winery expansion

Tackling Winery Permits, rebuttal to NorthBay Business Journal article

Community Rights, Crony Capitalism, News / January 27, 2020

Editor: Thanks for your recent article “Tackling Winery Permits” which notes that one proposal “being floated for managing winery permits in rural Sonoma County is citizen advisory committees, which could get a first look at applications and make recommendations…..” This approach raises serious issues. In Dry Creek for example, where this type of committee has …

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Winery issues don’t need more committees

Big Wine, Community Rights, Events, Letters, News, Opinion, Resources / February 19, 2019

Kicking the can down the road again…… “It is troubling, however, that after over five years of pushing the county to complete these standards, which were required as part of the 2008 General Plan, it is now considering the formation of another committee. Work has already been done by county officials during the Winery Working …

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Sonoma Locals Continue To Struggle With New Winery Construction

Big Wine, News, Resources / October 3, 2018

She adds that between 2000 and 2015 there has been a 300-percent increase in the number of new wineries in the county. “Existing wineries, event centers and tasting rooms would benefit by slowing down the relentless competition they are all experiencing! Because of all the competition they face […nearly 500 wineries/tasting rooms here competition for the …

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New Napa Valley Book Grim About Direction of Valley, State

Big Wine, Groundwater, Tourism / March 23, 2018

  By Mike Dunne in the Sacramento Bee A new book by an expert on the Napa Valley isn’t hopeful about the direction Napa has taken: water availability, traffic congestion, pollution and erosion in the valley, and corporate takeover of family wineries have denigrated what once was seen as an agricultural Eden. http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/wine/dunne-on-wine/article202232974.html

Countywide groups file appeal of Westside Farm Winery/Event Development

Big Wine, News, Resources / October 8, 2017

From our friends at Preserve Rural Sonoma County: Several Sonoma County groups and their representatives have appealed the September 21st Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) approval of a large winery and event center at 7097 Westside Road near Healdsburg, the site of historic Westside Farms. A main concern is that many of the project’s features set dangerous precedents …

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Walt Ranch vineyard project in Napa contested by environmental group

Big Wine, News / August 23, 2016

Is this what peak wine looks like? http://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/5979046-181/walt-ranch-vineyard-project-in BILL SWINDELL THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | August 16, 2016, 7:51PM An environmental group filed an appeal Tuesday with the Napa County Board of Supervisors over a controversial vineyard conversion project that is backed by a prominent and politically connected wine family. The Oakland-based Center for Biological Diversity …

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