Coming Soon: AutoCamp Napa The Grange ?

A little birdie told us it was in the works, but we waited for more info. It’s true: AutoCamp has purchased property in Napa, California, and AutoCamp Napa The Grange is in the works!

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Location

An undeveloped 12 1/2-acre parcel in Napa could soon become AutoCamp’s second location in California wine country. The proposed area is on the west side of Silverado Trail between Hagen Road and Stonecrest Drive.

This will be about an 1:30 away from the AutoCamp Russian River location in Sonoma, which is in Guerneville. AutoCamp Russian River was AutoCamp’s very first location in 2014.

This is noteworthy because they will be the 2 closest locations of properties in the AutoCamp portfolio. The next two closest are AutoCamp Yosemite and the newest AutoCamp to open – AutoCamp Sequoia. Those are 2:40 minutes apart, so as you can see, having 2 locations only 90 minutes apart is quite noteworthy.

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Lodging Types

Well, this is unusual: the types of lodging on the 12.5 acres “could include a mix of teepees, yurts and stationary camper trailers.”

Teepees and yurts?! At AutoCamp?! This would be all new for AutoCamp. They’ve never had yurts, and the only “teepee” style tents were at AutoCamp Cape Cod when they had “mini-basecamps,” which were a tiny teepee for kids along with an Airstream for the grownups. They no longer have them, by the way.

Interesting that there is no mention of any type of cabin – what used to be the X Suite or typical cabins that are popping up at AutoCamp Catskills and AutoCamp Asheville.

The site plan is hard to read, but it’s clear that to the right of the blue line, there appear to be 2 types of either Airstreams or Airstreams and cabins. To the left of the blue line, those tiny squares could be tents, yurts, or teepees. Note the Milliken Creek.

We’re keeping a close eye on how AutoCamp continues to change and evolve with their lodging types.

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Community Buildings and Spaces

Along with the glamping units of all these varieties, the Napa resort would include five permanent buildings and a recreational activity space, with a clubhouse, pool and lounge area, trails, a pedestrian path and more. This is very much in line with all the other AutoCamp locations.

So far, we’ve seen 2 photos of what the property will look like.

These are quite generic, but clearly AutoCamp is working on the plans and their submissions to garner approval of the property.

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Flooding Concerns

This is super serious, especially in light of what happened in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee – and the long term impact on AutoCamp Asheville due to the historic flooding. See the Milliken Creek on the map, above.

A news source based in Napa said:

Jeremy Sill, a civil engineer and member of a development team of four Napans, said a four-home subdivision was previously approved at the site in 2018. But that was never built because the project didn’t pencil out, he said, owing to challenges with flood mitigation.

That led to the development team then seeking to increase the number of residential units on that project, he said. But planning commissioners in March 2021 said they didn’t think that was a good idea because of the site’s environmental constraints.

Flooding and “environmental constraints” are not necessarily the same issue. If flooding is the concern, there are a number of issues for AutoCamp to address.

1. We have learned that all the Airstreams and cabins in Asheville were moved to higher ground prior to the flood destroying the area. Of course, the Airstreams are always on wheels, but AutoCamp keeps license plates on them! The former X Suites – now “cabins” are also on wheels with plates. The traditional cabins are not on wheels, but they are elevated several feet. The community buildings – the clubhouse in particular – will likely be elevated.
2. AutoCamp will likely make arrangements for the movement of the lodgings in event of flooding forecasted.
3. There will be concerns about the septic and water systems being damaged – and potentially impacting the river – due to a severe flood.

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Community Objections

AutoCamp is no stranger to running up against local objections to new AutoCamp locations. They lost out on Grand Canyon and Sedona due to very strong opposition. They are also facing opposition in Napa.

Public commenters at the Oct. 17 meeting raised concerns about

• increased traffic
• traffic safety problems
• whether the project would pay hotel-room taxes
• fire risk
• environmental impacts of the project

AutoCamp Napa The Grange: Will AutoCamp Proceed?

We have big questions whether AutoCamp will truly proceed with this property. Sure, their lodgings are on wheels, but AutoCamp Asheville, which was due to open on November 8, is blacked out through the entirety of the next 12 month calendar (which is as far as they go).

Having to move all lodgings – and then deal with the cleanup of the property and potential damage to both sewer and water systems – could very well make them re-consider this location, given what they just experienced in Asheville.

We’ll keep an eye on the project.