Commission approves 3,025 sq. ft. warehouse for Olivia Napa Valley at 1020 Vintage Avenue

The St. Helena Planning Commission on Feb. 18, 2025 unanimously approved a major design review permit to construct a new 3,025‑square‑foot warehouse for Olivia Napa Valley at 1020 Vintage Avenue. The building will be a single‑story commercial/industrial structure sited behind the existing facility on a 1.2‑acre lot in the Industrial zoning district.

The commission reviewed design details presented by the project architect, Eric Forstall of Krakauer Architects & Planners. The proposed building features traditional farmhouse styling, a glass‑framed garage door at the McCormick Avenue entry, fieldstone‑veneer columns and a cupola with a copper metal roof. The finished height is 40 feet, 6 inches, below the 45‑foot limit for the Industrial district. A covered walkway between the new building and the existing building is shown on the site/landscaping plan and will be included in construction documents.

Staff reported the site contains an existing 22 on‑site parking spaces and that the project’s parking demand (13 spaces required under the municipal parking standard) is met by the existing lot. The project requires the removal of two mature cedar trees within the project area; staff recommended and the commission included an additional condition requiring a nesting‑bird survey prepared by a qualified biologist if removal occurs during the bird nesting season (Feb. 1–Aug. 31) to comply with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Department of Fish and Wildlife guidance.

CEQA: Staff recommended a Class 3 exemption (construction of up to four commercial buildings not exceeding 10,000 sq. ft. under specified conditions). The commission adopted the recommended finding and the major design review resolution with the added bird‑nesting survey condition.

Vote: Motion to adopt the design review resolution passed unanimously (Vice Chair Warner, Commissioner Furdick, Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Lopez and Chair Ponte all voted yes). The commission instructed staff to include the tree‑removal/bird‑survey condition in the final resolution and advance the project toward building permit review.

Speakers at the item included Jackie O’Neil (senior planner, staff presentation), architect Eric Forstall (project representative), and owner Eric Klein (present in the hearing). No public speakers registered.

Next steps: Staff will finalize the written resolution with the additional condition on bird‑nesting season procedures, then the applicant may proceed with submittal of building permit documents that reflect the approved materials and covered walkway.