In July and August 2014, Carla Ramey submitted letters to the Westside infoZone. The infoZone editor responded that we'd post her letters once the Use Permit Application was submitted for the Initial Study phase round of comments. The infoZone Editor clarified what the community groups do in terms of reviewing potential Use Permit projects as follows:
" Carla - I’m responding as the editor of the InfoZone and not in the official capacity of the WCA Advisory Committee.
However, I’m hoping that some clarifications on the process will be helpful in further discussions. The reality is we can only evaluate the specifics of an application based on its cumulative impact on our scenic corridor, rural character and road safety concerns. And, our challenge is that Westside Road already has over 27 permitted wineries, so the current baseline traffic levels from all existing winery uses and permitted events are significantly higher than the happy weekends of the pumpkin patch.
Please let us know when your revised proposal is submitted to the County, and the Advisory Committee will review so we can update the information on the website. In line with the County’s comments, are concerns are with the Marketing Center - commercial kitchens and large dining spaces raise legitimate concerns about Ag facilities morphing into commercial restaurants. And, we remain concerned about road safety and noise associated with any events that extend past tasting room hours. Given the County’s Use Permits run with the land, we have to be mindful that the property can be sold to owners who are not connected to the welfare of our community.
We want to ensure you that our comments are focused on the project itself, and are not intended in any way to be personal toward you and your family. We welcome you and your family as neighbors who care about the land, are pleased you are retaining your ranch-manager with sustainable farming practices, and applaud you for the work you’ve done to improve the riparian corridor.