TAPLIN ASSOCIATES, LLC / TAPLIN CELLARS WINERY / USE PERMIT NO. P20-00165-UP

CEQA Status: Consideration and possible adoption of a Categorical Exemption pursuant to §15303 (Class 3, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) of the State Guidelines and under Appendix B of Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing CEQA (Additional Categorically Exempt Projects in Napa County), Item No. 10 – Construction and operation of small wineries, other agricultural processing facilities and farm management uses that: (a) are less than 5,000 square feet in size excluding caves; (b) will involve either no cave excavation, or excavation sufficient to create no more than 5,000 additional square feet within all of the excavated cave spoils to be used on site; (c) will produce 20,000 gallons of wine or less per year; (d) will generate less than 40 vehicle trips per day and 5 peak hour trips except on those days when marketing events are taking place; (e) will hold no more than 10 marketing events per year, each with no more than 30 attendees, except for one wine auction event with up to 100 persons in attendance; and 5) hold no temporary events.

Request: Approval of a use permit would allow for the following: 1) establishment of a 20,000 gallon per year winery within an approximately 3,615 square foot portion of an existing, approximately 5,800 square foot agricultural structure; 2) tours and tastings for up to 12 guests per day/80 guests per week during harvest season and up to 16 guests per day/90 persons per week during non-harvest season; 3) up to eight (8) marketing events per year with up to 30 guests per event and one (1) annual wine auction event for up to 100 guests; 4) catered food during events; onsite wine consumption (AB 2004) within the winery coverage area; 5) two full-time employees, with an additional two part-time employees during harvest season; 6) production hours between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday and visitation hours between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday; 7) road improvements, consistent with the Napa County Road and Street standards, beginning at the intersection of Lewelling Lane and State Highway 29 and ending at the entrance to the proposed winery; 8) replacement of the existing, manual gate on Lewelling Lane with an electronic gate; 9) construction of a parking area with six (6) parking stalls, one of which will be ADA compatible; and 10) the addition of a 1,036 square foot covered crush pad to the northwest side of the existing, 5,800 square foot agricultural structure. The subject property is comprised of approximately 20 acres, is zoned Agricultural Preserve (AP) with a General Plan land use designation of Agricultural Reserve (AR) and is located at 1677 Lewelling Lane in the St. Helena area, APN 027-100-005.

Staff Recommendation: Find the project Categorically Exempt from CEQA and approve Use Permit P20-00165, as conditioned.

Staff Contact: Melanie Jackson, Planner III, (707) 259-8194; melanie.jackson-couch@countyofnapa.org

Applicant Contact: Bill Taplin, Taplin Associates, LLC., (707) 696-9962; bill@taplincellars.com 

Applicant Representative Contact: George Monteverdi, Monteverdi Consulting, LLC., (707) 761-2516; George@monteverdiconsulting.com 

FRANK FAMILY VINEYARDS, LLC / BENJAMIN RANCH WINERY / USE PERMIT APPLICATION NO. P13-00371-UP

CEQA Status: Consideration and possible adoption of a Revised Mitigated Negative Declaration. According to the proposed Revised Mitigated Negative Declaration, revised to reflect the amended use permit project scope, the proposed project would not have any potentially significant environmental impacts with incorporation of mitigation measures pertaining to Biological Resources and Transportation. 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 to establish a winery with development on 8 acres of an approximately 85.1-acre project site. The winery would produce up to 475,000 gallons of wine per year in approximately 87,292 square feet of building area that would house business/administrative functions, a commercial kitchen for preparation of meals for winery employees, and rooms for conducting winery tours and tastings, in addition to barrel storage and wine production functions. The proposed winery would: a) operate daily between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; b) include a wine marketing program consisting of up to 357 9 catered events per year for up to 16 to 150 guests per event, including participation in the Napa Valley Wine Auction; c) offer wine tours and tastings by appointment for up to 400 150 people per day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and up to 300 people per day on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, inclusive of guests attending marketing events (the number of daily tours and tastings would be reduced by a number equal to the number of guests planned to attend a marketing event on that same day), and with tours and tastings offered daily between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; d) offer retail sale of wine and wine-related items, along with allowance for consumption on-site of wine purchased on the premises pursuant to Business and Professions Code Sections 23358, 23390 and 23396.5; and e) employ up to 61 full-time and part-time staff members. The proposed project would require demolition of an existing shed currently used for vineyard management, on-site relocation of an existing storage barn, and redevelopment of a portion of the site with new winery and hospitality buildings, 75 94 parking stalls, and a new access driveway from Conn Creek Road/State Route 128, and installation of a left-turn lane on Conn Creek Road/State Route 128 at the new access driveway near the southeastern corner of the site. The property at 8895 Conn Creek Road, St. Helena, is located in the AP (Agricultural Preserve) Zoning District and has a General Plan land use designation of AR (Agricultural Resource). The property is assigned with Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 030-120-016 and 030-120-017.

The public hearing on this application was opened on September 16, 2020. On September 15, 2020, the applicant submitted a revised use permit project scope that included changes to proposed visitation, marketing and off-site improvements, as noted by the strikethrough and boldface types in the paragraph above. After accepting written and oral testimony on the matter at the September 16, 2020, the Planning Commission continued the public hearing on this application to a date uncertain to allow the applicant time to update and submit for staff review the various project technical reports to reflect the revised project scope.

Staff Recommendation: Adopt the Revised Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the project and approve Use Permit Application No. P13-00371-UP, as conditioned.

Staff Contact: Dana Ayers, Consultant Planner, phone number (925) 688-2490 or email address dayers@trccompanies.com; or Charlene Gallina, Supervising Planner, phone (707) 299-1355 or email address Charlene.gallina@countyofnapa.org

Applicant: Frank Family Vineyards, LLC; phone number (707) 942-0859; email address rfrank@frankfamilyvineyards.com

Applicant Representative: Scott Greenwood-Meinert, Coblentz Patch Duffy Bass, LLP; phone number (707) 603-2722; email address sgreenwood-meinert@coblentzlaw.com

CONTINUED FROM THE SEPTEMBER 16, 2020, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING