Napa County supervisors ask staff to study ban on new or expanded gas stations as part of regional climate plan

The Napa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed staff to continue investigating an ordinance that would prohibit new retail fossil-fuel stations and prevent expansion of existing stations in the unincorporated county, linking the move to the draft Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAP) staff presented earlier in the meeting.

County planner Eric Melendez introduced the ordinance idea during the RCAP discussion, saying the county’s 2022 resolution declaring a climate emergency set a priority “for 2030, for net 0, or as quickly as possible thereafter.” He described the ordinance as a zoning change to Napa County Code Title 18 that would allow existing retail fuel stations to continue operating but would bar expansion and new retail fossil-fuel stations in most unincorporated areas.

Why it matters: On-road transportation accounted for 39% of the county’s greenhouse gas emissions in the countywide inventory staff showed, and supervisors framed a fuel-station prohibition as one of several local actions that could help speed decarbonization of transportation. Supervisors requested additional analysis to avoid creating equity or access problems in sparsely populated areas and to pair any prohibition with policies that expand electric-vehicle (EV) charging and other alternative-fuel infrastructure.

Board discussion and direction

Chair Cottrell and board members praised the RCAP…