TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Leigh Sharp, Deputy Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: Update to County Parking Lots Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION
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Introduction and intent to adopt an Ordinance amending section 10.12 (County Parking Lots) of the Napa County Code to provide flexibility related to Electric Vehicle Charging Station Parking Stalls, Parking in Loading Docks, adding certain County officers or employees who are authorized to enforce parking provisions, providing clarification about property removed from a County parking lot, and other minor edits to reinforce that the ordinance includes County-owned and operated parking lots. (No Fiscal Impact; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The County Code sections related to County-owned and operated parking lots were last amended by Ordinance in 2019. The Ordinance includes provisions and enforcement authority for all County-owned and operated parking lots, including the 5th Street Parking Garage, and delegates to the Director of Public Works the authority to make temporary modifications to use the lots for special events that may impact County lots (e.g., County sponsored fairs held in the Administration Parking Lot, Bottlerock, La Onda.) It further restricts use of electrical vehicle charging station parking stalls to use by electric vehicles that are actively charging their battery.
The proposed amendment authorizes the Director of Public Works or the director’s designee, under section 10.12.050 (Electric Vehicle Charging Station Parking Stalls), to provide an exception to the requirement that electric vehicle charging stalls be used exclusively by electric vehicles that are actively charging. This amendment is proposed in recognition that the public parking lot constructed at the replacement jail was built with 32 public parking stalls, of which only 11 are standard parking stalls. Without providing an exception to authorize vehicles other than electric vehicles to park in electric vehicle charging stalls, it is anticipated there would be insufficient parking for the public at the replacement jail site. While it’s not anticipated that use of this authority would be frequent, there are circumstances when such authority may be needed to provide sufficient public parking.
The amendment also broadens enforcement authority under section 10.12.080 (Enforcement Authority and Procedures) to include the Director of Corrections for violations at the Napa County Department of Corrections and to the Director of Housing and Community Services and the Housing and Homeless Project Managers for violations at homeless centers/shelters. Broadened enforcement authority for these facilities is needed to more efficiently and effectively manage the parking lots at these two facilities in a timely manner.
The amendment further broadens restriction under section 10.12.060 (Parking in Loading Dock - Penalty for Violations). This section currently prohibits any person, except those expressly authorized by the county, from parking a vehicle in three specific loading docks. The amendment will broaden restrictions to include all County-owned or operated loading docks, such as those located at the County’s South Campus and any future loading docks.
Lastly, clarification is being added to section 10.12.080 (D) related to property removed from County parking lots and minor edits are made throughout Chapter 10.12 to reinforce that the provisions of the ordinance apply to all off-street parking facilities owned or operated by Napa County.
Requested Action: Introduction and intent to adopt an ordinance amending Section 10.12 (County Parking Lots) of the Napa County Code.
Public Notice:
Notice of the public meeting was published in the Napa Valley Register on May 29, 2025.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Open Public Hearing.
2. Staff Reports.
3. Public Comments.
4. Close Public Hearing.
5. Motion, second, discussion and vote on intention to adopt the ordinance.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
Minor amendments to the ordinance are needed to improve management of County owned and operated parking lots and enforcement of parking restrictions. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
None |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Potential for inadequate public parking at Department of Corrections and less efficient management of County parking lots and enforcement of parking restrictions. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Categorical Exemption Class 1: It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. [See Class 1 (“Existing Facilities”) which may be found in the guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Act at 14 CCR Section 15301; see also Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, Appendix B.]