SAINT HELENA, Calif. — The Saint Helena City Council on Jan. 13 continued action on the Spring Grove vesting tentative map, a proposed 41-unit condominium-style townhome development on Spring Street, after an extended public hearing and detailed staff presentations.

City staff and the project applicant, City Ventures, presented the tentative map and a related water-neutrality in-lieu retrofit fee that council must authorize before final map approval. Mike Janicek, the contract planner, told the council the proposal covers three parcels totaling about 2.53 acres and would create 41 airspace condominium lots, retain a riparian corridor buffer and provide private on-site utilities and bioretention features. Janicek said the tentative map approval is conditioned on council authorization of the in-lieu retrofit fee.

Kelso Barnett of City Ventures said Spring Grove is sited on a designated Housing Opportunity Site and that the design meets the city’s objective design standards. Barnett said the project is all-electric with solar PV and EV‑ready garages and that the inclusionary requirement (20% of units) will be met, yielding eight affordability-restricted units with the developer to pay any fractional in-lieu obligation. “Everything we build is all electric and solar powered,” Barnett said.

Dozens of residents spoke during the public hearing, raising concerns about three-story building massing, emergency access and fire safety, stormwater and drainage management, the loss of existing rental housing on the site, and whether the proposed in-lieu fee meaningfully offsets new demand. Residents also criticized the adequacy of the administrative record and asked for more time and detail before the council rendered a decision. Dan Hale urged caution and said, “If you feel in any way that you are not adequately and absolutely informed, there is no reasonable option other than to reject or continue this matter.”

On technical points, the applicant’s civil engineer explained that the site stormwater is routed to on‑site bioretention basins with overflow drains tied to a dual‑pump system that would lift runoff to the city storm system on Spring Street. The project condition of approval requires design to accommodate a 100‑year storm prior to issuance of building permits. City staff and the applicant said sewer and water capacity studies were submitted and that the city’s review found sufficient capacity for the proposed development.

A separate, recurring point in the hearing concerned the city’s water‑neutrality policy and whether retrofits remain available in town as an offset. Public Works staff said the current municipal code procedure includes a toilet‑replacement rebate program and that, for larger projects, finding enough retrofit opportunities has become difficult; that is why staff recommended pursuing a nexus study in fiscal year 2027 to set a defensible fee. Commenters urged that the city test whether retrofit opportunities remain by conducting outreach before accepting an in‑lieu fee.

After extended council discussion about outstanding facts and record clarity — including whether one of the existing homes (1505 Spring) was occupied in the past five years and thus subject to replacement obligations — council voted unanimously to continue the Spring Grove item to the Jan. 27, 2026 meeting and directed staff to compile and publish detailed responses to the public’s technical and record questions before that hearing.

What’s next: Staff will prepare a follow‑up report addressing the rental history of on‑site homes, stormwater pump and overflow design, the water‑neutrality fee calculation and retrofit options, emergency access/fire review details, and any open appeals or permit statuses. The council will pick up the hearing on Jan. 27.