TO: Napa County Planning Commission
FROM: Brian D. Bordona, Director - Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Michael Parker, Planning Manager - Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
SUBJECT: General Plan & Zoning Code Update to achieve consistency with the 2024 updated Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan
RECOMMENDATION
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GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING CODE UPDATE TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENCY WITH THE 2024 UPDATED AIRPORT LAND USE COMPATIBILITY PLAN P25-00195
CEQA Status: Consideration and recommendation that the Board of Supervisors find that this project implements the programs and policies of the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP), is within the scope of the activities and impacts identified and analyzed in the ALUCP’s Negative Declaration adopted on December 4, 2024 (State Clearinghouse No. 2024060773) and no new environmental effects have been found and no new mitigation is necessary. Therefore, no additional environmental review is required pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21166 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15162.
Request: That the Planning Commission make the following recommendations to the Board of Supervisors:
(1) Adopt a resolution amending the Agricultural Preservation and Land Use Element and Community Character Element of the Napa County General Plan to achieve consistency with the ALUCP adopted by the Napa County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) on December 4, 2024; and
(2) Adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 18.80 (AC Airport Compatibility Combination District) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Napa County Code to achieve consistency with the ALUCP adopted on December 4, 2024, by the ALUC.
Staff Recommendation: That the Planning Commission conduct a public hearing and forward a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on the requested actions.
Staff Contact: Michael Parker, Planning Manager, michaelparker@countyofnapa.org
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
That the Planning Commission consider and recommend the Napa County Board of Supervisors:
1. Find this project implements the programs and policies of the ALUCP, is within the scope of the activities and impacts identified and analyzed in the ALUCP’s Negative Declaration adopted on December 4, 2024 (State Clearinghouse No. 2024060773) and no new environmental effects have been found, and no new mitigation is necessary;
2. Adopt a resolution amending the Agricultural Preservation and Land Use Element and Community Character Element of the Napa County General Plan to achieve consistency with the ALUCP adopted by the Napa County ALUC on December 4, 2024; and
3. Adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 18.80 (AC Airport Compatibility Combination District) Sections 18.80.030 (ALUCP Zone E regulations), 18.80.040 (ALUCP Zone D regulations), 18.80.050 (ALUCP Zone C regulations), 18.80.060 (ALUCP Zone B regulations), 18.80.070 (ALUCP Zone A regulations), 18.80.090 (ALUC referral), 18.80.100 (Filing materials), and 18.80.110 (Findings) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Napa County Code to achieve consistency with the ALUCP adopted on December 4, 2024 by the ALUC.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed General Plan Amendment and proposed Ordinance implements policies that were previously evaluated and are within the scope of the Negative Declaration prepared for the ALUCP (State Clearinghouse No. 2024060773) adopted on December 4, 2024. No new mitigation measures and no new environmental effects would occur and none of the conditions requiring preparation of a subsequent Negative Declaration or further environmental review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 apply. This project is not on any list of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government Code Section 65962.5.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On December 4, 2024, the ALUC adopted the updated ALUCP for Angwin Airport-Parrett Field and Napa County Airport. After adoption of an ALUCP revision, State law gives local jurisdictions 180 calendar days to amend their general plan, specific plans, zoning ordinances, and facilities master plans, as necessary, to be consistent with the amended ALUCP. Once the General Plan and Zoning Codes are revised and deemed consistent, then only certain more substantive land use actions require ALUC review.
A general plan and zoning code does not need to be identical with the ALUCP in order to be consistent with it. To meet the consistency test, a General Plan must do two things: 1) it must specifically address compatibility planning issues, either directly or through reference to a zoning ordinance or other policy document; and 2) it must avoid direct conflicts with compatibility planning criteria. Napa County has addressed compatibility planning issues by referencing the updated ALUCP. The Zoning Code Airport Compatibility Combination District (Napa County Code Chapter 18.80) was updated to reflect the new compatibility zones and details those uses which can be deemed Compatible, Conditionally Compatible, and Incompatible for development within the Napa County Airport and Angwin Airport- Parrett Field’s Airport Influence Areas (AIAs).
The proposed general plan amendment and zoning code amendments do not change the geographical area where Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan policies apply. When both the General Plan and Zoning Code have been amended and deemed compatible, these actions facilitate transfer of authority for ALUCP compliance determination for general discretionary applications within the Airport Influence Area (AIA) from the Napa County Airport Land Use Commission to Napa County. However, all General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, Specific Plan and building regulation amendments and other Major Land Use Actions that affect properties within Airport Compatibility zones will still require separate ALUC review and approval.
Public Comment: As of the drafting of this Staff Report, no comments have been received on this topic.
Decision Making Options:
Option 1: Recommend the Board adopt both the attached Resolution Amending the General Plan and the attached Ordinance amending Chapter 18.80 of the County Code (Staff Recommendation).
Disposition - This option would make the Napa County General Plan and Chapter 18.80 of County Code consistent with the ALUCP adopted by the ALUC on December 4, 2024. The proposed General Plan Amendment and proposed Ordinance amendment implements policies that were previously evaluated and are within the scope of the Negative Declaration prepared for the ALUCP (State Clearinghouse No. 2024060773) adopted on December 4, 2024. No new mitigation measures and no new environmental effects would occur and none of the conditions requiring preparation of a subsequent Negative Declaration or further environmental review.
Action Required - Follow the proposed actions listed in the Executive Summary.
Option 2: Revise the Request
Disposition - This option allows the Planning Commission to request the Board modify aspects of the proposed General Plan Amendment and proposed Ordinance amending Chapter 18.80.
Action Required - Follow proposed actions listed in the Executive Summary and recommend amendments to the General Plan and Ordinance. This option may result in the public hearing being continued to a future date if significant revision is required.
Option 3: Recommendation to Deny the Proposed General Plan Amendment and Ordinance Update.
Disposition - In the event the Commission does not support the General Plan Amendment and Ordinance Update, the Commission would vote to recommend denial. The Commission should articulate why it does not recommend amending the General Plan and update to Chapter 18.80 of County Code. A denial recommendation would result in the Napa County’s Agricultural Preservation and Land Use Element and Community Character Element of the County’s General Plan remaining status quo and the General Plan being inconsistent with and out of compliance with the ALUCP. The County would therefore be out of compliance with California Government Code Section 65302.3, which requires counties to have their general plans, specific plans, and land use regulations be consistent with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans.
Action Required - Commission motion, second, and vote to recommend denial of the General Plan Amendment and Ordinance Update.
Option 4: Continuance Option
The Commission may continue the item to a future hearing date at its own discretion.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Planning Commission Resolution Recommendation to the Board of Supervisors
B. Resolution of General Plan Update and Exhibit A
C. Ordinance Amending Zoning Code Chapter 18.80 - Redlined
D. Ordinance Amending Zoning Code Chapter 18.80 - Clean