The Napa County Water and Oak Woodland Protection Initiative of 2018 has qualified for the June ballot, County Registrar of Voters John Tuteur said on Thursday.

Over 7,000 people signed the petition to place the Initiative on the ballot, more than signed in 2016 when the County initially accepted and then later disqualified the Initiative from the ballot on a technicality. The petition needed at least 3,792 signatures to qualify. Significantly, the County Counsel's office advised that the language of the petition was sufficient.

The Initiative next goes before the County Board of Supervisors, who may either adopt the measure, place it on the ballot, or ask for more analysis.

Hackett and co-author Jim Wilson worked collaboratively with representatives of the Napa Valley Vintners for over six months, crafting a measure that gained support from the full NVV Board as well as support from County officials. Under strident opposition from a small segment of vocal ag developers, the NVV reversed its position and the County followed suit.

Read the Napa Register article on ballot qualification here