St. Helena Citizens Organize to Defeat Agritourism Initiative “Measure B”
Organizations who support No on Measure B
If you would like to add your logo in support, please email StHelenaVoteNoMeasureB@gmail.com
Who we are
A new coalition has been created in St. Helena to defeat the controversial St Helena Resort Initiative Measure B on the November ballot. The group, “St. Helena Vote No on Measure B” is comprised of local residents, community leaders, local business owners and influencers. This initiative is an end-run around CEQA, will allow misuse of ground water, misrepresents revenue and commitment to workforce housing as well as jeopardizes our City and General Plan.
We are committed to protect hard-won community standards for development and are deeply concerned about the adverse impact the passage of Measure B could have on our beautiful community. We will provide the public, voters and decision makers with accurate information of the true impact of Measure B, the Agritourism Initiative, and unite around a shared vision for future sustainable development in St. Helena.
What’s at risk?
At the June 25th St Helena City Council meeting, the City staff shared their peer-review of the 9212-impact report on the “Agritourism Initiative” environmental analysis.
According to the City Attorney, if this project were to come through this normal entitlement process with the work that was before the Council on June 25th, “my guess is that staff would not recommend it.”
“Comelo (St. Helena city manager) acknowledged that the initiative process could get the hotel up and running sooner, but he noted that the city would miss out on potential millions of dollars’ worth of “community benefits” —including contributions to infrastructure improvements–that are typically negotiated between staff and developers as an application processed. St. Helena Star, June 20th 2024
ALL of the following findings are from the City’s June 25th peer-review report.
No CEQA
Our normal entitlement process for a project like St Helena Resort includes CEQA, a lengthy staff report, steps to gather and respond to community input, and Planning Commission public hearings.
CEQA is intended to inform us about potential environmental effects of this Resort, and prevent significant, avoidable environmental damage. It’s a public process that identifies issues and includes mitigation measures
Removal of agricultural land
The initiative proposal is in clear violation of the city’s ///which is why Noble House must go to the ballot to convert agricultural land to urban use.
Threat to local, county and state water security
“…drawing water from the aquifer for urban use causes over drafting and compromises water supply…” CA department of water resources. If Measure B is adopted, the St. Helena Resort and its multiple public amenities will draw water from an agricultural well for commercial use. The project has not demonstrated the feasibility of using on-site wells.
- Groundwater use is anticipated to increase from 11,921 to 30,300 GPD. . . There is no mention of how groundwater use will be monitored or enforced… “It is difficult to discern exactly where that well is located”.
Misrepresentation of Revenue
We understand and agree that the city needs additional revenue.
“Comelo (St. Helena city manager) acknowledged that the initiative process could get the hotel up and running sooner, but he noted that the city would miss out on potential millions of dollars’ worth of “community benefits” —including contributions to infrastructure improvements–that are typically negotiated between staff and developers as an application processed. St. Helena Star, June 20th 2024
Only $114,600 of the Developers projected $775,400 in property tax flows to the city’s General Fund. And over a five-year period, the City’s estimate of a best-case average annual TOT revenue is to be $1,387969 and worst case $693,965-NOT the $3,633,8800 they reported.
Workforce housing is an Illusory Obligation
The City’s review notes that the Initiative provides no incentives for the proponent to pursue in a meaningful and enforceable contribution towards approval of workforce housing in a timely manner, making the default option of making a payment for the City’s housing goals, to yield approximately $735,00 compared to the $3,200,00 negotiated with the Farmstead City development agreement.
Additional studies and possibly permits from resource agencies are needed
To ensure that there are no impacts to wetlands and aquatic resources.
- That the the property contains a Native American resource; the review of historic and cultural resources does not follow state standards.
- Traffic counts were not collected for typical midweek and weekend days/times.
- The Green House Gas emissions report raised questions regarding the inputs in the modeling; it did not include a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis that demonstrates it is exempt or below the Bay Area air quality target or the City’s recently adopted VMT thresholds.
According to the City Attorney, if this project were to come through this normal entitlement process with the work that was before the Council on June 25th, “my guess is that staff would not recommend it.”
Noble House Hotels & Resorts…
is located in Kirland WA, not St. Helena. They are the sponsors behind the St. Helena Resort. They wish to amendment the St. Helena City’s General Plan, Zoning Map, and Municipal code to facilitate the development of a resort and agritourism facility at 2800 Main Street, St Helena on the historic Charles Krug Winery property. It would include but is not limited to a 56-room hotel as well as a variety of public and visitor amenities including meeting and event spaces, several swimming pools, spa and restaurant on 10.5 acres of agricultural land zoned Ag 20.
The Noble House St. Helena Resort is in clear violation of the City’s General Plan, Zoning, Municipal Code and orderly grow within the urban line, they want to convert valuable agricultural land to urban development. They deployed misleading information to the public and city in their proposal concerning revenue, water, housing and environmental impact.
The measure, if approved, would allow a 56-room resort, spa and restaurant planned for the Charles Krug winery in St. Helena to move forward very quickly, circumventing the city’s standard review process. There would be no CEQA, which is intended to inform the public and our decision-makers about potential environmental effects and prevent significant avoidable environmental damage. “Decades of community work went into the preparation and recent adoption of our updated General Plan and Zoning Ordinance,” adds Grace Kistner, member of the St. Helena Planning Commission for over 10 years. She continues, “Together, these documents set the stage for a sustainable St. Helena that controls growth, preserves the City’s historic and agricultural character, and protects the environment. To use the initiative process to overrule our community’s planning parameters is disingenuous, at best.”
“We are deeply concerned Measure B and its ‘Agritourism Overlay’ will set a precedent for unrestricted development that will challenge these safeguards and could ultimately alter the AG 20 provisions,” Beth Novak. “We want public participation between our Planning Commission, City Council and staff and their collective input in robust entitlement process.”
Measure B is pursued by Nobel House Hotels and Resorts, the owners of the Napa Valley Wine Train. The submitted a document purporting local support. Its signatures are all in San Rafael. St. Helena Vote No on Measure B, we are all locals who care deeply for our town and who wish to see and support responsible development.