Gratitude Team: Linsey Gallagher, Kevin Hansen, Woody Hedderman

Planning Day provided an understanding of the steps required to develop a project proposal and submit to the community decision-makers for approval.  Sponsored by Sustainable Napa County and RSA+, LNV participants were provided with basic tools and guidelines to construct a presentation before a “mock planning commission”, comprised of three current county and city planning commissioners.  We learned about the 2040 General Plan, the Master Plan tool for larger projects, affordable housing issues, a developer’s viewpoint, ADUs, and the downtown specific plan.

Break-out sessions in the morning with planning staff and an architect, distribution of guidelines for land use, zoning, transportation, and historic building considerations were used to sculpt each team’s presentation in the afternoon.  A site walk of the historic post office was conducted as a physical review of the project location before each team prepared its presentation.  Though actual projects often involve thousands of hours by many to assemble, our team was an exercise in working together, exercising our DISC styles, and presenting a proposal in a short period of time.

The team agrees that the day was very informative, interactive, fun, and a great learning experience.  Many thanks to the planning staff and commissioners, architect, and developer for their time and efforts to give us insights into the planning process.  You have given LNV Class 33 a greater sense of how all the planning pieces fit together. Your mentorship is greatly appreciated and will have lasting value as we see and read about projects developing in our community.