Jan 20, 2003
For immediate release by:
Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance
P.O. Box 3238
Napa, CA 94558
Contact Information: George Bachich, NVLSA chairman
The Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance (NVLSA) this week unveiled its proposal for an Education Alternative to the controversial Stream Setback Ordinance, which it will propose to the Board of Supervisors on January 28. NVLSA has named its new program STEWARD, an acronym for Successful Techniques for Enhancing Watershed And Riparian Development. Under NVLSA's proposal, permit applicants near streams and on slopes would be required to take a community offered seminar on watershed management and good stewardship practices as one of the conditions of obtaining their building permits, in lieu of the severe restrictions imposed by the proposed Stream Setback Ordinance.
Under Napa County's proposed Stream Setback Ordinance, many of these same property owners would have been prohibited from engaging in soil-disturbing activities such as room additions, driveways, vegetable gardens, gazebos, swimming pools, tennis courts, vineyards, and even propane tank installation within large no-development zones near streams and dry washes. These proposed restrictions on the use and enjoyment of private property are generating great controversy in public hearings currently under way, as hundreds of people are speaking out in opposition to the ordinance.
Under NVLSA's new STEWARD proposal, these same property owners would learn best stewardship practices, peer review each other's plans, visit on-going projects, and assist each other in minimizing erosion, pollution, and damage to fish and wildlife habitat, while preserving their right to use and enjoy their property. NVLSA maintains that this positive, cooperative, educational approach will gain many more converts than a coercive and restrictive ordinance, and will ultimately provide much greater benefit to the watershed environment.
The STEWARD program will allow more flexibility by encouraging protective measures that make sense for each particular site, rather than by imposing universal blanket restrictions. In addition, as more watershed data becomes available in the future, the STEWARD curriculum can easily be updated to incorporate the latest information.
The NVLSA proposal is designed to develop and encourage a personal code of good stewardship, and to generate enthusiasm for preserving and enhancing the health of our watershed. It will facilitate individual and cooperative efforts to achieve specific, measurable watershed goals, while preserving owners' rights to use and enjoy their properties.
Napa Valley Land Stewards Alliance is an organization for Napa County property owners concerned that ill-considered regulations could unnecessarily restrict the use and enjoyment of their property if the voice of reason is not heard. Rather than simply objecting to the proposed restrictions, NVLSA has taken a proactive approach by offering a meaningful, viable, and effective alternative solution that will achieve a healthier watershed while avoiding unnecessary restrictions. NVLSA may be reached via e-mail, or by mail at P.O. Box 3238, Napa, CA 94558.