Wealthy wine country residents furious over 'dangerous' 12.5-acre glamping site plan

California residents are fuming over a proposed luxe camping resort with high-end camping trailers, tents and pools planned for a beloved trail in Napa. 

The sprawling plans for The Grange Campground have sparked fury among residents along the upscale community's Silverado Trail, who have collected more than 1,000 signatures to fight the project. 

Among their concerns is the routine flooding that happens on the land and the air pollution that will choke the air from dozens of the resort's firepits.

'With plans for 100 onsite trailers and tents, we fear this development will compromise the safety, tranquility, and environmental integrity of our beloved region,' Kate Reilley wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to fight the campsite. 

'As stewards of Napa's natural wonders, we are committed to protecting the area's character and ensuring responsible growth that benefits both residents and visitors.' 

The Grange Campground, operated by outdoor lodging company AutoCamp, plans to offer a range of 'accessible and affordable' lodging, in addition to serving as a community hub, according to the project's website.

In a statement to ABC7, The Grange Campground said: 'The [project] is being proposed by a group of local business owners committed to enhancing Napa's hospitality offerings. AutoCamp, a recognized leader in the outdoor hospitality industry, has been selected as the operator for the planned project. 

'The local development team, in collaboration with AutoCamp, has engaged with community members and heard strong interest from residents and business owners in bringing a high-quality outdoor lodging experience that offers a unique and differentiated way to stay in Napa.' 

It further added that 'experts' have evaluated the project over the past two years and 'affirmed that it is designed to be safe, beneficial, and [a] well-integrated addition to the community.' 

'Every AutoCamp location is thoughtfully designed, sustainably built, and managed with meticulous care and oversight. This commitment to excellence has fostered strong relationships with communities across the country, and we are excited for the opportunity to contribute positively to the City of Napa,' the statement concluded. 

The Grange Campground Project did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment.  

Despite the resort's assurances, Justin Newberry, the creator of the Change.org petition to fight the project, wrote that they believe the development will 'primarily benefit tourists, not local Napans.' 

Main concerns revolve around the future of their residential area, and the likelihood of increased traffic, noise pollution, air pollution an increased strain on local resources as well as an increased risk of wildfires from grills or burning pits. 

And beyond that, there are fears that this precedent will welcome further developers to commercialize the landscape of Napa. 

'What will happen when/if the Glamping establishment no longer exists? Will a hotel or other commercial establishment be built?' the petitioners asked.

'We believe that immediate action must be taken to address these concerns to ensure the well-being of our residents, the protection of wildlife, and the preservation of our environment,' they added. 

One resident, Judi Buffington, has a property next door to the proposed campsite grounds and showed ABC7 a series of photos displaying a history of flooding on the land. 

'The property floods periodically anything we have a really rainy season,' Buffington told the outlet. 'It floods and that means that the mobile units that they have, [will] have to be moved out and it's a two-lane major highway.' 

Increased traffic is also a major concern for locals, who have witnessed several accidents along the road. 

One neighbor wrote on the movement's website Bad for Napa: 'Traffic on Silverado Trail is already a serious issue, and now they're proposing to add what is essentially a 100-room hotel on one of our busiest streets. This will only make an already difficult situation worse for everyone.' 

'[It is] one of the busiest and most dangerous roads here in Napa County,' added another resident Kelly Carlson said. 'I worked on an ambulance for 10 years and the fatalities and injuries accidents you see on Silverado Trail and where the proposed project is going, they won't be able to put a left hand turn lane.' 

Buffington, and many of the other concerned locals, are also seriously worried about the potentially catastrophic consequences of each camper being allowed grills and access to scores of firepits. 

'I don't understand how they can propose fire pits in an area like that. The mitigation that they are proposing for the 100 fire pits is that everybody will have a fire extinguisher,' Buffington said. 

Another neighbor said: 'Given the frequent accidents and the constant threat of fires, how can we, in good conscience, accept this?' 

'Imagine the danger and choking air pollution from 100 fires burning every night. We can't afford to put our city at such extreme risk,' one local wrote, according to the movement's site. 

The Napa City Council met to discuss the matter on Tuesday where many frustrated residents voiced their concerns again to the council board. 

More than 60 comments were given during the meeting, with many residents taking the opportunity to oppose the project in the meeting.  

But before the comments came pouring in, developers and AutoCamp proposed solutions to their concerns that seemingly fell on deaf ears. 

They suggested traffic solutions such as only allowing right turns in and out, adding an eight-foot paved shoulder and allowing for cars to wait in line to enter on the driveway to avoid blocking the roadway. 

During their presentation, a representative of AutoCamp said that they would enforce 'strict' quiet hours and noise policies, only compressed wood products to limit smoke production would be allowed for firepits and 'strict fire prevention protocols' and 'emergency preparedness training' would be implemented. 

'This is a first for Napa, so the concerns and questions are real,' one board member pointed out. 

After the six-hour-long meeting, the council denied the motion from AutoCamp by 3-2 despite concessions. 

And even after offering another concession restricting firepits and prohibit wood burning, AutoCamp was still denied. 

The council said they want to keep the floodplain in its 'natural state,' and suggested moving the tents off the area and replacing them with picnic benches.  

The project's representatives then offered to take plots off of the floodplain in the winter months and introduce a left-turn lane before their motion was denied yet again. 

Not giving up, the AutoCamp camp also offered to lower the total maximum number of guests again. 

In the end, the council offered to postpone the meeting or allow the applicants to reapply for consideration. 

Currently, it remains unclear if a follow-up meeting has been scheduled or if The Grange Campgrounds Project will reapply. 

As for the residents opposed to the project, a GoFundMe to support the anti-campground movement has currently raised $17,800.

'This is three blocks away from my home that I purchased in a residential zone!' one local wrote.

'I will fight this including going door to door to stop this nonsense. You will ruin what makes Napa one of the last places that isn't commercialized.'