Dear Mayor Garcia and City Council Members:

The Napa Group of the Sierra Club wishes to express its opposition to Measure J that, if passed, would add 157 acres owned by Green Island Property, to the City of American Canyon Urban Limit Line and amend the General Plan to allow the replacement of existing, designated agricultural land with expanded city industrial development.

We hold that the highest and best use of all land in Napa County is that it be maintained as it is currently; farmlands should remain farmland, wildlands should remain wild. A corollary is that cities should not rezone agricultural areas of the county for industrial development.

Industrial development of the Green Island property would require significant investment in new infrastructure. It would strain already stressed water resources and increase exhaust emissions.  It would replace open space with commercial buildings. 

Approval of Measure J would further erode Napa County’s history of agricultural land protection.  Measure J does not consider nor address the impact of seawater rise, increased carbon emissions, increased water consumption or its impact on existing wildlife within the adjacent wetlands area.

We urge the American Canyon City Council to abandon its efforts to annex and rezone the property at 166 Green Island Road. 

Sincerely,

Scott Thomason

Executive Committee

Sierra Club, Napa Group