Dairyman winery proposal on Highway 12 to undergo full environmental review

The PD reports below that after meeting with Efren, Joe Wagner is going to pursue a full analysis that may include an EIR for his proposed Dairyman winery, rather than hoping for a quick approval via the permit process. Efren's involvement could be seen as supportive of the project or against it. I'll hope it was against it. In any case, a full analysis was warranted if it were not to be dismissed out of hand.

Apparently Joe is willing to compromise ("make a plan to fix it"). So I considered what if it were scaled back so that he just used the grapes that are grown on the property (that are currently trucked out to another winery) and imported just that many grapes (can anybody calculate how many cases could be made from that? I'm guessing that would mean scaling back his proposal by at least 90%) into a new much smaller winery (so there would be a net zero change in the amount of grapes entering or leaving the property), and the tasting room and event hosting were equally vastly scaled back. I still got that the traffic danger (left turns on 12 - possibly involving alcohol) and the trail crossing impact were still unacceptable.

Water is a different story. No one is talking about planting grapes on what is now natural or fallow land. The same amount of grapes are going to be grown. This is just a question of where they would be processed. So seemingly it is going to be a net zero of water usage, though which water table/aquifer it would come from may vary.

Barry


https://img194.imageshack.us/img194/...1206081330.png
Large winery proposal on Highway 12 to undergo full environmental review

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/wacco...1_09-04-58.png

A Napa County winemaker whose plans for a large-scale winery and distillery on Highway 12 between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa have sparked significant dispute since they were unveiled earlier this year has decided to subject the project to a full environmental impact report in hopes of addressing the public’s many questions and concerns.

Joe Wagner, a member of the Caymus Vineyards winemaking family, said it’s been clear for weeks that the breadth of opposition to his Dairyman project demanded greater effort on his part to demonstrate its potential for improving the site’s appearance and productivity without substantial environmental harm.

He said he confirmed his decision to engage in a full-scale independent environmental review for the project after meeting last week with 5th District Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo, who agreed it was the right approach.

“Obviously, it’s expensive and lengthy,” Wagner said Friday, “but it is something that allows the community the opportunity to join in and chime in and become part of the process.”

But it’s not clear additional study will assuage Wagner’s critics, some of whom are holding a community gathering Saturday in Jenner to discuss the larger winery backlash that organizer Shepherd Bliss said has coalesced around the Dairyman plan and other recent winery proposals.

“It is a stoppable project,” said Bliss, a Sebastopol farmer and longtime activist, “and we will stop it.”

{snip}

“Just looking at the scope of the project and also the community’s concerns, it’s better to go full bore and show everybody the good, the bad and the ugly, and make a plan to fix it if there’s something that needs to be addressed,” Wagner said.

{snip}

Wagner contacted Carrillo, who met with him last week and reinforced the need for a full review of the project, both because of its scope and the political realities.

Carrillo said it was clear full environmental review “was absolutely necessary,” but said Wagner needed no real persuading.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Carrillo said.

Continues here (mostly a rehash the history of the project)

I agree that this project is WAY oversized . There are a number of other adjoining LEA parcels that could demand their own 500,000 case license if this is passed. Note Gallo just spent $90 million on J winery which has a 500,000 case permit, of which they only use 50,000. Seems like Dairyman could be worth $100 million once built.

I believe though Dairyman should be completely withdrawn, and not spend millions of $$$ on EIR consultants who only care about their fees. As in the meantime, the rest of us have to spend tremendous energy & concern trying to influence the process. We dont have millions to refute their 'experts'.

I don't think Mr Wagner appreciates that the West County community is going to spend 1-2 years organizing its opposition. Thats a lot of turmoil that he and his whole family needs to realize will cost everyone dearly.

Instead, if they withdraw this, he could propose something we could potentially support:

1) 10,000 case winery on site. Limited public events. A tasting room. Left turn lane still required (think $1-$2 million in land & fees)

2) industrial building elsewhere in county on land zoned for light industry. Water and sewer from Sonoma water agency. In area with existing truck traffic and other 50 foot buildings built to the property line..

The money saved in just canceling the EIR could buy the space at an industrial site.

I believe if the county approves this as proposed, it will be an eyesore like that golf range in Santa Rosa, only bigger & permanent.

