TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Sheryl L. Bratton, County Counsel
REPORT BY: Silva Darbinian, Deputy County Counsel
SUBJECT: Adopt an Ordinance amending Titles 17 & 18 of the Napa County Code related to Urban Lot Splits and Two-Unit Development
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RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt an Ordinance amending Sections 17.17.020 (Approval of Map) and 17.17.040 (Specific Adverse Impact) of Chapter 17.17 (Urban Lot Splits) of Title 17 (Subdivisions) and Section 18.104.440 (Two Unit Developments) of Chapter 18.104 (Additional Zoning District Regulations) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Napa County Code to bring the Code into alignment with legislative changes in state law and the County’s recently certified 2023-2031 Housing Element. (No Fiscal Impact; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
Amendment to Napa County Code sections due to current State housing law concerning Urban Lot Splits and Two-Unit Developments (Senate Bill 9 of 2021 and SB 450 of 2024).
PBES Staff, County Counsel and outside legal counsel have prepared the draft ordinance for Board consideration, amending Napa County Code Chapter 18.104 (Two-unit Developments) and Chapter 17.17 (Urban Lot Splits), due to amendments to the Government Code through legislative session 2025. All proposed amendments are intended to make the Code current with the minimum required standards of state law.
The proposed ordinance was introduced at the Board of Supervisors’ September 15, 2026 regular meeting. The Board, by unanimous vote, indicated its intention to adopt the ordinance with direction to add clarifying language to the ordinance on the meaning of “urban lot splits” Staff has included language clarifying that “urban lot splits” as used in state law do not affect the underlying County land use and zoning designations. Specifically, the following language has been added to subsection (N) of Section 17.17.020 and subsection (A)(7) of Section 18.104.440 of the Napa County Code:. “An urban lot split does not describe, determine or change...
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