In 2008, St. Helena city officials are planning to “stay the course.”

Flood control, water and sewer concerns and the ongoing general plan update will continue to dominate city government in 2008.

“We’ve got to finish a lot of these projects that we’ve started,” said Councilmember Bonnie Schoch. “I don’t see anything else that’s going to be a major focus.”

The city’s top priority will remain the ambitious effort to build a levee and control the flow of the Napa River to protect Vineyard Valley Mobile Home Park and Hunt’s Grove Apartments from flooding.

Originally scheduled for 2007, construction was postponed until spring 2008 for financial and environmental reasons. As the year begins, the city still hasn’t acquired two key pieces of land needed to complete the project.

Even higher on the city’s list of priorities than breaking ground on the project is finding a way to pay for it, said St. Helena City Manager Bert Johansson.

Federal lawmakers have authorized $19 million for the project. But the project needs final approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the city gets that money.

Even with authorization, the city will have to fight to receive the money in future appropriations bills.

The city has filed for grant money from the state, but other communities are fighting for that money as well. California water officials will decide in February if St. Helena will receive any or all of its $3 million request.

The property owners receiving flood protection will also be asked to help. The city is looking into creating an assessment district for Vineyard Valley, Hunt’s Grove and the undeveloped property owned by Dennis Hunter.

A draft of the plan should be complete in mid-January, said Johansson. If it’s approved by the property owners, it could reach the city council in February.

The city will also continue to patch up its aging water and sewer system while it investigates more expensive long-term solutions. In the meantime, it will continue to encourage St. Helena water customers to conserve.

If approved by the city council, water and sewer rate hikes will begin in April. The added revenue will pay for maintenance, upgrades and new staff positions.

“The new rates are targeting the higher-end users to try to give them a financial incentive to reduce their water consumption,” said Johansson. “We are one of the highest per-capita users, so if we can get conservation in place, that will turn into more water.”

City officials and citizens will also hammer out a new general plan, featuring goals and policies that will set the course for the next 20 years .

During 2007, the general plan steering committee concentrated on big-picture “visioning.” In the coming months the discussion will become more focused, and should attract more public participation.

Housing, parking, elms

The 45-unit Magnolia Oaks development off El Bonita Avenue is bound to generate news, as well. Approved by the city council in November, the development’s future remains uncertain while the developers try to create a second way to access to the site by acquiring property owned by Scott and Karen Zumwalt.

According to the city’s conditions of approval, the developers have to secure the new access. If they are unable to do so by the time the project’s final map is filed, the city would have to acquire the property, using eminent domain if necessary.

The city considers eminent domain a last resort, and plans to hire a mediator to encourage the developers and the Zumwalts to reach an agreement.

Many St. Helena drivers will be happy about a new parking lot the city plans to build at the vacant PG&E lot on Mitchell Drive. The property’s years as a PG&E substation left it contaminated with harmful chemicals, but a portion of the lot should be available for paving by this summer.

Contamination concerns ruled out the construction of a two-level structure, and officials still haven’t established how many parking spaces the property will accommodate.

The preservation of St. Helena’s elm tunnel will also enter a new phase. The nonprofit St. Helena Beautification Foundation will bow out and the city, Caltrans and Beringer Vineyards will team up to pay for treatments to protect the trees. Those treatments will cost about $30,000 annually.

At the same time, the city is trying to put together a long-term plan to plant replacement elms farther away from Highway 29 to comply with Caltrans guidelines.

On the parks and recreation front, Director Kathy Carrick said all the city’s parks are slated for facelifts, but the most visible changes will be at Crane Park, where the irrigation system dating to 1966 will be replaced. The project will be funded by the same $500,000 state grant that paid for the park’s playground and parking lot.

Bocce players will be pleased that Carrick plans to ask the city council Jan. 22 to approve the installation of one new bocce court at Crane Park. The new court would allow more teams to play each night.

Carrick said she’d also like to install two bocce courts at Meily Park on Pope Street.