NAPA VALLEY, CA — The sudden pause of two longtime Napa Valley newspapers landed this week alongside a political dispute in St. Helena, where residents, elected officials, and city attorneys confronted wildfire safety, housing growth, and a results of a study commissioned by the city — and an open seat on the city council. Elsewhere, Napa County and American Canyon discuss a massive land annexation proposal.
Publisher Marc Hand announced May 7 that the Yountville Sun and Calistoga Tribune will suspend publication while Highway 29 Media searches for a new owner, according to local reports.
Highway 29 Media laid off its staff and will publish for the last time in its current incarnation on May 22 unless someone else steps in, the Sonoma Index-Tribune reported.
The shutdown leaves a fresh gap in local news coverage across Napa Valley communities grappling with development and emergency preparedness.
In St. Helena, a fierce dispute over the proposed 41-unit Spring Grove housing project escalated again Tuesday after the City Council voted to restore a fire code provision requiring a secondary emergency access road for residential developments with more than 30 units.
Neighborhood group Keep Saint Helena Fire Safe pushed the referendum effort after the council earlier this year removed the requirement from city code, according to the Press Democrat.
Opponents argued the Spring Grove project’s single evacuation route creates unacceptable wildfire risks in a region shaped by repeated fire disasters.
City Attorney Ethan Walsh told council members on May 12 that the reinstated language would have no effect because it specifically amended the city’s 2022 fire code, which expired Jan. 1 when California adopted updated 2025 building and fire standards. The move would "amend a fire code that is no longer in effect," Walsh said.
Referendum organizer David Preuter disagreed, arguing residents clearly intended the requirement to remain part of the city’s updated fire code framework as officials transitioned into the 2025 standards.
The legal uncertainty now hangs over a growing web of litigation tied to the Spring Grove project.
The Saint Helena Neighborhood Association filed another lawsuit May 5 seeking to overturn the project’s approval, arguing city officials ignored mandatory local fire safety standards that required two evacuation routes at the time the project was approved, the Press Democrat reported.
Mayor Paul Dohring acknowledged widespread community anxiety about evacuation planning and said the city needs broader discussions about emergency escape routes during wildfire events.
Interim City Manager Jim McCann suggested St. Helena could eventually rewrite zoning rules to require future developments to include stronger evacuation measures.
City Council Seat Open
Meanwhile, the city is also seeking to fill a vacant City Council seat before the May 18 application deadline. Officials plan to interview candidates and make an appointment by 6 p.m. on May 26.
The candidate would fill the seat vacated by Billy Summers, who stopped attending meetings for more than 60 consecutive days. The city’s official announcement only said his seat became vacant because of his absence from regular meetings. No reason has been cited for his absence.
At the same time, the draft of a study commissioned by the city delivered an assessment of St. Helena government operations. The consultants cited weak strategic planning, poor financial communication, unqualified staff members, and unusually high executive pay.
Consultants are expected to publicly discuss the findings at the May 19 St. Helena City Council meeting.
American Canyon Land
Talks are moving head on a plan that could pave the way for American Canyon to grow by by 364 acres — an area roughly comparable in size to Napa’s Kennedy Park, according to reports by the Napa Valley Register. The deal being discussed between American Canyon and Napa County officials is part of a broader effort to build a Highway 29 relief route.
Additional reviews and approvals remain before the annexation can take effect but, according to reports, supporters say the expansion would give American Canyon more control over future infrastructure planning while creating room for the alternative roadway intended to relieve chronic congestion on Highway 29, one of the county’s busiest commuter corridors.
The annexation proposal now heads into more planning and regulatory processes.
In the meantime, an update on speed limits on city streets and a mid-cycle budget update are planned for the May 19 Napa City Council meeting.
Amid the serious news, don't overlook the June softball tournament in Napa style: play, food, and summer vibes.
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