April 6, 2026
Yountville Town Council
c/o Yountville Town Clerk
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Re: Agenda item 11A: Referendum Petition regarding Ordinance No. 26-539 (The Commons) – Use SB 330 for Planning Stability
Dear Mayor Mohler and Members of the Yountville Town Council, On behalf of Generation Housing, we would like to begin by thanking the Council and Town staff for your diligent work to date on the Yountville Commons project and the thoughtful stewardship of Measure S funds. We continue to broadly support the Town’s efforts to move forward with an affordable and workforce housing project, in close concert with the community, to ensure that more people who work in Yountville have the choice to live in Yountville.
As you consider the options under the Elections Code—whether to repeal the ordinance or move toward an election—we are writing to suggest a helpful procedural path that gives the town the most options possible moving forward: the use of Government Code Section 65941.1 and 65589.5(o) to file preliminary documents and vest the current zoning of these parcels. In this context, "vesting" means the Town would legally "lock in" the current rules, zoning, and development standards so they cannot be changed by future actions, for a set period of time.
One thing we’ve seen is that the zoning conditions on the Yountville Commons site can change very quickly for any number of unpredictable reasons. That makes it very difficult for the council and staff to make decisions week-to-week. The state legislature created this section of the government code specifically to address this situation. Without committing to building phase 1, the town can complete the preliminary form described in the government code, colloquially called an “SB 330” pre-application. This is not a request for a permit that can be approved or denied. It is simply a form that is deemed complete or incomplete. This will not commit the town to building the project that is proposed in the SB 330 form.
The great thing is that once this form is completed, the current zoning of the parcels will vest for a brief period of 180 days, providing a window in which the town can choose to submit a project application or not. This does not change the zoning of the parcels in any way. It will simply preserve the existing zoning at the time the SB 330 form is submitted and deemed complete, preventing future changes from affecting the town’s ability to build on the parcels.
This basic level of stability for 180 days will allow the town council to make medium term decisions without being concerned that the zoning could radically change from one week to the next.
Whether the town wants to continue community engagement, continue refining the existing proposals, or completely change its approach to the Commons, the SB 330 vesting will allow those decisions to be made with a higher degree of stability.
Generationhousing.org
707-900-GENH [4364] phone
707-570-8768 fax
Generation Housing
427 Mendocino Ave, Suite 100
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
We respectfully urge the Council to include the following in your direction to staff:
● Protect Public Investment: The Town has already committed Measure S resources to this site. Directing staff to evaluate or file an SB 330 Preliminary Application for Phase 1 would "vest" the project under the objective standards currently in place. This acts as an insurance policy, ensuring that the public’s investment isn't lost to shifting regulatory sands or the uncertainty of a long election cycle. ● Responsible Planning: Whether the Council chooses to repeal the ordinance or head to the ballot, a Preliminary Application ensures that the Town does not end up in a "planning moratorium." It preserves the hard work already done by staff and the community to define the site's potential.
We believe that moving housing forward at all levels of affordability is a priority that transcends the current procedural hurdles. Utilizing the tools provided by the state, like SB 330, is a responsible way to honor the Town's housing commitments while staying responsive to the local process.
We respectfully request that the Council direct staff to evaluate the feasibility of an SB 330 Preliminary Application for Phase 1 as part of the "direction to staff" regarding options for the Commons site.
Thank you for your leadership and for your continued dedication to Yountville’s future.
Sincerely,
Jen Klose
Executive Director
Generation Housing
Leora Tanjuatco Ross
California Director
YIMBY Action
Ryan O’Connell
Chapter Lead
Napa Solano For Everyone