User And Development Impact Fee Update

The Administrative Services Department has been working diligently to complete the Full Cost of Service Study and Development Impact Fee Study for an implementation date of January 1, 2024. The City previously entered into a Professional Services Agreement with Willdan Financial Services for a Full Cost of Service Study to update the draft study to reflect updated costs for service delivery. The last Full Cost of Services Study was completed in November 2011 and the last Impact Fee Study was completed in April 2013.

User Fee Study

The principal goal of the user fee study was to help the City determine the full cost of the services that the City provides. The full cost of providing a service may not necessarily become the City’s fee but serves as an objective basis as to the maximum amount that may be collected. If the City’s principal goal of the study were to maximize revenues from user fees, Willdan would recommend setting user fees at 100% of the full cost identified in the study. However, other City and departmental goals, City Council priorities, policy initiatives, past experiences, implementation issues, and other internal and external factors may influence staff recommendations and City Council decisions.

Development Impact Fee Study

The City imposes development impact fees on development projects to mitigate the impacts caused by new development on public services, infrastructure, and facilities. Development impact fees are subject to Government Code §§66000-66025 known as “The Mitigation Fee Act” and commonly referred to as “AB 1600 Requirements.” These fees support upgrades to the City’s infrastructure necessitated by such development and are generally paid as a requirement to obtain a building permit.

The User Fee Study and Development Impact Fee Study will be presented to City Council for review and approval on October 24, 2023. Learn More.

How do your views match up with others in St. Helena on specific issues?

Find out by joining our new FlashVote community. It’s free, fast, and fun. Civic participation has never been easier, and we’d love your help. Why join? Give us your input on the issues you care about in seconds, from any device, anytime. Results from the community are shared within days. FlashVote protects your data and privacy as an independent intermediary between you and the City of St. Helena. Watch Video. Learn More and Sign Up.

Hometown Harvest Festival

Join us for St. Helena's most beloved fall event. The Hometown Harvest festival kicks off with a morning Fun Run (1 Mile and 5K) followed by the local favorite, Pet PAWrade! Listen to live music as you stroll down Oak Avenue for the rest of the day as you shop the Harvest Fair featuring hand-crafted vendors, art exhibits, interactive booths, games, a kids zone, food, beer, wine, and more. St. Helena’s Oak Avenue (between Adams Street and Spring Street), 5k begins at 7:45 a.m. Pet PAWrade and Harvest Fair begin at 10 a.m. Learn More.

PUC Service Day Success

Pacific Union College (PUC) in Angwin hosted their annual Community Day service earlier today (October 19). This is an opportunity for enrolled students to volunteer at a community organization for two hours as an act of service. The City of St. Helena has participated in this event in the past and this year we were pleased to offer three projects to have student engagement. Projects gave students the opportunity to help our Parks and Recreation Department prepare for this Saturday’s Harvest Festival and assist City staff by going through public safety records, accounting records, architectural plans, construction plans, and other records to create inventory lists and determine which records could be digitized and/or destroyed based on government code and the City’s retention schedule. Thank you to all of the student volunteers and we look forward not only to continuing to work with students at PUC in the future, providing them with internship opportunities and exposing them to careers in public service, but to announcing a new communitywide volunteer program soon. More Photos.

Smart Home Water Monitors Available

St. Helena and Flume have partnered to bring residents the ultimate solution for leak detection, water bill management, and water conservation. 

With the Flume Water Monitor you can: 

• See your water use in real-time and in minute-by-minute detail.
• Set daily, weekly, and monthly budgets to help you cap consumption and save on water bills.
• Get notified the second Flume catches a water leak. 
• See your water use by individual water appliances so you know exactly how much you’re using and where. 

For a limited time only, St. Helena residents can get Flume for $65 after rebate (reg. $249)!

Act fast, this offer is only available while supplies last! Learn More.

Community Movie Night

Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and settle in for a screening of the Disney/Pixar movie, "Coco." The movie will begin after sunset at approximately 6:30 p.m. Don't forget to grab some free popcorn to enjoy during the movie. We hope to see you there! Friday, October 27 in the quad area of City Hall (1088 College Ave.). Admission and popcorn are free. The movie will include Spanish subtitles.

National Drug Take Back Day is October 28

We are participating in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. 

• Accepted: All over the counter or prescription medication in pill, tablet, liquid, cream, or capsule form including schedule II-V controlled and non-controlled substances. Sharps must be in puncture resistant containers.

Community members are invited to safely drop-off their medications on Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of City Hall and the Police Department (1088 College Ave.). Learn more about drop-off facilities available year-round.

Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Collection Event

Residential customers of Upper Valley Disposal & Recycling or Clover Flat Landfill are able to bring a variety of hazardous waste, electronic waste, and up to five banker boxes of paper for shredding. No explosives, ammunition, radioactive materials, or business waste will be accepted. Questions should be directed to Upper Valley Waste Management Agency: (707) 259-8330 or upvalleyrecycles@countyofnapa.org. Napa County Fairgrounds (Calistoga), November 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Save Lives

Sadly, every year people die from Carbon Monoxide (CO₂) poisoning. Below are a few important safety tips:

• Install carbon monoxide detectors to warn when concentration levels are high.
• All California single-family homes are required to have carbon monoxide detectors.
• Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every floor, near sleeping areas, and common areas.
• These devices should be tested twice a year, and batteries replaced if necessary.
• Check the expiration date – most carbon monoxide detectors have a shelf life of five to seven years.
• Never use products inside the home that generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, such as generators, outdoor grills, or propane heaters.
• Never use cooking devices such as ovens or stoves for home heating purposes.
• When using the fireplace to stay warm, make sure the flue is open so venting can occur safely through the chimney.
• Make sure water heaters and other natural gas appliances have proper ventilation.
• Click here for more winter heating safety and savings tips.

More Resources:

• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Everything You Need to Know (YouTube video)
• EPA Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A Look Back at the Harvest Festival: From 1909 to Now

With the 2023 Harvest Festival coming up on Saturday, October 21, we worked with Mariam Hansen from the St. Helena Historical Society to investigate the archives and uncover its origins.

In 1909 Aetna Springs held its first event. It was authorized by the governor as an annual event, but the event did not continue. In September 1912, as St. Helena vineyards and wineries recovered from the 1893 phylloxera infestation, the first Vintage Festival was held and was a huge success. The event continued as a multi-day street fair and parade through 1917, then was briefly revived in 1921, but that event was not as successful (prohibition began in 1920).

Read more about the Vintage and Harvest Festivals.

UpValley Family Centers

UpValley Family Centers serves as a resource hub for those who live, work, and attend school in northern Napa County, with offices in St. Helena and Calistoga and on school campuses. Their prevention-focused service model is endorsed by the California Department of Social Services as a best practice for strengthening youth, families and communities. They offer a broad scope of services to inform, connect, support, and partner with families to advance their goals – such as addressing housing insecurity, increasing literacy skills, providing youth restorative programs, obtaining health and mental health resources, and applying for immigration benefits. The City of St. Helena helps support their Niños Activos (Active Kids) Playgroups, resource and referral services, and their immigration program. Saint Helena Police Department also partners with them on a Youth Diversion Program. UpValley Family Centers cordially invites the community to attend a free and fun-filled Día de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, October 29 from 12-4pm at the Upper Valley Napa Valley College Campus, held in partnership with Nimbus Arts. The event will include live entertainment, children’s art activities, food trucks, vendors, and altars decorated by community members. Learn More.