Planning Commission Regular Meeting – September 17, 2026

The Napa Planning Commission held a regular meeting on September 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included approval of previous minutes, a public hearing on a design review and parking modification for a contractor storage and office building, and staff updates. The main item was the 1800 Tanen Street project, which was approved with a condition to address roof drainage.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the regular meeting of July 16, 2026, were approved with Commissioner Myers abstaining (he was not present at that meeting).
• The minutes of the regular meeting of August 20, 2026, were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public provided comments on non-agenda items or on the public hearing item.

Discussion Items

• 7A – 1800 Tanen Street Design Review (PL25-0125) – The commission considered a Design Review Permit and a Use Permit to modify parking requirements for a proposed 4,963 sq. ft. two-story building at 1800 Tanen Street. The building would house construction storage on the ground floor and office space above, with a future tenant area. The site is in the Light Industrial zoning district. Staff planner Ryder Dilley presented the project, noting that the applicant, Nelson Doherty (owner of Doherty Construction Inc., a local contractor), seeks a parking reduction for the warehouse component (3 spaces) because contractor storage generates minimal on-site employee trips. The office would require 7 spaces; 8 are provided but ADA adjustments may reduce that to 7, so a reduction for one additional space is requested. The building height is proposed at 30 feet (reduced from 31'6") to avoid aerial fire access requirements. The roof includes a cricket (drainage feature) and a parapet wall that Commissioner Shotwell and others found visually unappealing. Commissioner Massaro suggested tapering the parapet or modifying the roof slope to eliminate the cricket. The applicant's architect indicated the cricket could be addressed easily. The commission also discussed gate placement affecting ADA access, with staff noting that the chief building official may require further modifications. Overall, commissioners praised the applicant's community contributions and the project's fit with the corridor.

Key Outcomes

• The commission voted unanimously to adopt the staff resolution approving the Design Review Permit and Use Permit for 1800 Tanen Street, with an added condition that the roof slope be modified to resolve the cricket issue to the extent feasible. The action was also determined to be exempt from CEQA under Class 32 (infill).
• Staff provided updates on the Jefferson undergrounding project (ongoing PG&E discussions), Harvest workshop outreach (community engagement for feasibility study including potential housing), zoning ordinance updates (targeting October 28 special meeting), and a request for periodic project updates. Commissioners expressed interest in receiving annual updates on both residential and non-residential projects that have come before the commission.
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2026.