TO: Napa County Climate Action Committee
FROM: Brian D. Bordona, Director of Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Jesse Gutiérrez, Principal Planner, Sustainability
SUBJECT: Staff update on takeaways from September 10 All Jurisdiction Working Group meeting.
RECOMMENDATION
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PRESENTATION: Staff update on takeaways from September 10 All Jurisdiction Working Group meeting.
STAFF REQUEST: Receive update from staff on takeaways from September 10 All Jurisdiction Working Group meeting on the topic of RCAAP implementation readiness. CAC should be ready to provide feedback and guidance following the update.
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND
The RCAAP public draft was released for public review on August 1st on the project website - www.climateactionnapa.konveio.com <http://www.climateactionnapa.konveio.com>. The public comment period will close on September 30, 2025.
The All Jurisdiction Working Group met on September 10 to discuss possible pathways for implementation of the RCAAP. The group discussed how to best coordinate a regional implementation strategy for the RCAAP, while advocating for each jurisdiction’s distinct needs and priorities.
The general themes regarding jurisdictional perspectives on readiness were:
• Concern over timing: Several jurisdictions believe it's too soon to begin implementation planning while the draft RCAAP is still under public review.
• Differences in readiness: Some jurisdictions are ready to proceed (e.g., Napa, Napa County, American Canyon), while others feel it best to delay and reflect further (e.g., St. Helena, Yountville, Calistoga) before deciding on an implementation plan.
• Regional vs. Local Approach: There's support for a regional implementation plan from larger jurisdictions, but with an emphasis on maintaining local-level data and flexibility.
While the implementation matrices found in the plan (RCAAP Appendix H) identify applicable jurisdictions, potential partners, implementing mechanisms, and estimated timeframes, a more detailed and tailored strategy framework plan for implementing the RCAAP will be necessary. How each of the jurisdictions go about developing a more detailed and tailored implementation strategy remains to be decided. A consensus on how to move forward with an implementation framework or what an implementation framework could look like was not reached at the staff level.
Jurisdiction-Specific Positions and Perspectives
Ready to Move Forward
City of Napa
• Climate action is a priority for city council
• Will prioritize actions, department responsibilities, and fiscal impacts
Napa County
• Open to moving forward with a regional implementation plan, but concerned about implementation responsibilities
• Supports collaboration for implementation
American Canyon
• On board with a regional plan
• Appreciates direct guidance from the CAC who are RCAAP champions
Need More Time / Not Ready
St. Helena
• Still reviewing public comments
• Not ready to discuss implementation
Calistoga
• Open to collaboration when possible
• Plans to implement selectively ("à la carte") based on city priorities
• Clear on its own priorities
• Concerned about staffing resources
Yountville
• Too early to make a decision
Next Steps
A regional implementation plan can help define each of the participating jurisdiction’s roles and priorities, increase accountability and transparency, clarify coordination needs, align RCAAP implementation with jurisdiction budget decisions, and department-level working plans. The CAC and the All Jurisdiction Working Group will be essential in ensuring a coordinated implementation plan aligns with each jurisdiction’s goals and clearly defines each jurisdiction’s role and responsibility in implementing the RCAAP measures.
Staff request the CAC receive the report from staff on discussions between the All Jurisdiction Working Group. Staff request that the CAC provide feedback and guidance on how to best proceed with assuring jurisdictions are ready to develop an implementation framework plan for the RCAAP.
Timeline
Fall 2025-Winter 2026: Review comments received during the public review period of the draft RCAAP, prepare final RCAAP, work on a local and regional implementation strategy, continue work on Initial Study environmental review of the RCAAP.
Spring 2026: Each jurisdiction adopts the RCAAP. The lead agency will certify the environmental review document.
2026-2045: Local and regional implementation of the RCAAP measures and actions.