The proposed initiative aimed at curbing the Napa Pipe residential development is being managed by some well-known conservative interests.

The local proponents of the informally named Responsible Growth Initiative are paying hired guns to gather signatures to place the initiative on the June ballot — hired guns strongly linked to conservative causes.

Republican signature-gathering juggernaut Arno Political Consultants sub-contracted out signature gathering work to the another group with strong GOP ties, the Discovery Petition Management Company — both out of the Sacramento area. Add to that the Sacramento election law firm Bell, McAndrews, Hiltachk and Davidian, which wrote the initiative and has gained a reputation for representing the Republican Party and conservative interests in several election law matters.

The law firm also represented Napa County Supervisor Harold Moskowite in the case stemming from his razor-thin 2004 election victory over then-Supervisor Mike Rippey.

The conservative ties are surprising considering the initiative is aimed at limiting a major residential development, as slow-growth initiatives are more commonly pushed by environmental and other left-wing groups.

Arno and Discovery have worked together before, sending West Coast signature gatherers to Ohio in 2004 in an initiative effort to ban gay marriage in that state.

Arno has come under fire recently from California Democratic officials, including State Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres, who on Nov. 1 called on the state Attorney General’s office to investigate Arno for alleged “bait-and-switch” tactics. Torres said petition signers had been misled into signing a petition for an initiative that would split California’s 58 electoral votes for president among the top vote-getters.

California, like most states, has a winner-take-all system, one that tends to favor Democrats in this liberal-leaning state. While conservatives have pushed the initiative as an election reform, liberals have said it is designed to weaken the Democratic Party here and that the reform should be imposed nationwide, if at all.

Mike Arno, CEO of Arno Political Consultants, has said publicly he will fight Torres’ claims his firm did anything wrong.

Target: Napa Pipe?

The Responsible Growth Initiative seeks to take a current county ordinance that restricts residential growth to 1 percent per year and turn it into a voter-approved measure. The change would bar the Napa County Board of Supervisors from voting to overturn the 1 percent cap, a move that is now within the board’s authority and one that might be needed for the 3,200 proposed townhomes at Napa Pipe to be built in a timely fashion.

The initiative also would limit the height of any new buildings to three stories, while the owners of the Napa Pipe property have proposed seven-story townhome buildings.

Keith Rogal, a representative of Napa Pipe developers Napa Redevelopment Partners, said he would remain silent on the issue until the initiative is placed on the ballot. He also said he could not fully reveal his financial backers at this time.

“Napa Redevelopment Partners is a partnership of a developer and a Bay Area institutional investment company who manages money for university endowments, pensions and other large institutions,” he said. He adding that he is personally invested in the development.

Attorney steps forward

Napa attorney James Marshall said Wednesday that he is the man behind the Responsible Growth Initiative, and is bearing the majority of costs associated with hiring outside services to qualify the initiative for the ballot, including political strategist Victor Ajlouny.

Press reports show Ajlouny, a resident of Omaha, Neb., has worked to fight growth boundaries in Milpitas and has represented Home Depot in exploring possible sites for new stores in California. He also worked on Supervisor Harold Moskowite’s 2004 campaign.

Marshall said his group of friends and associates includes local names like Frank Worthington, a retired attorney, Kathy Hague, a swim instructor at Napa Valley College, Dan Sullivan, a man who has lived in Napa for 20 years and Steve Morgan, an attorney who isn’t currently practicing law.

“These are not political people, these are just concerned citizens,” Marshall said. “I’m bearing the brunt of (the costs) and I’m receiving financial donations from all the people that support me.”

Marshall said it was outrage at the 3-2 vote by the Board of Supervisors to proceed with environmental studies on the Napa Pipe proposal that prompted him to action.

“I have political opinions but this is all new territory for me,” he said. “I’ve never participated in any election or someone’s campaign. The more people I talked to about this proposal (Napa Pipe) I couldn’t find anybody who was in favor of it.”

But why put so much money on the line?

“If not me, then who?” he said. “So that’s why I started this thing.”

No impact on Foster Road

The measure apparently would have no impact on another proposed residential development, the 1,000 homes tentatively planned on Ghisletta family land, between Foster Road and Highway 29 on the west side of town.

The Ghisletta family has not unveiled specific plans for the property, and the Napa County Local Agency Formation Commission has yet to vote on the city of Napa’s request for formal annexation of the land.

If the Ghisletta land is annexed into the city, the development would not have to comply with the Responsible Growth Initiative, which only affects lands in the unincorporated part of the county.

Marshall said he has no connection to the Ghisletta family and that Napa Pipe is not specifically targeted per se, but that he doesn’t want any large development taking place in Napa County.