ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
MEMO
TO: Mayor Sedgley and City Councilmembers
FROM: Jessica Lowe, Public Works Director
DATE: September 10, 2026
SUBJECT: Responses to Public Comments Received
The City prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Five -Way Intersection Improvements Project (SCH #2024071257) (“Draft EIR”). The Draft EIR was distributed to the State Clearinghouse and relevant agencies and circulated for public review beginning August 28, 2025, through November 1, 2025. The Final EIR was published on July 7, 2026, together with the Draft EIR Comments and Responses.
The City has since received comments regarding the Five-Way Intersection Project (Attachment 5 to this agenda item). This supplemental memo has been prepared in response to those comments.
Responses to post-November 1, 2025, Comments
• The following comments are acknowledged and will be provided to the City Council for its consideration. Because the comments do not raise any issue concerning the Project’s potential environmental effects or the adequacy of the environmental analysis in the Draft or Final EIR, no further response is required under CEQA. o Dana Michelle Gillespie -July 9, 2026
o Dana Simi - July 9, 2026
o Cindy Guida DeLeo - July 10, 2026
o Monica Taylor and Derek Taylor - July 10, 2026
o Jerry Larghi and Peggy Moen Larghi - July 11, 2026
o Bonnie Wilson - July 12, 2026
o Joan Pieper - July 12, 2026
o Cindy Clark - July 22, 2026
o Janis Lucas - July 27, 2026
o Lynn Wyman - July 29, 2026
o Margarita Perry - July 28, 2026
o Leeanna Gracy - August 18, 2026
ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
• Ms. Lynn Wyman emailed the City on July 9, 2025 to express concerns that the proposed Project will “be dangerous for pedestrians” as the “roundabouts will not provide protected crossing,” and “will encourage speeding and result in increased traffic accidents.”
1. Response: The Draft EIR addresses concerns regarding pedestrian crossings and speeding:
The Project includes a 10 -foot wide shared- use path will be provided throughout the new roundabout(s) buffered by at least 2 feet of landscaping from the roadway. The shared-use path conveys both pedestrian and bicycle traffic through the intersection. Pedestrians will travel through the Project area using a combination of sidewalks, the new shared- use path, and marked crossings. Where realignment of roadways is occurring for the new roundabout approaches, existing sidewalks will be replaced to follow the new roadway edge. Marked pedestrian crossings are set back a minimum of one car length away from the circulatory roadway. This allows approaching drivers to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists in the crosswalk and then pull forward to yield to oncoming drive rs in the circulating lane, and exiting drivers to clear the circulating lane before yielding to a pedestrian or bicyclist. Pedestrian refugees at the splitter islands are at least 6 feet wide (consistent with the NCHRP Guide). These two-stage crossings reduce the amount of sustained time a pedestrian is in potential conflict with motorized vehicles by limiting the length of each crossing and lim iting each crossing to one direction of vehicle travel at a time. All pedestrian curb ramps would be ADA compliant. (Draft EIR at p. 6.)
The geometric design of roundabouts typically requires drivers to reduce speed in the intersection to 15 -25 mph. At signalized intersections, drivers are typically able to travel through the intersection at speeds higher than posted limits due to the lack of geometric constraints. Because of these reduced travel speeds through the intersection and expected reduction in crashes, the Project is likely to eliminate the most severe crash types.” (Id.)
• Ms. Karen R. Lehman emailed the City on August 2, 2026 to express her opposition to the Project and to assert that the structure at 801 Silverado Trail, sometime referred as the Rossi House, “should be considered an Historical Landmark.”
1. Response: The Draft EIR, at pages 133 -134 discloses that 801 Silverado Trail “is currently listed on the City’s [Historic Resource Inventory] as a contributor to the East Napa Historic District. Therefore, the residence would be considered a historical resource pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5.” The Draft EIR concludes that because the Project would demolish 801 Silverado Trail it will “result in a significant impact on historical resources according to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5. MM CULT-1.1 would require the Project sponsor to document the historical resource to be demolished which would lessen the significant cultural resources impact; however, the impact after mitigation would remain significant and unavoidable.”
ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
• Mr. Jerry Aplass, on behalf of the property owners (Zeichner & Lockman) for 36 Coombsville Road, Napa, CA, emailed the City on August 7, 2026 with the following comments:
1. Road /turn lane grading impacts have not been fully determined or evaluated. The schematic plans in the draft EIR are deficient, they do not include any preliminary lane profiles or identify any grading impacts. According to the topographic survey your office provided, the vertical elevation rise from Silverado Trail to Coombsville Road is approx. 17'. As such, there will be significant grading for construction of the roundabout. The grading impact on my client's property has not been quantified nor even identified. These impacts include grading, effects on existing dri veways, and effects on adjacent trees, landscaping, fencing and access.
