YOUNTVILLE HILL WINERY / CS2 WINES, LLC - USE PERMIT AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE CONSERVATION REGULATIONS (P13-00279); VARIANCE (P13-00417); AND, VIEWSHED (P13-00416) 

CEQA Status: Consideration and possible adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration. According to the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project would have, if mitigation measures are not included, a potentially significant environmental impact in the following areas; Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, and Transportation/Traffic. The project is not included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5.

Request: Approval of a use permit and exception to the conservation regulations, a variance, and a viewshed application to establish a new winery with an annual production capacity of 100,000 gallons as follows: (1) construct two new winery buildings with approximately 14,019 sq. ft. of floor area, including a 1,208 sq. ft. reception building and a 12,811 sq. ft. winery, administration and visitor center building with 9,605 sq. ft. of unenclosed terraces; (2) construct approximately 35,588 sq. ft. of cave area, including a warming kitchen; (3) provide 37 on-site parking spaces; (4) establish a Marketing Plan with 48 events per year for a maximum of 50 guests at each event (half of the events will be scheduled to begin after 6:30 PM); six (6) events per year for a maximum of 100 guests at each event; two (2) events per year for a maximum of 200 guests at each event; and, two (2) wine auction events per year; (5) allow tours and tastings, which may include food paring, by appointment only for a maximum of 285 visitors per day with a maximum of 1,120 visitors per week (285 Sat/Su; 110/day Mon-Fri); (6) establish hours of operation from 6 AM to 3 PM (production staff), 8 AM to 5 PM (administrative staff) and 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM (hospitality staff – visitation would occur between 10 AM and 6 PM); 7 days a week; (7) allow on-premise consumption of the wines produced on-site in the winery administration and visitor center building and terraces pursuant to the Evans Bill (AB2004); (8) employ up to 19 people; (9) install a new on-site winery process and domestic wastewater treatment system; and, (10) new landscaping, driveway improvements, four water storage tanks (10,500 gallons each), and signage. The proposal also includes an exception to the conservation regulations to grade/construct improvements on slopes exceeding 30%, a viewshed application to construct on slopes 15% or greater and visible from a viewshed designated roadway (State Route 29) and a variance to allow the lower cave portal and winery related activities on the pad in front of the cave to encroach into the approximately 275-feet into the 600-foot setback from State Route 29, winery buildings to encroach into the 300-foot setback from a private road, a staircase at the rear of the winery building to encroach 6-feet into a 20-foot rear yard and a non-habitable portion of the structure/landscaped terrace and stairs at the third or roof level to encroach 15-feet into the 20-foot rear yard. The project site is comprised of two parcels that will be combined. An existing 4,000 sq. ft. residence (former bed & breakfast) and garage, the existing driveway from State Route 29 to the structures, and a cave will be removed as part of the proposal to facilitate construction of the winery, a new driveway, and associated improvements. The 10.9 acre project site is located on the east side of State Route 29 approximately ¼-mile south of the Yount Mill Road / State Route 29 intersection. APN’s: 031-130-028 & 029. 7400 St. Helena Hwy, Napa. 

Staff Recommendation: Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration and MMRP and approve the requested use permit, conservation regulation exception, variance and viewshed applications with the proposed conditions of approval.

Staff Contact: Sean Trippi, (707)-299-1353 or sean.trippi@countyofnapa.org

Applicant Contact: Lester Hardy, (707) 967-9610 or lester@lhardy.com

CONTINUED FROM THE MARCH 19,  APRIL 16, AND JUNE 18, 2014 (CANCELED) MEETINGS

LMR RUTHERFORD ESTATE WINERY/LMR RUTHERFORD PARTNERS, LLC - USE PERMIT APPLICATION, #P13-00167-UP & P13-00185-VAR

CEQA Status:  Consideration and possible adoption of a Negative Declaration. According to the proposed Negative Declaration, the proposed project would not have any potentially significant environmental impacts. The project site is not included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5.

Request: Approval of a use permit application to establish a new winery with an annual production capacity of 100,000 as follows: (1) Construct a new 11,000± sq.ft.wine production facility, including a 4,164± sq. ft. covered tank pad and a 4,164± sq.ft. covered crush pad for a total of 19,328 sq. ft.; construct a new 816 sq. ft. storage building; and construct a new 1,360 sq.ft. administrative office building with conference rooms; (2) Relocate an existing driveway and construct a new 20' wide driveway to the proposed office building; (3) Relocate an existing greenhouse for the construction f a new 7-space employee parking lot and expand an existing farm stand visitor parking area from 4 to 12 spaces, for a total of 19 parking spaces on-site; (4) Use an existing, 2,400 sq.ft., open-air pavilion for tastings and marketing; (Remodel an existing restroom for use by visitors and employees; (6) Allow hosted daily tours and tastings for wine trade personnel and consumers by appointment only for a maximum 50 persons per day and a maximum 350 per week in the open air pavilion; (7) Allow on-premise consumption of the wines produced on-site pursuant to the Evans Bill (AB2004) in the open-air Pavilion of on the south porch of the winery; (8) Employ up to 9 people for the winery, 6 full-time, 3 part-time; (9) Install a new on-site winery process and domestic wastewater treatment system; (10) Install a transient non-community water system; (11) Remove an existing barn; (12) Establish hours of operation from 7:00 AM to 6:00PM (production hours) and 10:00AM to 4:00PM (visitation hours), 7-days a week; (13) New landscaping and signage; (14) Establish a Marketing Program: 24 private promotional tastings and meals per  year for a maximum of 35 people per event; Two (2) harvest party events per year for a maximum of 100 guests at each event, between the hours of 10:00AM and 11:00 PM; Six (6) marketing evens such as barrel tastings, auctions and other social events, including meals and music for a maximum 60 people in the open-air pavilion or on the south porch of the winery. The application also includes a variance request pursuant to County Code Section 18.104.230, to allow construction of the proposed wine production building within the State Highway 29 600-ft winery setback area. The project is located on a 30 acre parcel on the east side of State Highway 29, approximately 1/4 mile north of the State Highway 29/State highway 128 intersection, within the AP (Agricultural Preserve) zoning district; 1790 St. Helena Highway South, Rutherford, CA 94573; APN: 030-100-016. 

Staff Contact:  Wyntress Balcher; (707) 299-1351; wyntress.balcher@countyofnapa.org

Applicant Contact:  Jon Webb, Albion Surveys, Inc (707) 963-1217; jwebb@albionsurveys.com

CONTINUED FROM JUNE 4, 2014 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING