City of St. Helena v. Public Utilities Commission

Opinion

REARDON, J.

In this writ of review, the City of St. Helena (City or St. Helena) seeks annulment of various decisions of the state Public Utilities Commission (Commission or PUC) conferring public utility status on the Napa Valley Wine Train, Inc. (Wine Train). At issue is whether the City is preempted, by reason of the Wine Train’s public utility status, from exercising its local jurisdiction regarding the placement of a Wine Train station in downtown St. Helena. We find the Wine Train does not qualify as a common carrier providing transportation, and is not subject to regulation as a…