Dozens of St. Helena residents are taking their fire safety fight to both the courthouse and the ballot box after the city council approved a change to the local fire code that critics say undercuts evacuation safety. The twin push, a lawsuit plus a referendum petition, targets a new exception that lets projects with automatic sprinklers follow state rules instead of the city’s stricter two-road evacuation standard. Organizers say they turned in roughly 700 signatures for the November ballot, about twice the number needed.
The Saint Helena Neighborhood Association filed the lawsuit in Napa County Superior Court, and the group Keep Saint Helena Fire Safe alleges the council removed the city’s two-road fire-access requirement and replaced it with a less restrictive state sprinkler exception. The council adopted the amended fire code in a 4-0 vote on Feb. 24, and organizers say the change clears the way for the 41-unit Spring Grove project. The dispute was first reported by the Napa Valley Register.
City Staff: State Code Allows A Sprinkler Exception
City staff told the council that the 2025 California Fire Code already includes an exception for developments where all units are protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system. In its written response to public comments, the city stated, “Per the 2025 California Fire Code, Appendix D, Section D107.1, developments where the number of units exceeds 30 shall be provided with two separate fire access roads, except that where all units are equipped with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, access from two directions shall not be required.” According to the City of St. Helena, staff say the Spring Grove plans include a 26- to 28-foot emergency access easement and other conditions to meet the state standard.
Neighbors Mobilize After The Glass Fire
Keep Saint Helena Fire Safe says the petition drive grew out of evacuation fears stemming from the 2020 Glass Fire, when the city ordered a mandatory evacuation. Organizer David Prueter told reporters the referendum has overwhelming support and shows citizens are engaged, and the group handed about 700 signatures to city officials. The lawsuit and petition filing were covered by the Napa Valley Register.
Spring Grove’s Plan And Safety Assurances
City project files identify Spring Grove as a 41-unit townhome proposal on Spring Street, subject to a Vesting Tentative Map and Minor Design Review. The public comments response notes that the project is conditioned to install NFPA 13 fire sprinklers in each unit prior to building permit issuance, and that turning radii and aerial apparatus access were verified by the fire department. City staff say those conditions, along with a minimum 26-foot emergency vehicle access easement, bring the design into compliance with the state code, according to the City of St. Helena.
Legal Pathway And Timeline
The lawsuit argues the council replaced a locally stricter two-road rule with the state sprinkler exception, and the plaintiffs want the referendum to restore the city provision without the sprinkler carve-out. The city attorney will review the petition’s legal sufficiency, and Napa County Elections will verify the signatures and certify whether the measure qualifies for the ballot. For background on signature verification and certification procedures, see Napa County.
What’s At Stake
If certified, the referendum would ask voters whether St. Helena keeps its two-road requirement in municipal law or follows the state exception for sprinklered developments. Supporters say two separate access roads give residents and emergency crews crucial redundancy during fast-moving wildfires, while developers and some officials argue that sprinklers and access easements meet safety standards and help deliver much-needed housing. The clash has become a fresh example of how wildfire experience is reshaping the local debate over housing, safety and growth across the Valley…