Special E-Newsletter
REBUILDING
October 29, 2019
On October 8, 2017 our lives changed. The unprecedented wildfires that we experienced have sparked a new way of living in Napa County, especially in rural and unincorporated areas. The focus of this newsletter is on rebuilding. First, to provide context, below are some highlights that show the magnitude of the wildfires.
  • More than 1,200 structures were damaged or destroyed in Napa County, of which more than 700 were residences - 481 in District 4. This amountss to about 6% of the housing stock.
  • Pre-2017 fires, Napa County typically issued 35 residential permits per year which translates to approximately 21 years' worth of permitting required to rebuild all 700+ damaged or destroyed structures.
REBUILDING ACTIVITY
Below is a map of rebuild activity and breakdown of rebuilds in District 4 as of October 21, 2019. Countywide we've received 245 applications, issued 192 permits, and are reviewing 53 applications!
CLICK ABOVE TO SEE MAP OF THE REBUILD ACTIVITY!
CLICK ABOVE TO SEE REBUILD PERMIT CHART!
Click on a map below to enlarge and view the rebuild status of various areas:
ATLAS PEAK
SODA CANYON
SILVERADO
HOW WE ARE HELPING
PRIORITIZING REBUILD
On average it takes staff 74 calendar days to issue permits
Staff in the Department of Planning, Building and Environmental Services (PBES) have been working diligently to expedite rebuild related permits. The median time to provide comment letters is 12 days , and the median time to process rebuild permits is 54 calendar days . The median time from initial application to final occupancy - when house is move-in ready - is 351 calendar days. Since last year, when we saw the first family move in, we have 38 homes that have been rebuilt. Thank you to those that chose to rebuild, for your patience and commitment to stay in Napa County.
WAIVING FEES
Total fees waived for all fire-related permits - $1.5 million.
The total construction valuation of all fire building permits is approximately $264 million or 35% of the $752 million in property value estimated by the Assessor to have been lost in the wildfires. The total fees for all fire-related permits to date is approximately $4.7 million, 31% of which have been waived. Total Fees Wavied in District 4, $1.2 Million!
HOW TO PREPARE
SILVERADO FIREWISE
Newest addition to our Napa Firewise councils!
Congratulations to the Silverado Property Owners' for becoming a designated Firewise Community!Silverado Firewise is now the 13th Fire Safe Council of the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation which spans from Calistoga to Gordon Valley. Silverado Firewise will now be a part of the growing effort to plan fire mitigation projects and bolster community awareness and organization in areas that do not have the support of city governments. Together, Firewise is helping keep our County more informed about and resilient against the threat of wildfire.
OTHER RESOURCES TO PREPARE
Useful links and information
Below are a list of resources that provide valuable information to be prepared, informed, and engaged during local emergencies. If you have other ideas, best practices, you and your family or business have come up with, please share, send me an email or call!
COMMUNITY CORNER
LOOKING AHEAD
PSPS UPDATE & RESOURCES
Next week, I will have another special newsletter focused on PSPS. Thank-you for your patience as we together navigate these PSPS. The impacts are real, far reaching, and as your Supervisor, I will continue to support prevention efforts that are planned, scaled appropriately, executed thoughtfully, implemented with common sense.
UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS
November 12 & 19

9:00 a.m

1195 Third Street, 3rd Floor
Downtown Napa

Contact Me
Cell: 707-225-2019
Alfredo.Pedroza@countyofnapa.org

Banner Photo Credit: Art by Hudson Kramer. Hudson is a student at New Technology High School and 2nd place winner of the Agricultural Commissioner’s Crop Report Art Contest, 2016.