Who saved the Napa Valley since 1968? In the past 50 years, neither the planning commissioners nor the supervisors have been able to lead, but to their credit, they were willing steward partners of the citizens who did. Now, oblivious to the debt they owe to them for filling the void of ideas, they are trying to silence them. When the checks and balances are gone, when government abdicates its duty, the jewel goes up in smoke.
'Yes' to protecting our hillside oaks and water supply.
Napa County is in many ways a model in its strong protections of agricultural lands. But for our region to continue to serve as a national example in sustainable agriculture, we must extend those protections to the source of the shared resource that makes wine grape-growing possible: A clean and reliable water supply.
Fifty years ago, Napa County established an Agricultural Preserve designed to protect farming as a viable way of life. This farseeing community-supported effort anticipated growth-related pressures from the Bay Area during a time when Silicon Valley still grew apples.
But if we want to protect agriculture, including grape-growing and winemaking, for the next 50 years and beyond, we must take steps to protect our watershed against deforestation. That’s why the Watershed and Oak Woodlands Protection Initiative that will go before voters in June is so important.
This initiative adopts new policies and zoning requirements for the Agricultural Watershed zoning district to establish buffer zones along streams and wetlands and strengthen existing County General Plan oak woodland remediation requirements. It would also establish a 795-acre limit on additional oak woodland clearing after which a permit would be required for further oak tree removal.
These changes to local codes are essential if we hope to protect our oak woodlands. Napa County’s Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan is toothless in preventing continued losses. Times have changed along with our climate. Napa County simply can’t afford to deforest our hillsides if we want to protect local water supplies.
Even if voters approve the initiative, tens of thousands of acres would remain available for new vineyard development in the county. This initiative does not stop any current farming, nor does it stop any development that is already in progress. It would not prevent any replanting of existing vineyards or crops, or the construction of any new agricultural buildings or structures that are otherwise permitted under county law.
All of us in Napa are keenly aware that our region is prone to both drought and fire. By protecting our watershed, including the small forested feeder creeks and streams that replenish our groundwater and flow into our reservoirs and the Napa River, we both improve our water security and reduce our fire risk by supporting healthy oak woodlands. Stressed woodlands are vulnerable to wildfire; healthy woodlands are better able to resist fire and to recover in the aftermath, as they’re designed to do by nature.
A growing number of life-long growers and vintners are coming forward in support of this initiative. They recognize that elected officials come and go, and the only way to truly protect our water supply from over-development is for the voters to protect it – just as they did when voting to adopt Measures J and P to protect the Ag Preserve.
Legendary Napa County resident and winemaker Warren Winiarski, who was a leader in the effort to establish the Agricultural Preserve, has posed an eloquent question: “The simple question our voters need to answer for themselves is whether the Napa Valley will be better off with the initiative, or not.”
From my perspective, the answer is a simple 'yes.' 'Yes' to protecting our scenic hillsides from over-development. 'Yes' to protecting our water supplies. 'Yes' to encoding these protections in local ordinances to ensure they remain in place for generations to come, regardless of how the political winds blow and who sits on the Napa County Board of Supervisors.
Jim Wilson, proponent
Napa County Watershed and Oak Woodlands Protection Initiative
For the right reasons
In just a few months, Napa County voters will receive ballots giving them the power to approve or reject an initiative to protect the purity of Napa County streams and the preservation of our oak woodlands.
The Napa County Oak Woodland Watershed Protection Initiative of 2018
Some members of the wine community feel that maintaining the sustainability of our forests, watersheds, rivers and streams can be done voluntarily. This is a nice concept but unrealistic in the overall view.
Let's Let The Voters Decide
This story begins for me in late 2015, when renowned vintner and environmentalist Volker Eisele said to me, “Mike, nearly 50 years ago we protected the valley from development when we established the Ag Preserve, now we need to protect our Ag Watershed.”
What do we want to protect?
Our favorite castle proprietor, Daryl Sattui, tells us that if a proposed land use initiative were to pass "it will spell the end of new vineyards in the hillsides and begin the demise of the Napa Valley wine industry. Existing wineries will find it difficult or impossible to expand production as the valley floor is mostly planted. New wineries won't find grapes" ("Adamantly opposed to watershed initiative," Sept. 19).
Facts about the Napa County Watershed and Oak Woodland Protection Initiative of 2018
The NVV fully supports the preservation of this unique and special place. In fact, it is a core principle of our mission: “…to protect and enhance the Napa Valley for future generations.” With this in mind, in February we invited leaders from the NVV, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and the Winegrowers of Napa County to discuss our options, knowing the initiative would return this year.
Who is "We" on Watershed Initiative?
Watershed protection seems to be lower down the list of priorities, after protecting property rights, elevating direct marketing to an accessory use of agriculture and allowing fragile hillside Ag Watershed lands to be clearcut for "great cabs." We need champions for the environment, so critical in our changing climate, and this initiative was an agent of those champions.