Response: The figures in the Draft EIR are not intended to serve as a comprehensive plan set. Instead, they are included to help the reader visualize the proposed project and provide context for the EIR’s environmental analysis. While grading will be required, the proposed roundabouts will utilize a tilted plane design which will limit the amount of grading needed despite the steep slopes present at the site (Draft EIR at pgs. 5-6). The partial right-of-way acquisition at 36 Coombsville Road would avoid developed areas of the property as much as possible (Draft EIR at pg. 15, Figure 1.4-7). The Project will comply with the City of Napa Municipal Code requirements regarding tree removal and tree replacement requirements.
2. No accurate takings exhibit. This lack of information on the new turn lane does not allow the property owner client to fully understand the extent of property to be taken.
Response: The right -of-way impacts to 36 Coombsville Road are shown in Figure 1.4-7 of the Draft EIR. Because this comment does not raise any issue concerning the Project’s potential environmental effects or the adequacy of the environmental analysis in the Draft or Final EIR, no further response is required under CEQA
3. Grading impacts in front of the existing house have not been fully determined or evaluated. The schematic plans in the draft EIR are deficient, as stated earlier - they do not include preliminary lane profiles or identify any grading impacts.
According to the topographic survey your office provided, the vertical elevation rise from Silverado Trail to Coombsville Road is approx. 17'. As such, significant grading will likely occur. Based on our initial analysis (previously provided to the city) the roadway/turn lane grade in front of the subject property (at 36 Coombsville Road) will be several feet below the existing roadway grade at the sidewalk entrance to the subject house. This will be a significant impact to the house as far as access, motorized front gate, trees and newly installed front yard landscaping located at ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
the front of the house and near the intersection will need to be removed, as well as the sidewalk entrance to the house.
Response: The figures in the Draft EIR are not intended to serve as a comprehensive plan set. They are included to help the reader visualize the proposed project and set context for the EIR’s environmental analysis. While grading will be required, the proposed roundabouts will utilize a tilted plane design which will limit the amount of grading needed despite the steep slopes present at the site (Draft EIR at pgs. 5-6). The partial right-of-way acquisition at 36 Coombsville Road would avoid developed areas of the property as much as possible (Draft EIR at pg. 15, Figure 1.4-7). As shown in Figure 1.4-1 of the EIR, the proposed roundabout can conform to the existing driveway at 36 Coombsville Road and, therefore, the driveway will not need to be relocated and the existing access to the property will be maintained.
4. Project extent/scope has not been fully determined for evaluation in the EIR .
Without the aforementioned preliminary grading or vertical alignment studies, the preliminary plans do not properly depict the length of the turn lane from Silverado Trail to Coombsville Road. Therefore, the EIR cannot properly evaluate the project impacts. Given that the rise is approx. 17' the turn lane length will need to be extended significantly. If this lane is extended, as we fully expect, the lane extension will likely affect the ability to use my client's driveway entrance to their house, making it unusable.
Response: The turn lane was sized as needed for highway operations and because it is within the boundary of the roundabout it is not subject to typical Caltrans design standards per the exception given to roundabouts in Caltrans’ Highway Design Manual (HDM) Index 40 5.10. The distance from the roundabout exit to the driveway at 36 Coombsville Road is approximately 70 feet. Vehicle speeds through this area are anticipated to be very slow and the traffic demand is far less than the through movement along SR 121. As noted in prior responses, the proposed roundabouts would utilize a tilted plane design, allowing the grade difference to converge at 0’ at the existing driveway (Draft EIR at p. 7, Figure 1.4 -1). For these reasons, the turn lane would not need to be extended, and the existing driveway would continue to be usable.
5. Traffic safety has not been fully evaluated in the EIR. We are concerned about safe access to my client's property from their gated driveway. There will be driving conflicts between drivers merging onto Coombsville Road and drivers accessing the existing driveway to my client's property. These issues regar ding driveway intersection turning movement safety have not been addressed in the EIR.
ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
Response: Construction of the roundabouts would result in slower speeds for vehicles turning on to Coombsville Road as compared to the existing conditions of turning and through traffic entering Coombsville Road from the Project intersection. (Draft EIR at p. 6.) Further, the Project would not increase the number of vehicles passing the existing driveway (Draft EI R at p.169) and, therefore, would not increase the number of potential conflicts.
6. Lighting Impacts have not been fully evaluated in the EIR . Right now there are no street lights by our property. We are concerned that new lights will add to light pollution.
