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Board asked to wind down use‑permit amnesty; staff proposes March 2026 end date after most applicants complied
Summary
Planning staff told the board the use‑permit amnesty launched in 2019 helped bring most noncompliant properties into compliance. Staff recommended sunsetting the amnesty program March 29, 2026; by staff count 37 of 47 applications are closed, eight remain in progress and two are not expected to complete.
NAPA, Calif. — Planning staff told the Board of Supervisors Sept. 23 that Napa County’s 2019 amnesty program for use‑permit compliance successfully processed most applicants and recommended the board set March 29, 2026 as a sunset date for the program.
Lede: The county’s time-limited “use-permit compliance” amnesty, adopted via a 2018 resolution and begun in 2019, was intended to allow property owners who were operating outside their approved conditional-use permits to apply for retroactive permits or negotiate remedies. Staff told the board that the program has closed most files and said it is time to end the amnesty and return to a standard enforcement posture.
Summary of staff report and recommendation Staff member Brian Bordona (Planning, Building and Environmental Services) told the board 47 amnesty applications were submitted after the program opened. According to staff, 37 applications were completed, eight were actively moving forward and two are unlikely to reach completion. Bordona recommended the board adopt a resolution to terminate the amnesty program effective March 29, 2026, to allow a modest final window while retaining the county’s normal enforcement tools.
Staff emphasized that terminating the amnesty program would not end the county’s code-compliance program but would close the temporary, forgiveness-focused path that the 2019 resolution created. County counsel said the original resolution intended to shift the county’s approach from post-facto forgiveness to a permission-first standard for changes to permitted uses.
What the board asked and next steps Supervisors emphasized education for homebuyers and realtors so that purchasers do not inadvertently inherit noncompliant improvements. Board members asked staff to continue outreach to Realtors’ organizations and to explore follow-up options other jurisdictions use for “know‑before‑you‑buy” disclosures or buyer‑notification programs. The board did not take a final vote to end the amnesty on Sept. 23 but directed staff to return with a resolution if the board wants to set the sunset date formally.
Provenance (transcript evidence) Staff presented the use‑permit compliance program status during the consent and administrative items; the relevant exchange and specific staff numbers on applications and proposed sunset date occur during the consent‑calendar follow-up discussion and the item labeled 5U/8 in the transcript.
