The Living Rivers Council will ask for an injunction to block construction of St. Helena’s flood control project unless the city agrees to major changes.

LRC spokesman Sampson Bowers and John Milliken, who is not affiliated with LRC, met with St. Helena city officials Tuesday to propose a modified flood project they believe would overcome opponents’ objections while saving the city money.

Instead of the 17 Vineyard Valley home sites relocated under the city’s current plan, the LRC-backed plan would remove 33 home sites, as outlined in the city’s previous 2005 plan. The homes would be rebuilt between Vineyard Valley and the levee, on what is now city owned land known as the Miller property.

LRC’s Chris Malan said it’s “highly likely” that LRC would withdraw its lawsuit if the city adopts the plan.

City staff have been following the City Council’s June 2006 decision to proceed with the current plan, he said.

The main design difference between the proposed project and the city’s project, which is expected to break ground in June, is the levee running north of Vineyard Valley.

Current plans call for the levee to extend to Adams Street, but Bowers and Milliken would like the levee, or possibly a floodwall, to be built closer to Hunt’s Grove Apartments.

Aside from eliminating flood protection for land owned by Dennis Hunter and saving the city property acquisition costs, moving back the levee would enlarge the flood plain, resulting in a more effective project, Bowers and Milliken said.

St. Helena City Manager Bert Johansson said the city wants to proceed without making new adjustments.

“The decision was made to leave the levee as it is, so I’d be extremely surprised if it would be changed this late in the game,” Johansson said.

Milliken called the city’s decision not to conduct a new environmental impact report for the 2006 plan “kind of a stretch,” but said the proposed project would not require a new EIR. “This is less intrusive, less expensive and a lot simpler,” he said.

Napa Superior Court Judge Raymond Guadagni ruled last October against LRC’s claim that the latest version of the project violates its 2005 settlement agreement with the city. LRC appealed the decision, but the case might not be decided on appeal until late this year. If LRC can show that its interests would be harmed by construction — and the injunction is granted — construction would be halted and the appeal could run its course.