The St. Helena City Council this week agreed to adopt a trails and open space plan that identifies existing walking loops along with future opportunities to add trails and related amenities to the city.

The council at its meeting Tuesday, June 23, was faced with either adopting the plan — known as the St. Helena Trails and Open Space Plan: Walking Routes, Trails and Publicly Accessible Open Space Report — or sending the decision to voters. That’s because a citizen initiative petition pushing the city to adopt the plan qualified for the ballot, with 476 verified signatures, more than the 351 needed, representing 10% of the city’s registered voters.

The 133-page plan includes a proposed set of published walking loops and trails, existing walking path and trail opportunities — including areas of city-owned property — plans for open space easements and access, and a model for pursuing development agreements.

David Knudsen, the founder of nonprofit group Walk St. Helena, said at the meeting the plan was originally developed by an ad-hoc subcommittee of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and approved by the commission in 2022. Walk St. Helena moved to update the plan in October, he said.

Knudsen noted the group isn’t seeking funding to implement the plan, but wants to coordinate with the city on that effort. The group intends to attract money from outside of Napa County to fund the project, he said.

Interim City Manager Jim McCann said at the meeting city staff will work on an implementation plan that the city will take up in the future. He said city staff see the plan as a framework that includes some actionable items. Elements of it will need investigation and evaluation, he said.

“It’s a starting step,” McCann said. “It requires work by the staff to integrate it into our general plan and into our municipal code, and then to identify projects that can move forward.”

Public commenters generally praised the project, though several raised concerns about a proposed trail system for the Lower Reservoir area near Spring Mountain Road and potential for the city to face liability problems.

Council members also praised the plan and supported adopting it, adding that they believed the community overwhelmingly supported it as well. St. Helena Mayor Paul Dohring said he loved the plan overall and the effort that’s gone into it, but he said potential risks and hazards should be identified — such as the potential of inviting people into dangerous situations or areas that aren’t open to the public.

“Some people don’t want folks traipsing into their winery or whatever without the permission of the owner,” Dohring said. “So we have, again, caution, but the upside is health, wellness, mental well-being in a time when we can all use that.”

You can reach Staff Writer Edward Booth at 707-521-5281 or edward.booth@pressdemocrat.com.