Highway 29 – The Gateway to Napa County
A stretch of Highway 29 has been referred to by some as the front door to Napa County. As visitors reach American Canyon, there is a sign along the highway which features hillsides and vineyards and declares the area to be the beginning of the Napa Valley experience.
Community advocates and city officials in American Canyon are trying to figure out what the aesthetic future of Highway 29 looks like – will it be lined with parking lots, strip malls, and gas stations, or will it develop a more streamlined look? Currently, the three-mile stretch of Highway 29 through American Canyon is a hodgepodge of aging buildings, disheveled vacant lots, and a mix of newer shopping centers. There is currently a moratorium on any new gas stations. City officials want to know what else can be done to create a more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly road lined with businesses and multi-family units that have compatible architecture.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below shows the stretch of Highway 29 from American Canyon to Napa.
Listening to the Public
The City Council and Planning Commission held a study session in late July to hear the public’s thoughts on the future of the highway. One resident expressed that she would like to not only have a moratorium on gas stations but also on hotels and fast-food restaurants. Another resident called out the fact that aside from the area around Walmart, there are no more sidewalks in place along Highway 29 than there were 30 years ago. He thought it was most important to keep pedestrians safe as they walk along the stretch.
The consensus among residents at the planning meeting was that fast-food restaurants and gas stations were unwanted. Sit-down restaurants, green spaces, and sidewalks were welcome.
What Developers Say About Highway 29
A local developer pointed out the there was a pending preliminary application for a Burger King restaurant on the highway at the corner of Donaldson Way. He described the lot as long and narrow with limited potential for development and called for people to be realistic about the spaces and the type of businesses that would be appropriate on certain lots.
Another developer shared that in his experience, he was finding that the businesses that are interested in coming to American Canyon want to focus on the high traffic volume along Highway 29 rather than the residents of the sparsely-populated city. He noted that in order for that to change, the city may want to focus on population growth, which could result in driving different kinds of businesses to the stretch.
Other Thoughts from the Highway 29 Meeting
One discussion focused on the idea of working in conjunction with the existing Walmart to bring other commercial buildings and businesses to their vast parking lot in order to break up the expanse of concrete.
Some residents balked at the addition of any cannabis businesses. Others discussed environmental issues with cars idling at fast-food restaurants. After hearing from the residents, the City Council and Planning Commission suggested a greater focus be placed on the types of businesses and features that the city would like to bring to Highway 29, rather than all the things it does not want. Along those lines, the City Manager stated that each application should be reviewed on its individual merits and not rejected out of hand just because it was for a fast-food establishment, for example.
For now, the only thing that is for sure is that there is a temporary hold on any new gas stations.
Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
Thanks for visiting our legal blog and our story on Napa County’s Highway 29. I’m Ed Smith, a Napa personal injury lawyer. If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident that was caused by another motorist’s negligent behavior, call us for free and friendly legal advice. We have been advocating on behalf of Napa and American Canyon residents for nearly 40 years. Our phone number is (707) 564-1900. For those outside the local area, we provide a toll-free line as well: (800) 404-5400.
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/grapes-vines-grapevine-vineyard-553464/
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