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1. I have been affected by the fire, will I receive any relief to rebuild my home from Engineering?

In the event a structure(s) is destroyed by a disaster, the reconstruction or repair of legally constructed residential, commercial or industrial structure(s) may find relief from the Napa County Road and Street Standards provided the following conditions are met:

• The replacement structure does not increase the square footage of the structure that previously existed;
• The replacement structure does not change the use of the building that had existed previously; and
• Napa County Fire determines the access was not a contributing factor in delaying or prohibiting emergency responders from accessing the original structure or for safe evacuation during the disaster and ensures reasonable ingress, egress, and capacity for evacuation and emergency response during future emergencies
  

If all provisions above cannot be met, then the reconstruction of the existing structure shall be considered new construction and shall be subject to these Standards accordingly.

2. How can I verify that my new main dwelling square footage will meet the rebuild regulation of under 100% of the original space?

You can use an older set of plans or visit the County of Napa Assessor’s office to find information to provide proof of the previous existing square footage of your home. 

(New main dwelling square footage) divided by the (Previous main dwelling square footage) must be less than or equal to 100% in order to receive relief from the Road and Street Standards.

3. Where can I apply for a grading or floodplain management permit?

The Grading Permit Application and Floodplain Management Application is submitted to 1195 Third Street Napa, CA 94558 Suite 201 to the Engineering Division.

4. When is the Winter Shutdown period?

The Winter Shutdown period is between October 15th and April 1st. The Winter Shutdown period applies to all grading and earthmoving activities on slopes greater than 5-percent within the County and on properties within sensitive domestic supply watershed.

For properties within sensitive domestic watersheds, the Winter Shutdown Period begins on September 15th.

5. Do I have to apply for a Floodplain Management Permit?

You can look up your property at on our ArcGIS FEMA Flood Map.

If you plan to build anywhere within the floodplain, you will need to a Floodplain Management Permit Application found in our Engineering Documents.

6. What is a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)?

The Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is defined by FEMA as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (sometimes called the “100-year” flood). Flood-hazard maps or flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) have been created by FEMA to show the flooding risk for your community, which help determine the cost of flood insurance. The lower the degree of risk, the lower the flood insurance premium. Properties in the SFHA may be subject to the mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). You can contact the Engineering Division for FEMA flood zone information. They can be reached by phone at 707-253-4417, by email at [email protected], or in person at Suite 201 at the County of Napa Administration Building.

7. Can I change my flood zone determination?

It depends on the reason for the change in flood zone. If a property owner thinks their property has been inadvertently mapped in a Special Flood Hazard Area or is now out of the flood zone due to elevating the structure or another reason, they may submit a request to FEMA for a Letter of Map Change or Amendment (LOMA). The requirements of the LOMA depend upon the reason for the requested change in flood zone and may require the applicant to hire a licensed surveyor or engineer. 

If the request is granted, property owners may be eligible for lower flood insurance premiums, or the option to not purchase flood insurance.

If an elevation certificate is required to support the change in flood zone, the elevations must be certified by a Registered Professional Engineer or Licensed Land Surveyor.

A Letter of Map Change (LOMC) reflects an official revision/amendment to an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map. If the LOMC request is granted, property owners may be eligible for lower flood insurance premiums, or the option to not purchase flood insurance.

A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is a letter from FEMA stating that an existing structure or parcel of land that is on naturally high ground and has not been elevated by fill, would not be inundated by the base flood. Applicants can now use the Online LOMC, an Internet-based tool, to easily request a Letter of Map Amendment. The Online LOMC tool is available to any applicant who would like to submit a LOMC request directly to FEMA and does not require a surveyor or engineer to submit.

A Letter of Map Amendment-Out As Shown (LOMA-OAS) is a determination made by FEMA for the property and/or buildings as to whether it is located with the SFHA. Only use this method if it is clear, visually, that the structure is not in the SFHA. Instructions are available online.

8. What is the typical timeframe for the County's review of Improvement Plans and Grading Plans?

Plans are initially taken-in and processed by the County’s Department of Planning, Building and Environmental Services. Once received, review and comments are usually returned within 28 days and then 7 days with every subsequent review.

9. I want to complain about flooding in my neighborhood

If your concern is regarding street flooding, contact the Roads Division at (707) 944-0196. If your concern is related to flooding in an existing creek, please contact the Flood Control Division at (707) 259-8600 and ask to speak to someone in the Floodplain Management Section.

10. When will my bond or security for a grading permit be returned to me?

The grading permit bond is released when the inspector has signed off the grading permit and all work to be done with the grading plan is complete.

11. When do I need to obtain an encroachment permit?

An encroachment permit is required any time work is to be done within the County right-of-way, public easement, and storm drain setbacks.

12. Who do I contact to check if a contractor is licensed?

Contractors State License Board at 1-(800) 321-CSLB or www.cslb.ca.gov.

13. Who do I contact to file a complaint about illegal construction activity?

You may file a complaint online using our Code Complaint Form. When filing a complaint, you will be asked for sufficient information that will allow us to investigate, such as the valid property address and the type of work being done, and your contact information. Please contact our Code Compliance phone line at (707) 257-1347 if you have any questions. 

14. How should we prepare our property for rain after a fire?

The post-fire landscape is especially susceptible to stormwater runoff-related hazards such as landslides, debris flow, flooding, and rockfall. Fire destroys vegetation and root systems that provide stability to the soil. Fire damage may also create hydrophobic soils, which could concentrate runoff into slopes that may already be prone to failure.

It is property owner’s responsibility to control stormwater runoff from their property. Property owners and contractors on burned lots and rebuild sites must take action to prevent pollutants, including sediment, from entering storm drains, creeks, rivers, and wetlands.

Property owners should evaluate their property for potential hazard areas and install erosion and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs) as required. The Napa County Debris and Ash Removal Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan will help you evaluate your property and choose BMPs.

BMP materials such as wattles, mulch, and silt fencing, are available for purchase at various agriculture, garden supply and hardware stores. BMPs are used to minimize erosion and control sediment to keep pollutants from entering storm drains and our natural water bodies like creeks and rivers.

Visit Napa County’s Watershed Recovery page for more information and resources.