When I first moved to Napa Valley, one of my favorite things to do was bike to work at Napa Valley Coffee Roasters, my makeshift office. The fact the perilous journey unfurled on the seven-mile stretch from Calistoga to St. Helena on a barely-there shoulder of the Silverado Trail, mattered not. I pedaled on with verve. Trucks flying by, horns beeping, sweat pouring, as the countryside rolled out before me. As traffic has continued to mount and with motherhood on the mind, I would never embark on such a journey today. That is until the Napa Valley Vine Trail completes its 47-mile path, which will run from Vallejo to Calistoga.
The section from Kennedy Park in Napa to Yountville is already completed, with construction for the segment from the Vallejo Ferry Building to American Canyon expected to begin in 2022. Groundbreaking on the St. Helena leg is also projected to commence in the months ahead, which would ultimately connect the trail to its completion point in Calistoga. But like most things worth waiting for, there have been speed bumps along the way, most recently as locals get boisterous over the location of the path in the town of St. Helena.
In November, the city’s active transportation and sustainability committee weighed in with possible options for this controversial part of the path. The first proposed route would run along Mitchell Street with a right turn onto Oak and then Adams, a move that would eliminate 50 coveted parking spaces. Another scenario would leverage Spring Street and also include a right turn on Oak and Adams with the loss of 40 spots.
To help alleviate the impact, the Vine Trail Committee is working on alternate parking plans, which could include the creation of 35 new spaces at the St. Helena Elementary school, as well as an additional parking area at the former St. Helena Catholic School. According to data, 70% of those using the existing trail are locals and 30% are tourists. I’m not sure, which side of the tracks I stand on for this epic pedestrian and peddling plight other than to say that regardless of where the path will cross in St. Helena, this scribe can’t wait to tear up and down the valley with my tweens safely trailing behind me.
Continued contention
In other widely debated news, locals fought and lost in a vie for a 60-day continuance for the December appeals hearing between the Center for Biodiversity vs. County of Napa, as it relates to the Walt Ranch development project. The massive expansion proposal grabbed headlines in 2008 when developers Craig and Kathryn Hall initially presented a growth plan that called for the removal of 28,000 trees. After much backlash and picketing from locals, the Halls retooled and scaled back the plan, which reduced the tree loss count to 14,000. The scope of the project has morphed many times since, most notably when the Court of Appeals determined the revised plans still did not adequately address Green House Gas emission concerns. In response, the Halls countered with a mitigation proposal that included planting 16,790 oak seedlings, a make good if you will. The county accepted said plan and also approved the Halls’ request to reduce the stipulated amount of acreage to be put in a conservation easement from 248 acres to 124. During the December meeting, the Napa County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 against the Center for Biodiversity’s appeal, which will no doubt further this debate for many months to come. This month Supervisors are set to vote on the appeal denial and revised plan.
Meanwhile, locals are petitioning to save and restore one of the county’s endangered landmarks, the Rutherford Train Depot, which is more than 150 years old and dates back to Napa Valley’s early mining days. The initiative was sparked in 2020 by the Rutherford Dust Society (RDS). The mission of RDS is to preserve, protect and promote the Rutherford AVA and serve as stewards of the land and community. The petition is aimed at the restoration of the depot, which could offer an economic boost for the Wine Train, which was challenged during the pandemic. Organizers of the initiative hope to garner more community and government support to fuel the creation of a historical wine education center as part of the wider depot plans. At year’s end, the petition was nearing its goal of 1000 signatures.
In salute to Rutherford and this red-tinged, heart-filled month, I decided to pour on the pink with a glass of the Cakebread vin de porche Rosé, which brought a smile to my senses with crisp vibrancy and raspberry and strawberry flavors, and the subtle reminder that love still reigns. Be it for our land and trees, or a beloved Train Depot, there will always be many reasons to raise a glass to Napa Valley life. Tastes change, time moves on, but some loves never fade.
