Planning Documents Phase II Visioning and Land Use Concept Alternatives: Report (3,904K pdf*) Appendices A-E (4,857K pdf*) Appendices F-I (1,062K pdf*)

The Napa Valley Expo Board of Directors has initiated a comprehensive planning process to understand the context and existing conditions influencing future change and potential development of the Expo, to envision the Expo's future role in the community, and to outline development goals for the Expo. Last year, the Expo completed Phase I of this process, the Infrastructure Opportunities and Constraints Analysis. This analysis concluded that major infrastructure improvements are required for the fairgrounds to continue operation. Surrounding circumstances and financial realities require that the Board examine current operations and programming and consider new possibilities for managing the fairground property.

The intent of Phase II of this planning process is to work with the Board and the local community to create a Vision Statement and Land Use Plan for the Napa Valley Expo. The Board selected a consultant team (46K pdf*) to assist in developing a Vision, facilitating public meetings, developing land use plans, preparing an economic model and analyzing infrastructure capabilities. The work program (348K pdf*) outlines the sequence of activities over the next few months. Completion of Phase II is intended for July 15, 2003 in advance of Fair 2003.

A series of three crucial visioning sessions with the Board of Directors began in December 2002. The intent of these sessions is to assist the Board in developing consensus about the future of the Expo property. Public participation is essential so that the vision will be shared, understood and supported throughout the community. Phase II includes two public workshops and meetings with key stakeholders in addition to monthly Board meetings that are open to the public.

The first public workshop was held on January 29, 2003 in the Community Room of the Napa City-County Library. Seventy attendees viewed a brief presentation (679K pdf*) providing background on the physical and financial status of the Expo, its role in the community and possibilities for its future. Following the presentation, participants were organized into groups to take part in a visioning exercise designed to reveal how the Expo site might best serve community interests and remain financially stable. Groups were asked to create a Vision Map of the Fairgrounds by gluing color paper cutouts of representative projects (2,147K pdf*) to a large-scale plan of the site. Each group then presented their Vision Map (1,006K pdf*) to the entire assembly.

At their February Board Meeting, the Board crafted a Draft Vision Statement based on information received at the Public Meeting and throughout the Visioning Process. It reads: "Enhance the Napa Valley Expo property for broad and extensive community use and secure the future of the Napa Town & Country Fair by creating a sustainable financial foundation." The Project Team, then developed program alternatives that fulfill the objectives of the selected vision for presentation to the Board at the March Board Meeting (109K pdf*). Program alternatives included buildings and square footages, circulation and parking, and functional relationships (e.g. livestock arena needs to be located close to livestock barns). The Project Team is currently developing Site Development Alternatives along with an assessment of utility demands and financial feasibility. In April, the Board will review these alternatives and a second Public Workshop will be held to gather feedback from the community. The Project Team will present the Conceptual Site Development Plan to the Board on June 17, 2003.

Over the course of the project, there will be several opportunities for you to participate and we would like to keep you informed! Project updates, documents and opportunities for public participation will be posted here on this web page regularly, so please check back often.