The way Calistoga Mayor Jack Gingles sees it, the question of whether Calistoga will soon expand its sphere of influence to include Ag Preserve land was answered long ago. The city has no plans to expand sewage treatment facilities or water lines into the surrounding countryside.

“Rest assured — we’re not interested in taking the Ag Preserve,” said Gingles. “It’s been around for a long time and we like the rural living.”

Confusion over the question erupted late last month after the Napa County Local Agency Formation Commission — charged with planning and regulatory duties — ran a routine review to measure the adequacy of Napa County’s municipal services. After the agency requested feedback from the city of Calistoga, LAFCO’s resulting report made its debut on the agenda of a mid-May Calistoga Planning Commission meeting.

The report seemed to suggest that Calistoga’s sphere of influence might be changed to include approximately five dozen acres of land protected by the Ag Preserve — an area primarily between the city of Calistoga and Dunaweal Lane, on both sides of the city’s bike path.

Gingles, who also serves as LAFCO’s Calistoga representative, said the city — with the intention of planning for future municipal services needs — simply made a mistake.

“We should have done our homework,” said Gingles, emphasizing that Calistoga does not have an immediate need to broaden existing services. Just six years ago, he said, the city expanded its sewer treatment plant — a $14 million project. Water lines have also been recently installed, he said.

“The city manager apologized and said we’re not going to be submitting anything to the county right now and that’s where it sits. ... It’s kind of a moot issue,” he said.

Under the now defunct plan to expand Calistoga’s sphere of influence, longtime homeowners and several local wineries — including Fisher Vineyards — would have lost the use of dozens of acres of land protected by the Ag Preserve.

Rex Stults, industry relations director for the Napa Valley Vintners, said he is pleased with the way the city of Calistoga has addressed vintners’ concerns.

“We’re grateful and satisfied that the city seems to be reconsidering previous ideas. ... Mayor Gingles reached out to us and we were grateful for his outreach and communication,” said Stults.

Norma Tofanelli — whose 83-year-old mother and longtime grapegrower, Pauline Tofanelli, would have lost her house and half of her vineyard acreage there under the proposed expansion — said her mother’s property is directly behind Clos Pegase Winery on Dunaweal Lane.

“We’re actually shocked that the city would make such a move,” said Tofanelli of the original proposal. “This is the year of the 40th anniversary of the Ag Preserve and there is so much attention focused on what the Ag Preserve means to the valley and the quality of life that we all enjoy here.”

Although the city’s consensus now seems to be that Ag Preserve land should not be added to Calistoga’s sphere of influence, when the city presents its urban design plan, things might change, Tofanelli said.

“It may put tremendous growth pressures on Calistoga, both commercial and residential,” she said. “At that point ... they will need to do something and we’re aware of that, so we remain very concerned.”

On Tuesday, the Calistoga City Council will vote on whether to adopt the Calistoga Planning Commission’s recent recommendation not to dip into Ag Preserve land.

LAFCO’s next scheduled review of the area is planned for 2013.

(Weekly Calistogan Editor John Waters contributed to this report.)