Westside Farms Update 

2017 Planning Commission Approval Appeal: WCA representatives met with the applicant and County staff over the course of three  years, working to reduce the scale and impacts from the proposed project given site constraints, historic resources, noise and road safety issues. The WCA August, 2017 Letter was submitted into the record prior to the September 21, 2017 Planning Commission Hearing, as were previous WCA letters (below) and a letter outlining the deficiencies in the Noise Study. At the hearing, Advisory Committee representatives supported County Staff's original finding that the Uniform Rules for Ag Preserves (Williamson Act), do not allow the hospitality uses proposed for the Baling Barn, and submitted evidence that the Barn does not comply with the definition of "Guest Quarters".  

A coalition of community groups, outside the Westside Area, appealed the decision to the Board of Supervisors.  A date for the Appeal has not been set by the County.  

July 2015: In response to WCA concerns, the Ramey's provided a letter with information on certain aspects of their project, and the Deputy Director of Planning clarified a mutual-misunderstanding as to County policy. After two Landmarks Commission hearings, it was unclear as to the sizes and locations of the winery and large-scale visitor serving facilities.  The Ramey's stated that they have merged the six acre parcel in with the larger agricultural parcel, yet no lot line adjustment information was submitted.

On January 14, 2015, the Westside Community Association filed a letter of concern with the PRMD. Issues of concern include the Ramey's large scale proposed facilities located in the scenic corridor and moving their 60,000 case winery from its current location in Healdsburg with access to the Hwy 101 corridor, to our scenic, rural byway that is already burdened by an over concentration of winery-tasting-event facilities.  Correction to typo: 24, not 44 events. 

On December 2, 2014, the WCA Advisory Committee members presented  a letter and testified at the joint Design Review and Landmarks Commission (historic properties) hearing.  Our letter raised substantive issues relative to scenic corridor restrictions and the regulations concerning reconstruction of non-conforming structures.  

The Ramey LLC proposal is still in the Initial Study phase, and just like we did with Hop Kiln, letters of concern are needed to help shape this proposal into a potential project that fits with Westside Road's unique rural character.

-------- Clarifications to previous post

Ramey Vineyards (located at the old Westside Farms property) at 7097 Westside submitted Application UPE 14-0008 to the County on January, 2 2014 for a new 60,000 case winery, wine caves, a commercial kitchen, marketing accommodations, tasting room, Marketing Center/ event facility and 24 events.

The County Deputy Director clarified the application reference to sourcing from five counties not as a policy but more a principle or guideline, providing a range of possibilities given the geographic location and size of the proposed winery:

Local area as it is referred to in the Zoning Code and General Plan with respect to agricultural processing is viewed as relative to the size of the winery. A rather large winery could import from a larger geographic region than a small boutique winery.  It also depends on location and how close the site is to the county boundary.  We have asked wineries to specify the primary source of grapes in their proposals which are incorporated by reference into their use permits. If a winery proposes to import from 5 counties it would be looked at as a potential issue for consistency with the General Plan and zoning policies allowing processing for agricultural products grown or processed on site or in the local area.

The Ramey's clarified that at 61 cases/ton 13,000 cases or about 22% of production will be on-site with the remainder sourced from Sonoma and Napa (1/3) counties.   

On October 7, 2014, the County sent the Application out for agency and public comment. 

October 7, 2014 Ramey Vineyards LLC Application UPE 14-0008 was released for Initial Study phase, prior to final studies and preparation of reports for the Planning Commission/BZA Hearing.  

Item #1: Dec 2, 2014 Landmarks Commission/ Design Review Hearing: The WCA Advisory Committee members attended this hearing and raised the concern of intense event-related facilities within the 200 foot setback of our Scenic corridor.  And, the WCA Advisory Committee raised questions relative to the expansion of non-conforming structures in their December 2, 2014 letter. 

Item #2:  Land Conservation Contract (Williamson Act) Inconsistencies: The proposal does not appear to answer the Feb 2nd questions from the County Planner: Letter of Concern, October 27 Westside Association to Save Agriculture, requesting County to revisit consistency with Williamson Act requirements.  Williamson Act inconsistencies for the Baling Barn kitchen, over night accommodations, and entertainment lounge.  

Mr Ramey clarified that the architectural drawing key on Graphic labeled A1-01 with attached Event table, that reads "Restaurant" and "Private Club" does not indicate Ramey's have a plan for a restaurant. We agree that Restaurants are not allowed on LIA lands, however as Permit rights are transferred at ownership, our concern is that the Baling Barn configuration, with on-site food preparation in a commercial kitchen, can easily morph into restaurant and private club uses.   

The square footage of different hospitality uses is still unclear, as hospitality and office uses are incorporated into the west side winery complex as well as the historic buildings on the East side. The elements of concern to the neighborhood include the large scale of the project and intensification of a non-conforming use in the scenic corridor, especially with the characteristics:

• Two public tasting rooms in Hop Kilns and tasting rooms in winery
• On site food preparation: Kitchen(s) in winery and baling barn
• 2nd floor of Baling Barn is a large open room attached to a commercial kitchen 
• 3rd floor of Baling Barn has 2 over night accommodations with baths and private lounges, and 
• Elevated walkway and significant outdoor entertaining space.  

Item #4: 22 Promotional Events, with the potential of long-duration drinking until 9 pm at night and on-site food preparation, proposed for both indoor and outdoor locations.  

February 2, 2014 Letter from the County Planner - Traci Tesconi - informing the Applicant of the following excerpts of changes and clarifications required to deem their Application complete.  (Letter also includes drawings and diagrams of all proposed facilities.)

Item 1: The historic hop kiln and the bale barn (proposed as a “marketing center” with a commercial kitchen and marketing accommodations) buildings are within the 200’ Scenic Corridor setback, and two buildings exceed 35 foot limit, requiring preliminary and final Design Review.  And, provide a historical evaluation for the hop kiln and bale barn structures and a Cultural Resource Survey.

Item 2: Williamson Act Inconsistencies: As proposed the “marketing Center” structure contains 2 bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper floor, an open marketing area and commercial kitchen on the middle floor, and a general storage area on the lower floor.  Neither our zoning dwellng unit densities, nor the Williamson Act contract allows another dwelling unit on the parcel. Therefore, the marketing center requires revisions.

Item 3: The amount of marketing and administrative office uses should not exceed 15% of the winery size to be considered “incidental” in use.

Item 4: Clarify Events:  Application proposed  24 special events, assumed to include industry-wide events, and on-site food preparation.  

Clarify Events:  Application proposed  24 special events, assumed to include industry-wide events: 

• • 4 outdoor events with up to 250 guests
  • 5 events with up to 120 guests
  • 5 catered events with up to 60 guests
  • On-site food preparation for 10 winemaker lunches or dinners for up to 30 guests

Noise Concern:  Location of Events: Application states that depending on the size of the event, they will be held in the Marketing Center (baling barn); outdoors in the scenic corridor between the hop kiln and the Marketing Center; in the winery or outdoors under the black walnut grove between the vineyard and the Russian River.  Note the Noise Study, completed by Illingsworth & Rodkin, concluded that  any “…amplified music and speech should occur during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) within the events (baling) barn or in the picnic (black walnut) grove.”