Feb. 17, 2004
TUESDAY PROTEST AND PICKETING IN NAPA
Who: The 900+ member Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance announces a
What: Sidewalk protest and picketing of a campaign fund raiser for Save Our Rivers and Farms at
Where: The Napa Valley Opera House, 1000 Main St. , Napa , CA , and at
U.S. Representative Mike Thompson's office, 1040 Main St. , Napa , CA
When: at 5:00 pm , Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2004 , rain or shine.
Why: To protest a controversial ballot measure supported by Representative Thompson, Save Our Rivers and Farms, and 4 out of 5 Napa County Supervisors
Brief History: In April, 2003, the Napa County Board of Supervisors passed a Stream Setback Ordinance over the objections of hundreds of citizens who attended public hearings on the ordinance. Those citizens organized as Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance and launched a voter referendum that forced the Stream Setback Ordinance onto the ballot as Napa County Measure P.
Save Our Rivers and Farms, comprised of some of the largest Napa Valley Floor grape growers, is supporting Measure P because it contains exemptions from the proposed stream setbacks for all existing vineyards, including re-planting those vineyards in the future. Nearly all supporters of Measure P either qualify for these re-plant exemptions or live within the cities, where the Measure has no direct impact.
Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance, comprised mostly of smaller rural landowners impacted by Measure P, oppose Measure P because it unfairly deprives them of legitimate use and enjoyment of large portions of their property. These smaller rural landowners are not exempt from the ordinance, and would bear its entire burden.
This issue has divided the community and many of its organizations, including the Napa County Farm Bureau, the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association, and the Napa Valley Vintners Association. Although the Boards of Directors of these organizations officially support Measure P, many of their members have joined Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance in opposing it.
For more information, see: www.landstewards.org
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