February 1, 2019

Hello,

Your local government is open 24/7 and is here to serve you. Now more than ever, it is important to educate yourself and be informed about local issues that matter. Here at the City, we make every effort to inform and engage our residents and businesses. Reading this update and checking our website are two great places to start. You can also sign up to receive agendas for upcoming meetings by subscribing here. Attending the State of the City on February 20th is another way to get informed. This free event (with childcare) will begin at 7 PM at the American Canyon High School and will also feature updates from the Napa Valley Unified School District, Napa County, and the Chamber of Commerce. 

Many of you recently attended the January 17th workshop on the West-Side Connector – which can be viewed here on our YouTube Channel. The Napa Valley Unified School District is hosting a special workshop on Tuesday (Feb. 5, the evening of our regularly scheduled City Council meeting) regarding the relocation of Napa Junction Elementary School near the intersection of Eucalyptus Drive and Wetlands Edge Road.

  

Residents and businesses in American Canyon will see a change in the water and sewer utility bill. This bill is the first to include the water rate increase approved last May. Please keep in mind the largest portion of the bill is for sewer service (not water service), and sewer rates have not changed. Also, the “drought surcharge” is now eliminated. The City has a new Water Rate Assistance Program for single-family residential customers. To apply, customers should complete the application and provide a copy of their current PG&E bill reflecting that the household qualifies for the PG&E Care Program.

On a related note, later this month, we will begin updating our water meter reading system. This work implements technology to share water use information with customers in real time. Once fully implemented, customers can view how much water they use on a daily basis. Access to this information will be valuable in detecting problems such as irrigation errors or leaky toilets. The new system was paid entirely by a federal grant and developer fees. Customers will be able to enroll for the online component of this program later in the year when sign-ups are available. 

On January 25th, the City revoked the Business License of the operator of a “Bottoms Up Espresso” business located at the former Caffino’s Coffee kiosk. This action was taken based on information received during a Code Enforcement investigation. As of today, the business is no longer operating.

Lastly, PG&E is working on Highway 29 near Holcomb Lane as part of their Pipeline Replacement Project. This project has required lane closures that caused significant traffic delays heading north through town. According to Caltrans, starting next week, if a lane closure is required it will occur at night. You can stay up to date and find contact information for construction work like this on our website.

The forecast predicts a windy, rainy weekend – if you must go out, please bundle up and drive safely. Visit our website for more information about storm preparedness.

City Manager

Upcoming Meetings & Events

Below is a snapshot of the upcoming meetings and events in American Canyon. Sign up to receive upcoming agendas and meeting notices. You can also add your event to the Community Calendar here.

The State of the City

Please join us for a closer look at local government, businesses, and schools. The State of the City will be held in the American Canyon High School Theater (3000 Newell Drive) on Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Doors open at 6:30 PM and presentations begin at 7:00 PM. This event is free and childcare will be available.

Napa Valley Unified School District Board Meetings

The Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education meets twice a month, usually the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, at 7 PM at the Education Center, 2425 Jefferson Street, Napa. Board meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are available online. Agendas are posted on the NVUSD website homepage at least 72 hours before each regularly scheduled meeting.

The Preliminary Endangerment Assessment (PEA) for the new Napa Junction Elementary School is available for public review and comment until February 18, 2019. The Public Notice, Draft PEA Report, the Department of Toxic Substances Control PEA Comments Letter are all available for public review at the American Canyon Library and the District office.

Napa County Watershed Protection Discussion

On January 15, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved the Napa County Strategic Plan (2019-2022). As part of the approval, the Board prioritized updating the Conservation Regulations to provide greater environmental protection for natural resources particularly, agricultural lands, forests, watercourses, and municipal reservoirs. 

The first workshop was held on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. The Napa County Planning Commission will continue the conversation on February 20, 2019. Napa County has created a webpage and encourages participation in these important, ongoing discussions. For more information, including a "Guidance Summary" following the January 29, 2019 meeting, visit the County website.

Parks & Recreation Offerings

Girls Volleyball (Grades 6-8)

Martial Arts (All ages)

Coached Fitness Swim (Ages 18+)

St. Patrick's Day in Dublin (Ages 50+)

Free Yoga/Pilates (Ages 50+)

A limited number of scholarships are available to qualified American Canyon residents. Call (707) 648-7275 for details.

Swim Lessons