Response: While the Project would add new lighting as part of the proposed safety improvements, spillover onto private properties will be less than significant with the implementation of an avoidance and minimization measure(“AMM”). AMM VIS- 1.5 requires that “Light added as permanent features shall be shielded to the extent feasible and light trespass shall be minimized”.
7. Inability to access our property during construction. We are concerned with the inability to access our house/property during construction.
Response: As detailed in the Draft EIR, per PF TRA-1.1, a Traffic Management Plan will be prepared to ensure that residential access is maintained throughout construction. (Draft EIR at p. 17.) During construction at least one travel lane will be kept open on Coomb sville Road during peak hours (Draft EIR at p.16). Notices will be given in advance to property owners regarding road closures and detours during construction (Draft EIR at p.48).
8. Traffic Safety Concerns In reviewing the EIR documents, there do not appear to be any concrete barriers proposed along the south side of Coombsville Road in front of my client's property. They would provide vehicular protection for the house, which is 25' from Coombsville Road (not 50 feet as described in the EIR), as well as acoustic mitigation for noise impacts to the house.
Response: The need for vehicle barriers was evaluated based on the Caltrans HDM Index 309.1(2), which clarifies the clear recovery zone. Coombsville Road is posted at 35 miles per hour (mph) and there is existing curb in front of the residence. For these reasons, clear recovery zone widths do not apply.
Additionally, there is not sufficient collision history to warrant construction of a barrier. With implementation of the Project vehicle speeds will be reduced by approximately five to 10 mph compared to existing conditions and the grade change due to roundabout construction and the additional clear area from sidewalks will allow for more visibility. These improvements ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
would result in greater vehicle safety and decrease the likelihood of collisions.
The EIR does not state that the residence at 36 Coombsville Road is 50 feet from the Project site. While 50 feet is used as a reference point for typical noise and vibration levels generated by construction equipment (Draft EIR at pgs. 104-105), actual receptor distances were used in calculating receptor - specific impacts in the Noise Study Report and Construction Vibration Report as summarized in the EIR (Draft EIR at pgs.105-106). As shown in Table 2.16- 4 of the EIR/EA, operational traffic noise levels are predicted to increase at 36 Coombsville Road by one A-weighted decibel (dBA) compared to existing conditions by the year 2046 under No -Build conditions due to increases in traffic that would occur with or without the Project (Draft EIR at p. 101).
Ambient noise levels at the property are predic ted to increase by two dBA compared to existing conditions by the year 2046 under Build conditions. The changes to noise levels that would result from the Project are not considered substantial as they would not be at or above the Caltrans 12 dBA threshold.
Additionally, the Project would not cause the ambient noise levels at 36 Coombsville Road to exceed the Federal Highway Administration’s Noise Abatement Criteria for residential uses (Draft EIR at p.101 -102). For these reasons, a noise barrier along the property at 36 Coombsville Road is not proposed.
9. Construction Mitigation measures There will be significant vibration from jackhammers and other mechanical devices being just 25 ' (perhaps even less to the master bedroom window) and not 50 feet as described in the EIR. There is no mention of how these impacts will be mitigated, as they will affect the existing house’s stability and foundation. If something happens mid- construction, does construction stop immediately? Will there be some recompense for these impacts?
Response: The Draft EIR does not state that the residence at 36 Coombsville Road is 50 feet from the Project site. While 50 feet is used as a reference point for typical vibration levels generated by construction equipment (Draft EIR at p. 105), actual receptor distances were used in calculating receptor - specific impacts in the Construction Vibration Report and identified in the Draft EIR (Draft EIR at pgs.105 -106). A conservative distance of 10 feet was used to calculate receiving vibration levels at 36 Coombsville Road in the Construction Vibration Report. Jackhammers would not exceed the applicable vibration threshold of 0.3 in/sec PPV at any distance greater than four feet (Draft EIR at pgs.105-106) and, therefore, are unlikely to cause any damage to the residence at 36 Coombsville Road.
ATTACHMENT 6
City Hall: 955 School Street, Napa CA 94559 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 660, Napa CA 94559 (707) 257-9500 www.cityofnapa.org
As stated in AMM NOI -2.1 through AMM NOI -2.3 in the EIR/EA (Draft EIR at pgs.110-111), the use of vibratory rollers and dropping of heavy equipment would be avoided within 25 feet of neighboring structures, including the residence at 36 Coombsville Road. The use of hoe rams, large bulldozers, and caisson drilling equipment would be avoided within 15 feet. If such equipment must be used within 25 or 15 feet, respectively , vibration monitoring, cracking monitoring, and photo/video documentation of the effected structures would be performed during construction.