L
]
Just wondering why you are bothering with this meeting when the Biales have removed all their producing vines in all the areas projected for this subdivision? Whose getting the kickbacks to have this approved no matter what neighbors have to say in the matter.
T
raffic is horrendous in this area...especially during school hours which is most of the year. P arents and
children do not use the crosswalk as they should so this creates a dangerous situation.
Centro.
How greedy the town planners have become...shame on them. 1 2
/
1 /
2 5
,
9 :
2 5
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1 ATTACHMENT 8
Outlook
Zinfandel Subdivision
Fr
om
Myrna Lunceford <
>
Dat
e
Thu 9/11/2025 1:28 PM
T
o
Michael Allen <
>
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1 ATTACHMENT 8
1 Mayra Espinoza
From:
Charles Tevlin <
>
Sent:
Monday, December 15, 2025 10:49 PM
To:
PlanningCommission
Subject:
Letter of Support Item 7.A
[EXTERNAL]
Dear Planning Commission,
I grew up in Napa and have lived here my entire life, witnessing firsthand how the city has grown and evolved over the years. With that perspective, and recognizing that residential infill projects are often contentious, I would like to express my full sup
port for the Zinfandel Subdivision on the upcoming agenda.
In a city with very limited land available for residential development, it is critical that infill sites be evaluated carefully. This project represents a thoughtfully planned neighborhood that, over time, will naturally become part of the greater Napa com
munity.
It is also important to recognize that many of the surrounding neighborhoods were themselves once vacant land before becoming established parts of the community. This project is no different. If approved, it would help provide much
-
needed housing in a regi
on where housing opportunities are increasingly scarce. In the context of a slowing wine industry, the transition of this site from vineyard use to residential development is a reasonable and appropriate evolution for a catalyst infill site within the city .
The staff report provides the key information necessary to make an informed decision and clearly supports recommending approval. The project is actually below the maximum density allowed under the most recent General Plan, is designed to minimize disruptio
n to surrounding neighborhoods, and meets many of the City’s General Plan goals and policies related to housing production and infill development.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Planning Commission to support staff’s recommendation and forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.
Thank you,
Charles Tevlin
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ATTACHMENT 8
1 Mayra Espinoza
From:
Michael <
Sent:
Monday, December 15, 2025 10:49 AM
To:
PlanningCommission
Subject:
Letter of support item 7.A
[EXTERNAL]
Dear Planning Commission,
As a longtime resident of Napa, I support the Zinfandel Subdivision. Infill sites like this are becoming increasingly rare, and this project represents an important opportunity to prevent sprawl, make use of existing infrastructure, and help address the ci ty’s housing shortage.
Often, when development is proposed on the edges of town, the call is to focus on infill development. This project is exactly that opportunity. The staff report clearly outlines the many reasons the project meets all applicable standards and is appropriate
for approval.
I respectfully urge you to consider staff’s recommendation and support the project.
Thank you,
Michael Fernandez
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ATTACHMENT 8
1 Mayra Espinoza
From:
Eric Smaldino <
Sent:
Monday, December 15, 2025 10:50 AM
To:
PlanningCommission
Subject:
Letter of Support Item 7.A
[EXTERNAL]
Dear Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
,
As a resident and business owner in Napa, I would like to express my full support for Agenda Item 7.A, the Zinfandel Subdivision, being considered on December 18, 2025 .
It is well understood that our region is in critical need of housing. Given Napa’s limited supply of developable land within the city limits and the lack of any imminent plans for annexation, this project represents a thoughtful and well
-
designed approach
to infill single
-
family residential development
.
Based on my review of the project materials, the proposed subdivision appears compatible with the surrounding area and consistent with the existing densities and housing types nearby. The project is also unique in that much of its perimeter is separated fr
om adjacent residential development. Only the
eastern property line
—
specifically Lots 20 through 27
—
directly abuts an existing neighborhood, along
with a limited portion of the western boundary that adjoins a single property .
While infill projects often generate concern, even a simple aerial review demonstrates that this site is well suited for development and can effectively utilize existing infrastructure already in place. This is precisely the type of infill opportunity that
supports smart growth while minimizing sprawl
.
As noted in the staff report, the project is consistent with all applicable standards and meets many of the City’s General Plan goals and policies. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Planning Commission to recommend approval of the Zinfandel Subdiv
ision based on the facts and analysis presented in the staff report
.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration
.
Sincerely,
Eric Smaldino
Napa Cigars
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ATTACHMENT 8
1 Mayra Espinoza
From:
George Lau <
>
Sent:
Thursday, December 18, 2025 6:55 PM
To:
PlanningCommission
Subject:
Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting
[EXTERNAL]
Dear Planning Commissioners
,
I am writing to express my support for Item 7.A on Thursday’s Planning Commission agenda. I live in the vicinity of the project and appreciate that the proposed density is consistent with the previously adopted General Plan, resulting in a subdivision that
is more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
This project has been in process for several years, and the property owners should be afforded the opportunity to develop their property in a manner consistent with how surrounding neighborhoods were originally developed.
The staff report provides a thorough and accurate analysis of the project and correctly concludes that the proposal meets the required findings to support a recommendation of approval to the City Council. I respectfully urge the Planning Commission to supp
ort staff’s recommendation and allow the project to
move forward to Council for consideration.
Thank you for your time and service.
George
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ATTACHMENT 8