Lost Greenbelts

Our Greenbelt is no more. Our gateways of grace have been changed to gateways to greed Two development plans just got the ok from the Napa Planning Commission last week. What is common in both projects is that the changes will make both owners incredibly richer. One at Stanly Lane allows for a Winery Mall (14 of them!) off the corner of Hwy 29, the other, at the North end of town at Trancas and Silverado, a three story luxury hotel sited surrounded by a sea of vines sometime of the year and at other times surrounded by a sea of floodwaters.

Environmentalist and farmer, the old timer and the newly arrived, joined in opposing housing, resort, and a mini mart in the Ag. lands a while back. They saw that corner turning into more commercialization later down the road and didn't like the future they saw. We all breathed a sigh of relieve when Mr. Couchman, speaking for the new owners, said in front page article, "We think grapes are its highest and best use," and "...left open the possibility of one or two wineries might be developed." (NVR 6-2-02) Today we are looking at 14.

The farmers now are only interested in where the grapes come from, Napa or outside, not how many. There are two lots on the corner off the traffic light. Each one can import grapes from off the site and put up castle homes with castle wineries and flags a-waving. The Planners think what bottling plants are to vines as the same as meat packing houses are to grazing cows. One is industrial and the other Ag.  and one or two is a stretch of the imagination to arrive at 14.

Stanly Lane will become a Stanly Tourist Center with the developer proposing a new traffic stopping light a few feet down from the present one. Is all our traffic problems brought on by over development to be solved by yet another delay at a light? Why not requiring 'Right Turn Only' exits out of these highway projects? Most tragic accidents are caused by red light runners trying to make it through at right angle crossings. Instead of making us safer they increase our risk of being broadsided. Lights do not solve the safety problem, they do, however, definitely slow down traffic.

Silverado Hotel and Restaurant will benefit another rich man. It was our last Greenbelt parcel in the City. After it goes, Greenbelts will reside only in politician's election year speeches.

Silverado sits in a flood way. The difference between a flood way and a flood plain is that in one of them the water moves. It needs an Emergency Flood Evacuation Plan. The parking lot will be under 6.7 feet of water at flood stage. It will be another great example of man's foolish policy of defying nature.