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Drawing the line in American Canyon
City, Napa County agree on borders; voter initiative is next
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CommentSettling a long-simmering dispute over growth in the southern part of the county, American Canyon and Napa County leaders signed off this week on a iron-clad map for the boundaries of the fast-growing city.
The American Canyon City Council voted 4-0 to approve the deal Thursday. Vice Mayor Cindy Coffey, who heads the committee that’s organizing the city’s Fourth of July Festival, was excused from the meeting.
The American Canyon City Council voted 4-0 to approve the deal Thursday. Vice Mayor Cindy Coffey, who heads the committee that’s organizing the city’s Fourth of July Festival, was excused from the meeting.
Two days earlier, the Napa County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve the document that will define the city’s boundaries until 2030.
“This is the beginning of better things,” American Canyon City Councilman Don Callison said. Callison helped negotiate the terms of the agreement, along with City Councilman Ed West and supervisors Bill Dodd and Mark Luce.
“This is the beginning of better things,” American Canyon City Councilman Don Callison said. Callison helped negotiate the terms of the agreement, along with City Councilman Ed West and supervisors Bill Dodd and Mark Luce.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Brad Wagenknecht, who attended Thursday’s City Council meeting with supervisors Dodd and Luce, hailed the memorandum of understanding reached after 18 months of at times testy discussions.
The new map delineates borders for American Canyon, giving the city land it wanted on its northern and eastern boundaries. In exchange, Napa County is assured that the city’s growth will not threaten Napa County’s economic interests around Napa County Airport.
The new map delineates borders for American Canyon, giving the city land it wanted on its northern and eastern boundaries. In exchange, Napa County is assured that the city’s growth will not threaten Napa County’s economic interests around Napa County Airport.
“We know exactly where American Canyon is going to be for the next 22 years,” Wagenknecht said. “I’m giddy.”
Dodd said everyone wanted an agreement “that would stand the test of time.”
Luce, a former American Canyon resident who opposed the city’s incorporation in 1992, thanked the city council for a “great beginning.”
Under the agreement, American Canyon will incorporate 300 acres north of its current borders and expand eastward to include land below the 15 percent slope line in the hills separating the city from I-80.
The properties east of the city that could be annexed over the next two decades include about 200 acres of the former basalt factory site — slated to be turned in to a mixed-used development by McGrath Properties of Oakland — as well as vacant land owned by Solano County developer Ed Biggs.
According to county planners, appropriate uses for the lands north of the city’s boundaries that could be annexed into American Canyon include general business offices, warehousing and distribution, bottling plants and wineries.
American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez told the council that a large box store like a Costco would be prohibited.
Napa County will also finance the construction of a bridge over Fagan Creek and a section of Devlin Road extension — a $7.5 million project. The city wants Devlin Road to serve as an alternate road to congested Highway 29.
On Thursday, Dodd said the city and county must continue to cooperate on issues that benefit both jurisdictions, including the location of county services and the allocation of future housing credits.
Under the agreement, residents of the city have to approve the city’s new Urban Limit Line.
A petition is under way to collect about 700 signatures — 10 percent of the city electorate — and have the City Council either place it on the November ballot or approve the language included the document.
Mark Joseph, the former city manager, is spearheading the petition drive as president of Impact 94503, a group that supports the development of Town Center into a multi-use complex. The land belongs to the Jaeger family of Napa. Town Center developer McGrath Properties paid for legal work involved in the drafting of the petition, according to Joseph.
Volunteers will collect signatures at American Canyon’s Fourth of July Festival, Joseph said Thursday.
“Our big push is tomorrow, the Fourth of July,” Joseph said.
The signatures have to be collected by July 26.
Dodd said everyone wanted an agreement “that would stand the test of time.”
Luce, a former American Canyon resident who opposed the city’s incorporation in 1992, thanked the city council for a “great beginning.”
Under the agreement, American Canyon will incorporate 300 acres north of its current borders and expand eastward to include land below the 15 percent slope line in the hills separating the city from I-80.
The properties east of the city that could be annexed over the next two decades include about 200 acres of the former basalt factory site — slated to be turned in to a mixed-used development by McGrath Properties of Oakland — as well as vacant land owned by Solano County developer Ed Biggs.
According to county planners, appropriate uses for the lands north of the city’s boundaries that could be annexed into American Canyon include general business offices, warehousing and distribution, bottling plants and wineries.
American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez told the council that a large box store like a Costco would be prohibited.
Napa County will also finance the construction of a bridge over Fagan Creek and a section of Devlin Road extension — a $7.5 million project. The city wants Devlin Road to serve as an alternate road to congested Highway 29.
On Thursday, Dodd said the city and county must continue to cooperate on issues that benefit both jurisdictions, including the location of county services and the allocation of future housing credits.
Under the agreement, residents of the city have to approve the city’s new Urban Limit Line.
A petition is under way to collect about 700 signatures — 10 percent of the city electorate — and have the City Council either place it on the November ballot or approve the language included the document.
