The St. Helena flood control stalemate has been broken.

A mediation session presided over by former Napa County Superior Court Judge Scott Snowden produced a settlement agreement that will allow flood project construction to begin next spring, effectively ending a drawn-out dispute between city officials and Vineyard Valley Mobile Home Park owner Dick McDonnell.

The city has agreed to pay McDonnell $2.2 million for a 4.7-acre piece of park property it needs to acquire to begin construction.

The city will also tighten up language in an access easement to clarify that a pathway around the perimeter of Vineyard Valley won’t become a public park. It will also waive permitting fees for the replacement of mobile homes on certain vacant spaces within the park.

The St. Helena City Council voted in closed session last week to approve the agreement.

“Nothing’s ever perfect, but I think the result is that there will be flood protection, and that’s what matters,” said City Councilmember Eric Sklar, who took part in the negotiations. “We could have spent a lot more time and legal fees going to court, but I don’t think that would have been as good a result.”

Earlier this year officials accused McDonnell of stalling and failing to provide them with a counteroffer after they proposed a price of $1.4 million for the property.

Meanwhile McDonnell’s attorney, Scott Jenny, said it was impossible to pinpoint the value of the land until it was clear how construction will affect the park.

“I think (Sklar) and I feel this was probably the best day of our entire city council lives,” said Councilmember Bonnie Schoch. “We came to a resolution, so we can break ground in the spring. I’m very excited about that.”

The two sides devoted an entire day to the meeting, which took place in a Walnut Creek office. Each side was seated in separate rooms, with Snowden going back and forth relaying information.

The city was represented by Sklar, Schoch, City Manager Bert Johansson, and three attorneys.

McDonnell and Jenny represented Vineyard Valley.

In an e-mail, Jenny said the settlement was reached “due to the efforts of all parties and in particular to Judge Snowden.”

Earlier this year Snowden helped end a stalemate between developers and a neighboring property owner that threatened the 45-unit Magnolia Oaks project off El Bonita Avenue.