American Canyon Initiative L—Green Island Vineyard Update

In 2022, private landowners in American Canyon introduced a ballot measure J which would have allowed them to convert the 157-acre, Green Island Vineyard from agricultural land to industrial so that the owners could sell the property to developers who would then in turn build on it. When it came to a vote, residents rejected J.

Several months ago, the same owners reintroduced a new initiative—L—seeking enough signatures to place it on the ballot in 2026.  This latest measure proposed a 20 acre “sports complex” and another 15 acres of “open space,” as part of the conversion of the property to industrial development.

Learning of this, a group of American Canyon residents began distributing “No On L” leaflets throughout the City, canvassing door to door on virtually every street in American Canyon. The group cited increased traffic congestion, increased carbon emissions, the poor location of the proposed sports complex and the threat to wildlife habitat as some of the reasons L should not be approved.

As a result of opponents’ efforts, the property owners have decided to at least temporarily pull back on submitting L to the voters, instead hoping to strike a compromise agreement with the City Council.

Simultaneously, the Napa Sierra Club Group, working with the Sierra Club’s Bay Alive Campaign and an environmental scientist, Triana Anderson, and using data provided by the state of California, has produced several maps showing that the 157-acre property will be subject to ongoing sea level rise the remainder of this century. 

And a Napa resident, Paul Moser, has also come forward to say that when he was an owner of a warehouse across the street from GIV in the early part of this century, he and his partners discovered that groundwater was seeping up into the building damaging the concrete flooring and materials placed on top of the concrete as well. 

“During the time I was working there, moisture subbed up from under the concrete foundation. That moisture came from beneath the ground under building,” Mr. Moser states.

“At that same time, we put down a sisal rug in the office inside the building.  Sisal is a loose weave burlap matting to soften the impact of the concrete floor. During the time I worked in the facility, the moisture that subbed up also soaked the sisal to the point that it rotted. That moisture came from under the building,” Mr. Moser added.

The groundwater Mr. Moser encountered indicates that sea level rise was present even then, decades ago. This latest disclosure would indicate that any development on any part of the 157-acre Green Island Vineyard property would also be subject to sea level rise in the future.

The Napa Group’s Treasurer, Scott Thomason, himself an American Canyon resident, has spoken with American Canyon mayor Pierre Washington and Vice Mayor Mark Joseph, sharing this information with them. Another City Council member, Brando Cruz, has invited Mr. Thomason to present the Sea Level Rise slide presentation that was shown to the public in January at the American Canyon library (see accompanying article in this newsletter). The date and time has yet to be announced.