Napa Planning Commission Regular Meeting - June 15, 2023

The Napa Planning Commission met on June 15, 2023, at 13:30 UTC (note: the agenda listed the meeting at 5:30 PM PDT, creating a discrepancy in the recorded time). The meeting covered a consent calendar, a public hearing for a restaurant use permit, and a study session for a major mixed-use development. Commissioners Gordon Huether, Paul Kelley (absent), Bob Massaro (Chair), Alexander Myers, and Beverly Shotwell (absent) were present. Commissioner Huether and Hurtado were present; Kelley and Shotwell were noted absent.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (June 1, 2023): Approved unanimously. Commissioner Huether abstained as he was not present at the prior meeting.
• Brookfield Napa Pipe Tentative Map (PL23-0042): Approved on consent without public comment. The subdivision creates 89 lots (66 single-family, 58 townhomes) on blocks 13, 14, 17, and 18, implementing part of the Napa Pipe Development Plan. The CEQA action was previously certified.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Hearing – 872 Vallejo Street: No public speakers.
• Administrative Report – South Oxbow Mixed-Use Pre-Application:
  • Jean Massey, co-owner of Napariu (event venue on the site), stated his business was not informed of the project; he fears displacement and loss of clients due to media reports. He requested correction of the staff report’s description of his business as a “retail store.”
  • Kara Werner, Napa County Bicycle Coalition, expressed support for the project’s class I bike path (river trail) but urged a 12-foot width (not 10), long-term bike parking, lighting, and safe intersections. She noted the renderings showed a parklet in the bike lane, which should be avoided.
  • Maureen Tripp, Slowdown Napa, appreciated the developer’s outreach on traffic calming but called for a safety review of First Street, where the speed limit is 30 mph.
  • Chuck Shinneman, representing a group of Napa residents, argued the project is too large and out of character with the Oxbow district’s organic, small-scale evolution. He cited potential over 1,100 hotel rooms in the area and urged a master plan and full EIR.
  • Francie Winnon, Friends of the Napa River, asked for a comprehensive approach; noted a UC Berkeley graduate study on the Oxbow (available via the city) that should inform planning.
  • John Salman, a land-use professional, stated the project is “too much on too small a piece of property.” He emphasized the need for a parking solution (e.g., a central garage) and a community-led plan, not just individual landowner decisions.
  • David Graves, director of the sanitation district, also called for a comprehensive parking analysis and expressed concern that the density bonus puts “five pounds of sugar in a three-pound bag.”

Discussion Items

1. 872 Vallejo Street – Stateline Road Smokehouse (PL23-0008) Staff presented a request for a Use Permit and Design Review Permit for a full-service restaurant and bar (exceeding 1,000 sq. ft.) at 872 Vallejo Street, with an open-air smoke yard, off-site parking, and a reduction in required parking from 40 to 20 spaces. The applicant, Daryl Bell and Jeremy Threat, described their vision for an elevated Kansas City barbecue concept serving the community. They noted the building is an adaptive reuse of a dilapidated Quonset hut. Commissioners asked about hours of operation (proposed 9 a.m.–10 p.m., typical 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Thu–Mon), peak customer counts (80–100 transactions per meal), smoke mitigation (enclosed smokers with tall stacks, screened), and art (a mural planned). No public comment was offered. The commission unanimously approved the resolution (motion by Commissioner Hurtado, second by Commissioner Huether).

2. South Oxbow Mixed-Use Pre-Application (PL22-0117) A preliminary review of a 6.7-acre mixed-use development: 130 for-sale residential units (21 townhomes, 109 condos), 170-room hotel, retail/restaurant space, and a riverfront trail. The applicant, Wayne O’Connell (Oxbow Holdings LLC), stated the project is 68% residential and includes 10% inclusionary affordable housing (13 units at 80% AMI). He requested a height waiver (up to 75 feet) and a parking waiver under density bonus law. The architect presented elevations using brick, stone, wood, and stucco, with stepped massing and pedestrian-oriented design. Commissioners and public provided extensive feedback:

• Parking: The project provides 362 spaces; 388 are required under code. A parking study is planned for August/September 2023. Chair Massaro expressed concern about the use of mechanical lifts (due to power outages).
• Environmental sustainability: Chair Massaro urged the applicant to aim for zero net energy, graywater systems, and all-electric design, not just Title 24 compliance.
• Bike path: The class I trail is proposed at 14 feet; the Bicycle Coalition requested 12 feet, and the applicant was open to adjustment.
• Affordable housing: While 10% is provided, Chair Massaro noted that 100+ hotel employees are unlikely to afford 80% AMI units; he suggested exploring live-work units and enhanced infrastructure districts.
• Architecture: Commissioners praised the Stanley Ranch aesthetic but requested more detailed renderings and a pedestrian/cyclist fly-through to better visualize scale.
• Context: Several speakers noted that a master plan for the Oxbow district is needed, given the cumulative impact of multiple hotel projects. Staff acknowledged that the project’s PD overlay (from Copia) will be evaluated.
• Displacement: Napariu’s tenant issue was acknowledged; the applicant stated the lease includes early exit provisions and that disclosure was made. No formal action was taken; the session was for guidance only. The applicant will return with a more detailed application after addressing feedback.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
• 872 Vallejo Street: Resolution approved unanimously (4-0, with Commissioners Huether and Hurtado voting yes, Massaro chair, Kelley and Shotwell absent). The project will proceed to building permits.
• South Oxbow Pre-Application: No vote. The applicant was directed to refine the design, address parking (especially lifts), aim for higher environmental standards, provide more detailed visualizations, and consider the Oxbow district’s broader context. The next step is a formal application, which will come back to the Planning Commission for a recommendation to the City Council.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 PM (local time). The next regular meeting (July 6, 2023) was canceled due to lack of agenda.