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Planning director outlines development pipeline; council prioritizes missing-middle housing and school-district partnership
Summary
Planning Director Greg Desmond presented a list of active and anticipated projects across Calistoga and the council directed staff to explore missing-middle housing regulations and a potential partnership with the school district for larger mixed-use housing opportunities.
Calistoga — In a wide-ranging planning update Feb. 25, Planning and Building Director Greg Desmond reviewed current development projects and potential sites across Calistoga, and council members focused discussion on the need for "missing-middle" ownership opportunities rather than exclusively high-end single-family homes.
Desmond outlined active and proposed projects the planning department is processing: Calistoga Hills (an 88-acre resort with roughly 110 units and 20 residential units, construction underway with a possible opening at the end of 2027), a resilience microgrid/resiliency center on Washington (a community-scale microgrid nearing final completion), Silverrod Terrace (multifamily with 20% regulated affordable units), Lincoln Avenue Apartments (2.9 acres, 78 units, reported as 100% affordable), Cinnabar Grove (15 market-rate single-family units), and several proposed subdivision and multifamily sites including Quarterm Ranch (20 lots), Yellow Rose (46 single-family units), 2400 Grant Street (17 units on 18 acres), and smaller in-town infill projects such as Brannon Street townhomes and the Hideaway Cottage expansion.
Councillors said Calistoga has successfully met much of its RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Allocation) obligations but that local shortages are concentrated in "missing middle" home-ownership options and workforce housing. Council member Giff asked the body to avoid using limited city land for single-family luxury units and to be intentional about zoning that encourages home ownership opportunities for middle-income households.
Council discussion produced preliminary direction: staff was asked to pursue Option 4 from the staff report — develop tools and regulations to encourage missing-middle housing citywide — and to explore a potential joint-development approach with the Napa Valley Unified School District for larger sites (the school-district site mentioned in staff materials is about 16.4 acres). No formal motion or final development approvals were made; staff described the request as an early, iterative direction and said follow-up materials and analysis would be returned to council.
Public commenters raised related concerns: developer partners for the Lincoln Avenue Apartments requested that the council place a separate agenda item at the next meeting to consider modifications to agreements and outstanding project needs. Residents also raised fire-evacuation and infrastructure concerns tied to growth, and a public commenter asked that the Earl & Eddy city-owned parcels be explored as home-ownership opportunities rather than solely as regulated affordable housing.
Why it matters: The council’s direction could shape zoning, affordability mix and whether future projects prioritize ownership options (townhomes/condominiums) for local workers and families. Staff emphasized the process will likely be iterative and involve multiple follow-ups to develop specific regulations or project proposals.
What’s next: Staff will develop regulatory options for "missing-middle" housing, explore potential joint-development discussions with the school district, and return with cost and zoning analysis. The Lincoln Avenue Apartments developer also requested an agenda item; staff committed to prioritizing that follow-up.
