Paul Hobbs Winery breaks more rules

[Shepherd]

Attorney Kimberly Burr and geologist Jan Nielson, Ph.D., have issued the following alert about Paul Hobbs Winery wanting to cut more trees. Please read the following from them and consider attending the Oct. 8, Tues., Board of Supervisors meeting.

Summary Report is here:
https://sonoma-county.granicus.com/M...meta_id=121469

"Dedication of the easement is a condition of approval of a Timber Harvest Plan (THP) approved for the site in October 2010 by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The property owner has requested that the easement be recorded by October 8, 2013, so the property owner may resolve a Cal Fire violation stemming from the premature initiation of timber harvesting on the site, and thus extend the time limit of the THP."

Begin forwarded message From: Jane Nielson <[email protected]>

There's another Hobbs project that seems set to be approved by the Board of Supervisors via a sham process. This needs fast action!

From Kimberly Burr.

The item is no. 8 on the October 8 BOS agenda, with regard to a Hobbs vineyard:

AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
(Directors: Gorin, Rabbitt, Zane, McGuire, Carrillo)
8. Adopt a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District accepting a Deed and Agreement conveying an Open Space Easement and assigning development rights on property owned by the Paul Hobbs Trust, dba Hillick Ranch, and authorizing the President to execute, on behalf of the District, the Deed and Agreement and a Certificate of Acceptance pursuant to Government Code Section 27281. (Fifth District)

This an attempt at an end run around regulations that afford an open-space easement as the public benefit component of the new local rule governing conversions of forests to vineyards. This is a precedent-setting interpretation of "public benefit," which is likely to allow faster conversions.

In this case, nobody has seen the language of the easement and the erosion control plan is not complete, along with other obscure details. Sound like Hobbs??

Hobbs is still dealing with the DA over this illegal cut of redwoods on the hill above Pocket Canyon Creek, and must not be allowed to slip through some sort of easement that no one has had a chance to evaluate, and which will be used to grease the wheels for his illegal vineyard conversion.

This item must not be considered separately form the conversion permit and use permit. If it is, the County will be put in an untenable position when Hobbs comes back and says the BOS must approve his vineyard. The County does not have to approve anything.

But if this easement is sneaked through, it will make a thorough review harder (maybe make it impossible), and will set precedent for future conversions that so many have fought so hard to manage in sensitive West County hillslope areas.

These projects must be evaluated as a whole, so they can be completely understood. The process must be fair and transparent. Adequate public notice must be provided.

Action: Please call or email the BOS and have them confirm that Item 8 will be pulled from Oct. 8 consent calendar. Ask to be put on the notification list.

Supe emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Phone: 565-2241 and ask for the supervisor (you'll get their aides, most likely).

Please share this message with anyone you know who is fighting the Hobbs Watertrough vineyard.

Jane

Jane E. Nielson, Ph.D., PG
(707) 829-9393
I don't have a pessimistic view -- I have a long view.
I.F. Stone