:stoptheinsane:

This is not the location for a project of this type, of any size. The water, the event lighting, the left turn through opposing traffic, the inevitable stacking of cars at the Llano light, whose engines will be churning away awaiting traffic flow...none of this is acceptable in our community separator adjoining the Laguna. "No project"is one option by the EIR consultant,and that is what the verdict must be here. If it is not, Bryan is quite right. There will be opposition by the Community that will make the reaction to CVS and Barney Aldrich's first proposal for 300 market rate homes in Sebastopol's edge look like a picnic. Helen Shane

:shitstorm:

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Bryan:

I agree that this project is WAY oversized . There are a number of other adjoining LEA parcels that could demand their own 500,000 case license if this is passed...

---

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Helen Shane:

:stoptheinsane:

This is not the location for a project of this type, of any size. The water, the event lighting, the left turn through opposing traffic, the inevitable stacking of cars at the Llano light, whose engines will be churning away awaiting traffic flow...none of this is acceptable in our community separator adjoining the Laguna. "No project"is one option by the EIR consultant,and that is what the verdict must be here. If it is not, Bryan is quite right. There will be opposition by the Community that will make the reaction to CVS and Barney Aldrich's first proposal for 300 market rate homes in Sebastopol's edge look like a picnic. Helen Shane

:shitstorm:

---

People are really fed up. You can feel it. Globally, nationally, locally - there's a lot that has been heaped on the proverbial plate to deal with. People were distraught over Palm Drive, pissed about CVS, disappointed with The Barlow, unhappy with the current traffic and congestion, in addition to drought and water issues. There's no way this thing can pass without it getting ugly.

With residents being required to ration their water, not flushing toilets, watching their gardens die, wells going dry, their own property values decreasing because of it, I'll be damned if you could ever convince me why in the hell we need another winery/event center! This guy has other toys to play with. He needs to learn what "No" means. Messing with the Laguna is not an option. "No Project" is the ONLY option.

My appreciation to Barry for posting this PD story and for his comments. The PD article mentions our Sat. meeting in Jenner. It went well, and I will soon finish a story and send it to Waccobb.net. The focus of the gathering was to create a regional group from Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties. All four counties were represented.

We started with a 4 p.m. by invitation only gathering, to which some 20 people came. We then had a potluck, followed by a public event, to which around 40 people came. Presentations were given by six speakers, and we were done by 9 p.m. Then we socialized and built community.

We had our first regional meeting in Lake County in March, and our next one will be in Calistoga in May. People who are members of groups challenging vineyards or wineries should contact me to be invited to the pre-meeting. I will place an announcement here for the public part.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

The PD reports below that after meeting with Efren, Joe Wagner is going to pursue a full analysis that may include an EIR for his proposed Dairyman winery, rather than hoping for a quick approval via the permit process....

---

:attention:

Important Update on:

Dairyman’s Winery Event Center

From:

Neighbors to Preserve Rural Sonoma County

Dear Supporters:

We have learned that the Dairyman property owners do not have a deeded easement onto their land, crossing the Joe Rodota trail. This could be a major coup for us if we can convince Parks and Rec and the Board of Supervisors to deny them an easement BEFORE the applicant goes to all the trouble and expense of conducting an EIR.

Below is the press release sent to the PD today. Please read it and get the whole story!

In a separate email, we will be sending you some suggested verbiage to write letters to the Board of Supes and Park Dept., pressuring them to deny this easement. If Dairyman can't get a legal easement to conduct commercial business on this property, the project will die.

Thank you for your continued help and support!

For immediate release: Dairyman Opposition Group Asks County to Deny Easement over popular walking/bike path

Neighbors to Preserve Rural Sonoma County (PRSC), a 2-month old environmental organization with over 1,000 supporters, is challenging the proposed Dairyman Winery Event Center Project on Highway 12 between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol and has learned that the property owner has no deeded easement onto the property.

Representatives from the group met with Supervisor Efren Carrillo and county parks’ staff last week to request denial of an easement based on the driveway’s crossing the popular Joe Rodota walking and bike path used by 650 people daily, in addition to concerns raised by CalTrans’ review of the developer’s application.

PRSC representatives were informed by Supervisor Carrillo that Joe Wagner, the property owner, had agreed to an Environmental Impact Report and that the park department would make their recommendation whether to grant an easement or not, after all studies were in.

