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Press Release

November 8, 2006

Contact:
Nicole Byrd, Solano-Napa Field Representative, (707) 427-2308
Elizabeth Stampe, Communications Director, (415) 543-6771 x307

Napa Votes Yes on Public Parks

Measure I Passes, Creating Park and Open Space District

In Tuesday’s election, Napa County’s Measure I passed with 54.4% of the vote, establishing the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District. The new public agency will create and maintain parks and trails, and preserve watersheds, wildlife habitat, and other open space.

Until now, Napa County has been the only Bay Area county with no countywide parks department or special district to manage its 121,000 acres of publicly owned land.

“Measure I’s passage is a huge step toward protecting the rolling hills and lush valleys that define Napa,” said Nicole Byrd, Greenbelt Alliance’s Solano-Napa field representative. Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area’s land conservation and urban planning non-profit, was a strong endorser of Measure I.

“Napa is nationally famous for its scenic landscapes, but without a park district, those landscapes weren’t as well-protected as people assumed,” said Byrd.

Byrd added that the Land Trust of Napa County has done an impressive job at protecting county lands, but could not afford to open the land up for public use in the way that a public agency would.

Now, all Bay Area counties except Solano County have park districts, like the East Bay Regional Park Department and the Sonoma County Agricultural Parks and Open Space District. These public agencies create reliable funding to protect open space. The funds go toward purchasing land or conservation easements, as well as land management (such as removing invasive species) and park maintenance (such as creating trails and keeping facilities clean and safe).

Napa County’s Board of Supervisors will create the new district's operating budget, and the new district will develop additional sources of revenue. Some of these sources will include state and federal matching funds for which Napa County will now qualify.

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For 50 years, Greenbelt Alliance has been the San Francisco Bay Area's advocate for open spaces and vibrant places, with offices in San Francisco, San Jose, Walnut Creek, Fairfield, and Santa Rosa. www.greenbelt.org