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    Shepherd's Avatar
    Shepherd
     

    Yesterday's Hop Kiln Winery Hearing

    Following are three things related to yesterday's Hop Kiln Winery hearing: a link to the PD article, comments in response to it by about 5 a.m., and an email from Marc Mersbach, a neighbor quoted in the article. Please consider adding your comments. Fortunately, all the comments so far challenge Hop Kiln to do the right thing.

    Especially if you were there, please send me your experience of the hearing, since I have been writing about these matters since 2001 and plan to continue doing so. What is happening here in our precious and vulnerable redwood empire reaches far beyond our wonderful North Bay and is of interest to editors and readers elsewhere in the U.S. and even beyond.
    Shepherd

    Sonoma County board OKs Hop Kiln Winery expansion, with limits

    Shepherd Bliss • 
The fact that over 100 people came to a hearing during the middle of a work day is impressive. What is left out of this story strikes me. As with other large winery owners and managers, CEO David Di Loreto is not in the habit of following the rules, which are timid and not enforced. Hop Kiln's previous violations include erecting a metal awning & tent canopy without a permit and low-flying helicopters for Hop Kiln patrons, driving neighbors crazy. The narrow, scenic Westside Rd. already has 27 tasting rooms. When is enough enough?

    It takes around 30 gallons of water to make one glass of wine. Gov. Brown asks us to conserve water, yet these large wineries can extract as much water as they want. We do need "new regulations," as the article reports. But who will make those regulations? It will probably be the fox (wine industry) guarding the hen house (the rest of us). The wine industry rules Sonoma County, and exports our water around the world, enriching the wine barons, rather than we residents. The County admits that it does not have the night-time staff to enforce their regulations.


    

Edgar Wood • 
Our fearless leaders surly endorse those who bribe them. 






    

Dwimby • 
And the water to service this winery expansion will come from where? Jupiter? Or maybe Iowa? Special water lines from Iowa? Right. (Iowa has water?) Our bought and sold politicians continue their march beyond mere idiocracy which was formerly thought impossible, but they are proving otherwise. County leadership is inscrutable and hopeless.


    

Thomas Bonfigli • 
While I would have preferred that ANY expansion be denied outright, I am gratified that the Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments did not shirk their responsibilities to the public which they serve and to which they are ultimately accountable and, instead, opted to place some rather stringent restrictions and conditions upon the applicant in order to address and assuage the numerous well-founded concerns which were raised by concerned neighbors who will be impacted by the activities at this winery and events center and to which the applicant should make each and every effort to comply with in an effort to be a good neighbor.
Well done, north county folks - and all others from throughout our county who assisted in each and every way!


    From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
    Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 7:04 PM

    I just got my glass of wine, and I am going start sending a million thank yous out for all of the support.

    It was pretty touch and go, and when it was over I wasn't exactly sure how we did, but the PD reporter came up to me and asked if I would declare it a victory. He said we had an impressive showing with over 100 people for a day time event, and that everyone seemed very committed.

    We got them to go with about half of the items we were asking for, and the most important being that they went with our request on the events-- cutting it from 16 down to 4 events plus 8 industry. They are allowing the indoor events to go to 9 PM unfortunately, but any outdoor events must end at 5 PM.

    Getting the events scaled way back is a great precedent going into the discussions with the County and send a message that they are going to carefully scrutinize project on Westside Road

    I think with the PD articles, the strong showing at the hearing, and a good precedent set, we are moving the ball down the field.

    So thank you all for coming. It is really powerful to have all of that backing and it is not lost on the commissioners, the press, the industry and the supervisors.You all did an awesome job with your speaking.

    Thank you , Thank you, Thank you.

    Marc
    Last edited by thedaughter; 04-03-2015 at 01:28 PM.
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