“We are asking the county to deny the easement under any circumstances,” said Padi Selwyn, co-chair of Neighbors to Preserve Rural Sonoma County. It is unfair to ask Mr. Wagner to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and 12 months of studies, plus untold hours of county staff time if he may not be able to get an easement on his property for commercial purposes. We think the county has this backwards – the easement issue must come first,” she added.

Granting commercial easements over public trails has historically been denied by the County. A few years back, the Santa Rosa Junior College was denied an easement over a public path and had to scrap plans for a west county campus off highway 116 North after a court challenge.

Cal Trans Department of Transportation has also expressed concern about the project, noting in their letter to the Sonoma County Permit and Resource Management Department:

“Major special events involving 300 and 600 guests may cause significant delays to SR (highway) 12. Temporary mitigation measures such as the use of the California Highway Patrol for traffic control at the intersection, shuttle buses, valet parking, encouraging car pooling and advanced public notice should be considered.”

Dairyman Winery and event center plans to hold 62 public events each year, according to their application. In addition to the bike path crossing the driveway into the Dairyman property, opponents object to the industrial use of agricultural land, where Wagner plans to produce 500,000 cases of wine and 250,000 gallons of spirits, of which 99% of the grapes used will have to be trucked in. In addition to hundreds of visitors attending events and tastings weekly, there would be approximately 1,500 tanker and truck crossings to bring in grapes, juice, bottling supplies and outward shipments of product.

"The proposed Dairyman Winery/Event Center would use over one billion gallons of California water annually in their production of wine and spirits during this drought,” said Selwyn.

“Because the state mandated 25% reduction in water use doesn't apply to farms at this time, local residents will be saving water so that a winery operator and visitors can use it for their profit and recreation. People are angry. It is not justifiable to expect residents to let their lawns go brown and curtail water usage while a Napa county vintner proposes an enormous project in the Laguna de Santa Rosa,” she added.

Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/preserveruralsonomacounty

Visit our website at - https://www.preserveruralsonomacounty.org

I agree.
What are we residents of Sonoma County,
the host for another "wine industry tick"? They are sucking the blood out of what we longer time residents of this area call home.
Their dream of profits from this area is not my dream as a resident and long time taxpayer.
So.Co. Supervisor- you can go to their boozy receptions and still vote no against their get rich schemes.
Ken Sund.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Victoria Street:

People are really fed up. You can feel it. Globally, nationally, locally - there's a lot that has been heaped on the proverbial plate to deal with...

---

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Ken Sund:

I agree.
What are we residents of Sonoma County,
the host for another "wine industry tick"? They are sucking the blood out of what we longer time residents of this area call home.
Their dream of profits from this area is not my dream as a resident and long time taxpayer.
So.Co. Supervisor- you can go to their boozy receptions and still vote no against their get rich schemes.
Ken Sund.

---

Ken...the Supeervisor is SOBER - so your comment is very disrespectful to someone in recovery.

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/wacco...0_16-41-16.png

I want to appreciate Sebastopol Tomorrow for broadcasting this persuasive statement. Now is an important time to speak out against this outrageous application. Due to the hundreds of people and groups that have written to the planners objecting to the Dairyman Winery and Event Center, they are now requiring an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which will probably take about a year and cost them around $500,000. Various groups are trying to convince the Napa Wagner wine family that has proposed this event center to back off now, before they invest more in it.

A four county North Coast meeting, by invitation only, is scheduled for May in Calistoga to have a regional plan to contain such wineries as event centers in rural parts of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino County. It follows on the April 11 gathering in Jenner attended by around 40 people, reported here in Waccobb.net. Sunday's Press Democrat is likely to have a story on the push-back by residents against wineries as commercial, industrial operations in northern Sonoma County. That article opens the door for letters to the editor and online comments. Now is a good time to add your voice on these developments. Though the Sebastopol City council voted 5-0 to recommend Dairyman's rejection, it is outside their jurisdiction and up to the Board of Supervisors to decide.

E-mail messages re Dairyman's to Jennifer Barrett. Deputy Director of Planning, working in the County's PRMD division, have been declined. We will attempt to find out why an employee of the County cannot or will not accept emails. If she prefers, we could call her by telephone, which would probably be far more burdensome. We will report back on this situation asap. Do please send email messages as requested at the end of the Sebastopol Tomorrow flyer below. Thanks for your action.

Quote:

---

Posted in reply to the post by Helen Shane:

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/wacco...0_16-41-16.png

---