Hello Friends,
I have reached out to you over the years seeking your participation in shaping Napa County land use policy to protect the forests and watersheds of Howell Mountain. At one time or another, I have asked most of you, to write a letter, attend a public hearing or contact your Board of Supervisor member on the need to end deforestation for vineyard development. Our fragile mountain top ecology is in visible collapse. The so- called mitigations to offset forest canopy loss are nothing more than a trail of paperwork to be forgotten by those we elected to enforce the regulations. We need to end deforestation for vineyard development now! Today is the day we need you to write that letter.
Each year you watch untold acres of fir, pine and oak trees bulldozed to be replaced by vineyards. Wild life is displaced, sacred places obliterated, water quality deteriorates and wells go dry. Now the unavoidable facts of global climate change bring a hard light to the local and collective impacts of the deforestation occurring all around in Angwin. To be blunt, this deforestation is simply occurring to entertain rich men dabbling in wine glamour, while our local families take the environmental hit. Now the very headwaters at Linda Falls is the target of proposed deforestation so a man from Park City Utah can ‘ live his dream.’ When will it end?
We must make an effort to communicate our experiences and concerns to the Napa County Board of Supervisors. The deforestation will not stop until we have appropriate land use policy changes adopted by our Board of Supervisors. I know each of you has many responsibilities to meet or time limitations making participation in the public hearing process difficult. Meetings are held early in Napa, far from Angwin. Access to public hearing information is cryptic. Reading Environmental Impact Reports requires a master’s degree in Land Use Planning! But I know each of you personally and I know you wish to participate in meaningful policy change. I also know each of you has grieved for our forest and community health as another wild acre is destroyed.
On Tuesday January 29th at 9 am in the Napa County Board of Supervisors chambers, a public hearing will be held to begin discussion of policy change related to tree canopy, stream setbacks and watershed protections. The location is 1195 Third St. Napa, Third Floor. I am strongly encouraging you to attend to speak on the deforestation you have witnessed and call for the strongest possible conservation of our remaining forests.
I have created a template for you to use as a guide to submit a comment letter or use as an outline for a public comment. I urge you to make your voice heard. Please feel free to use this template or toss it and use your own words. Please send a letter by Monday January 28th to be included in the official record.
You should submit your letter online to all of the e mail addresses below.
brian.bordona@countyofnapa.org
david.morrison@countyofnapa.org
brad.wagenknecht@countyofnapa.org
Alfredo.Pedroza@countyofnapa.org
belia.ramos@countyofnapa.org
brad.wagenknecht@countyofnapa.org
diane.dillon@countyofnapa.org
I am grateful for the opportunity to assist you in being heard and am willing to help you in any possible way including support writing a letter, attending a public hearing or holding a small meeting in your home. Our voices are our representation of our desires for our future. Though we have elected Diane Dillon as our Supervisor, there are five supervisors who all vote equally on Angwin’s future. They need to hear from you.
Please share this with anyone who you think is interested in county wide watershed and forest protections.
Sincerely,
Kellie Anderson
707-227-2585
707-965-9344
kelliegato@gmail.com