Mark Joseph, the former city manager, is spearheading the petition drive as president of Impact 94503, a group that supports the development of Town Center into a multi-use complex. The land belongs to the Jaeger family of Napa. Town Center developer McGrath Properties paid for legal work involved in the drafting of the petition, according to Joseph.
Volunteers will collect signatures at American Canyon’s Fourth of July Festival, Joseph said Thursday.
“Our big push is tomorrow, the Fourth of July,” Joseph said.
The signatures have to be collected by July 26.
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musikluvr wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:13 AM:
reason-ator wrote on Jul 4, 2008 11:11 AM:
bill dodd wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:17 PM:
Devlin Road was always Napa County's responsibility, it was only in the agreement because AC wanted to make sure it got done. This agreement is good for everyone and will hold AC and the County accountable for the next 22 years.
Supervisor Bill Dodd "
edwest wrote on Jul 4, 2008 4:28 PM:
We have followed our general plan and this has helped us attain more of what was in the plan. City's don't pay for High Schools, School districts pay for High Schools. The roads that need addressed are not only in American Canyon. Soscol, Trancas, Imola are all backed up. However, with the exception of the worst traffic accident that may bring the traffic to a stop, it moves at a slower pace, but it moves. Let's go drive it with a stop watch? Bring the press. It is the attitude that you two have displayed here that gets in the way of City County relationships. You comments offend and cause riffs that are deep and hard to manage through. We just spent 18 months trying to build trust and carry out a land use agreement and the stumbling issue was not tax distribution or money, it was TRUST- the lack of it that exists due to people like you making the comments like you did. That is OK though we have our offenders also. Take the trip with me and see the real American Canyon- American CAnyon- what happens here is why you will live here!
Ed West
ewest@ci.american-canyon.ca.us "
reason-ator wrote on Jul 4, 2008 4:53 PM:
M.G. wrote on Jul 4, 2008 5:19 PM:
reason-ator wrote on Jul 4, 2008 5:51 PM:
But I’ve had many opportunities to tour your city while looking for a way to get around traffic jams, so you needn’t take the time to give me a tour. Just post a list of the places you’d like to show me and I’ll let you know if they ease the city’s effect on me as I pass through everything that gets in my way that didn’t used to be there.
A zillion years ago, my grandparents lived in front of Rio del Mar. I loved it there, and was pleased when the area decided to become a city. But in my mind, they should be less obtrusive from the start. I need to stop at a light for their fire station. I get to stop at two lights for their Wal Mart.. I didn’t have to stop there before, and I don’t use either of them. Again, my opinion, yours may vary.
Enjoy your city. But you need to know that not everyone would have voted to stop at an endless stream of traffic lights for your pleasure. "
musikluvr wrote on Jul 4, 2008 5:59 PM:
musikluvr wrote on Jul 4, 2008 6:06 PM:
ADark1 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:23 PM:
The reason for the invite is obvious..PLEASE RSVP and hopefully all will have the courage of their convictions and attend. We need to find a solution that will address issues on all sides..
Stop the sniping and lets work on SOLUTIONS!
For what its worth...I think its a MUCH better path to a viable solution. "
LMW wrote on Jul 4, 2008 11:27 PM:
Take the tour! If not with Mr West, myself, Im in Napa Junction "
amcanresident wrote on Jul 5, 2008 5:20 AM:
reason-ator wrote on Jul 5, 2008 12:47 PM:
That, to me, is very symbolic. And unfortunately, it's beginning to seem representative.
It is perfectly OK for AmCyn to endanger me with their negligence, but it's NOT OK for me to say I don't like it. Wow.
For a bedroom community, AmCyn shouldn't be anxious to have such a negative impact on those who just want to get through AmCyn. I would LOVE to avoid your little sliver of paradise, but unfortunately AmCyn has basically surrounded the only road to get through the area. I'm waiting for them to set up toll booths. "
amcanresident wrote on Jul 5, 2008 10:50 PM:
reason-ator wrote on Jul 6, 2008 10:58 AM:
But speaking for me, and not musikluvr,I do not hate American Canyon. I am starting to detect a lousy and resentful attitude on the part of some of its citizens who not only refuse to see how poorly things have been done in their fine city but somehow feel as if everyone who once drove through the area should suffer for the benefit of an area that continues to intrude on people who used to not be afffected by the selfish and poorly managed growth in a zeal to build or glom onto taxable property
I HAVE driven Hwy 12 to avoid American Canyon. Buy it takes about another ten minutes, and uses extra gas which we are supposed to be trying to preserve.
From within your cozy little world behind your rose-colored glasses, I'm sure everything looks fine. However, you should know that things look different to those who are forming a different image of your sliver of paradise. In your desire to fix that image with a blog-brush, you aren't making it any better. I quite often frequent some of the fine businesses in your city, and you are making me not want to do that.If you DIDN'T want outsiders to come thrugh your area, it was poor planning to situate your city around a major traffic artery. Wow, poor planning. Whodathunkit ?
Look, we get that you just love your area. One of the things you don't inderstand is that others don't feel that they should have to suffer for you to do so. "