Public Relations

Project Timeline

Project Timeline

June 20, 2006
PUC Board of Trustees votes to finalize negotiations with Triad Communities to explore opportunities for developing a portion of the college's property in Angwin.

July 5, 2006
Board unanimously approves an agreement with Triad for developing a portion of the college's property. Agreement, however, does not include specifics on how the land will be developed. Details of plan will be determined, in part, during a six-month refinement period, during which Triad will meet with Angwin residents gather input on how to best build the community.

Fall 2006
College begins holding private and public meetings with residents.

January 8, 2007
College announces series of public meetings to collect feedback on ecovillage project. Unveils preliminary concepts to public, including plans for - houses.

April 2007
Triad and PUC holds two public meetings to present the revised ecovillage project, which includes 200 less housing units and the elimination of development plans on any land zoned agricultural.

July 18, 2007
Triad and PUC file project application for ecovillage with Napa County.

August 2007
County holds multiple public meetings discussing the elimination of the Angwin Urban Bubble, an infringement of PUC property rights

PUC collects more than 1,500 signatures from Angwin and college community supporting preservation of bubble.

October 16, 2007
Joint Meeting of Napa County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to discuss Urban Bubble is held in Napa. PUC Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff vote to cancel classes to allow campus to attend meeting. More than 600 attend meeting with majority being PUC supporters.

Majority supervisors (3-2) advocate adjustment to bubble but not total elimination. No vote taken.

Early 2008
Save Rural Angwin (SRA) proposes new land-use designation called "private institutional zoning." Designation would target all Planned Development zoned lands within Angwin Urban Bubble to be used only for campus improvements, staff housing, and agriculture.

February 2008
Alan J. Reinach, Esq., president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Council, hears about SRA zoning proposal and determines that it violates college's rights to equal treatment under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA).

Jim Pedersen, president of the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, approves mailing from PUC and Reinach, asking church members to write letters of support for PUC's rights. Student Senate coordinates letter writing campaign among students.

February 26, 2008
Joint meeting of the Napa County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors is held in Yountville. PUC Board, faculty, and staff vote to cancel classes once more. More than 800 attend; majority are PUC supporters. Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission dismiss Private Institutional Zoning proposal. Board of Supervisors vote to keep Angwin Urban Bubble intact for General Plan Update with plans to examine all 12 county bubbles in the future.

September 2008
After two month of intense focus group meetings, Pacific Union College and Triad announce another revision to the ecovillage project. The revisions include a reduction homes to 275, the addition of a 105-unit retirement center at the town square, relocation of some housing units to preserve the current ball fields, preservation of Mobile Manor and Brookside apartments.

February 24, 2009
The Napa County Board of Supervisors vote to reject the Napa County Planning Commission's recommendations for a new set of land use designations in the Angwin "urban bubble" and task the commission with taking another crack at the zoning. They ask for the Planning Commission to create zoning called "public institutional" which designates what kind of developments are permitted on PUC property. The board specifically wants public institutional to only allow development that is vital to the educational mission of the college, such as dorms and libraries.

April 2009
On April 2, 2009, the Napa County Planning Commission votes on a proposal that changes some of the college's land designation from urban residential designation to public institutional. The new designation allows for PUC to only build housing for students, faculty, and staff. The designation also allows for other development for educational purposes, such as classrooms.

The proposal limits the college's ability to develop its land, but it does not impact the proposed ecovillage project. However, if the ecovillage project is not approved, the 63 acres on which the project is currently proposed will also convert to public institutional in June 2010.

On April 29, 2009, the Board of Supervisors votes to accept the Planning Commission's proposal for the Angwin urban bubble. Read full coverage at the Napa Valley Register.