The city of Napa is exploring the feasibility of building a new parking garage at one of four downtown sites, and is planning to share information on that effort at a community open house meeting later this month.

The open house meeting is set to run from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., according to a post on the city’s website. Community members at the meeting will have a chance “to learn more about the project, hear details on the potential sites, discuss improved access and share your transportation needs,” according to the post.

The parking structure feasibility study — which is being carried out by San Francisco-based Walker Consultants, on a $223,195 contract approved by the City Council Feb. 3 — is focused on evaluating four publicly-owned locations:

The long-decommissioned Napa Sanitation District Pump station at 1210 West St. The area also includes a playground and a skate park. The site is owned by the sanitation district, but the district board in July 2024 deemed the property exempt surplus land and the city is exploring purchasing it.

The parking lot immediately south of the pump station, known as “Lot X” — currently the temporary home of the Napa Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays — along with the parking lot immediately west of that, across West Street.

The lot behind the Goodman Library, along Second Street and between Randolph and Coombs streets.

The lot along Third Street between Randolph and Coombs streets, owned by Napa County and located just west of the Napa County Administration building.

The city currently owns three downtown parking garages, and the county owns one. Overall, the effort to build a new parking garage is part of the city’s work to improve access to parking in the downtown area, which has seen more visitors as it’s grown into a major tourist hub.

One 2023 effort to help fund the city’s parking management plan, and aid in implementing it, was adding charges for parking on downtown streets. That was intended to shift drivers from the congested street parking to underused garages. But the City Council rejected paid parking in October of that year, and city staff shifted to more incremental changes. The question of charging for parking in downtown Napa hasn’t come up in council meetings since then.

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