They’re Back!

Once again, the owners of Green Island Vineyard are circulating a petition to qualify a ballot initiative to re-zone their 157-acres from the current agriculture/open space classification to industrial, this time with a small area for a “sports center” (in the midst of an industrial zone).

If this all sounds familiar to you, it should. Back in 2022, the same owners, who don’t want to create their award-winning wine anymore, qualified a different ballot initiative, Measure J. It made it to the ballot. We, the people, voted, and voted it down! We beat the developers who spent $220,000 on the failed J campaign.

Round 2. Read this iteration carefully–their initiative specifically says there is no guarantee to build a sports center. Yet, their lead is not “more traffic” or “more warehouses”, it’s a new sports center, which (in their own words) is not guaranteed to be built.

Remember that school bond measure that promised us a new middle school?! It was passed by the community. And what did we actually get: no new school, just another property tax and updates to our existing school!

The only likely guarantee if the developers get their way: their 157 acres is re-zoned for development and immediately becomes more valuable, particularly at a time when some Napa property owners are pulling their planted vines.

What we’ve learned since Measure J

City Council voted on our behalf for the last ballot initiative (Measure K) in February, 2024. We are the only city in Napa County that automatically approves warehouses. Heartfelt thanks to our elected City Council for making us not only the gateway to the Napa Valley, but the leader in warehouses, too!