MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE

CONSERVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING COMMISSION

COUNTY OF NAPA

 

September 17, 2003

 

 

1.         Call to Order.

THE CONSERVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE COUNTY OF NAPA MET IN REGULAR SESSION, WEDNESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 17, 2003, AT 9:00 A.M.  THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY CHAIR SCOTT AT 9:00 A.M.

 

 

2.         Roll Call.

THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT: CHAIRPERSON TERRY SCOTT, COMMISSIONERS JIM KING, JOHN DICKSON AND BOB FIDDAMAN. 

COMMISSIONER DAVID GRAVES WAS EXCUSED AT ROLL CALL, BUT ARRIVED DURING ITEM 4.

 

 

3.         Pledge of Allegiance.

DEBRA BLODGETT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WINEGROWERS OF NAPA VALLEY,     LED THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG.

 

 

4.         Citizen Comments and Recommendations.

            NONE

 

 

5.         Approval of Minutes.

            APPROVED MINUTES OF MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2003.

                                                                        JK-BF-TS-DG-JD

                                                                                             A    A

 

APPROVED MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAY 1, 2002.

                                                                        JK-TS-DG-BF-JD

                                                                                             A               A

 

            CONTINUED MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAY 15, 2002.

                                                                       

 

6.         Agenda Review.

            NO CHANGES.   

 

 

Public Hearings

 

 

7.         Items to be decided without additional testimony.

            NONE

 

 

8.         Beringer Blass Winery Inc. / Beringer Blass Wine Estates Company - Use Permit Modification Request #03228-MOD
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status:  Categorically Exempt, class 1, minor changes to existing facilities.          
Request:  Request to modify Use Permit U-638687 to: (1) increase winery production from 76,000

gallons to 150,000 gallons per year; (2) add 14 fermentation tanks inside an existing approved structure; (3) reduce the number of average visitors per week for public tours and tasting from 1,000 to 740; (4) increase full-time employees from 5 to 19, and decrease part-time employees from 7 to 5; (5) adopt a marketing plan consisting of:  three events per day with a maximum of 15 persons (average of three) per event; two events per month with a maximum of 50 persons average of 20) per event; four events per year with a maximum of 250 persons (average of 100) per event.  Three events per year with a maximum of 300 persons per event; wine auction events with a maximum of 200 persons annually.  The project is located on the east side of Cuttings Wharf Road, 900 feet south of its intersection with Middle Avenue, within an AW:AC (Agricultural Watershed:Airport Compatibility) zoning district.  (Assessor’s Parcel #047-230-033)

1250 Cuttings Wharf Road, Napa.       

            COMMISSIONER DAVID GRAVES RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THIS ITEM DUE TO

            A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

 

PUBLIC HEARING HELD - TESTIMONY PRESENTED

 

            ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:  THE COMMISSION FOUND THE PROJECT

CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT, CLASS 1, MINOR CHANGES TO EXISTING OPERATIONS AND STRUCTURES.

                                                                        BF-JK-JD-TS

                                                                                               

           

THE COMMISSION APPROVED USE PERMIT #03228-MOD BASED ON FINDINGS

11 THROUGH 15, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 1 THROUGH 20.  

                                                                        BF-JK-JD-TS                        

                                                                                                           

 

9.         Ehlers Estate Winery / New Vavin Inc. – Use Permit Modification Request #03217-MOD       

CEQA Status:  Negative Declaration Prepared. According to the proposed Negative Declaration, the proposed project would have no potentially significant environmental impacts.  This project site is not on any of the lists of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government code section 656962.5.

Request:  Approval to modify Use Permit #U-297576 and #U-91-15 to:  (1) partially replace and expand to two stories an existing winery production building totaling 13,414 square feet, add a 135 square foot vestibule/restroom to the existing historic winery building, remove a 276 square foot laboratory, construct 11,220 square feet of caves, for a winery totaling ±29,950 square feet; (2) construct a 900 square foot covered walkway to the cave portal; (3) modify the existing winery sign; (4) relocate five parking spaces and add a 2,000 square foot loading area.  The project is located on a 14.02-acre parcel on the east side of Ehlers Lane approximately 1,400 feet east of its intersection from St. Helena Highway North within an AP (Agricultural Preserve) zoning district. (Assessor’s Parcel #022-100-024) 3222 Ehlers Lane, St. Helena.

            PUBLIC HEARING HELD - TESTIMONY PRESENTED

 

 

 

9.         Continued

 

THE COMMISSION APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL RECOMMENDATIONS

1 THROUGH 6 AND ADOPTED THE NEGATIVE DECLARATION.

                                                                        JK-BF-JD-DG-TS

 

THE COMMISSION APPROVED USE PERMIT #03217-MOD BASED ON FINDINGS

10 THROUGH 14, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 1 THROUGH 18, AS REVISED.

                                                                        JK-BF-JD-DG-TS

 

 

Other Business

 

10.       City Referrals.  

NONE

 

 

11.       Discussion of Items for the October 01, 2003, CDPC and Special ALUC Meeting.

STEVE LEDERER, DEPUTY PLANNING DIRECTOR, ADVISED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE OCTOBER 1, 2003 MEETING:

 

THE AIRPORT LAND USE COMMISSION (ALUC) WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 1, 2003 REGARDING A SOLAR PANEL APPLICATION.

 

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REGARDING GROUNDWATER WAS CONTINUED TO OCTOBER 1, 2003.    COUNSEL HAS ADVISED COMMISSIONERS TO IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT MAY EXIST PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

 

PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT #03175-ORD REGARDING THE VIEWSHED.

 

MARKHAM VINEYARDS / LEGACY ESTATE GROUP LLC - USE PERMIT MODIFICATION REQUEST #03205-MOD TO INCREASE POND CAPACITY.

 

NEAL USE PERMIT MODIFICATION REQUEST #03297-MOD TO INCREASE WINE PRODUCTION.

 

HOWARD SIEGEL WILL GIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE NAPA COUNTY LEAGUE OF GOVERNMENTS (NCLOG) PROCESS.

 

DISCUSSION REGARDING THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SOME TIME IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY TO FOLLOW-UP ON ITEMS DISCUSSED AT THE PREVIOUS JOINT MEETING. 

 

12.       Commissioner Comments.

COMMISSIONER GRAVES WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE

OCTOBER 1, 2003 MEETING.

 

12.       Continued

 

BOB NELSON, SUPERVISING PLANNER, ADVISED THAT THE SUBJECT OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES HAS COME UP, AND EACH COMMISSIONER WILL RECEIVE A SUMMARY OF THE GUIDELINES FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES.

 

COMMISSIONER KING REQUESTED AN UPDATE REGARDING CLARIFICATION OF  SETBACKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY FOR A PARCEL WHICH WAS NOT CONTIGUOUS TO HIGHWAY 29.

 

MR. LEDERER RESPONDED THAT THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY TOOK ACTION TO MODIFY THE ORDINANCE TO DELETE THE WORD CONTIGUOUS RELATED TO THE 600’ SETBACK AND TO LEAVE THE WORD CONTIGUOUS IN PLACE FOR THE 300’ SETBACK. 

 

13.       Commission Discussion and Recommendation to Board of Supervisors regarding appointment of Commissioner to Farm Worker Housing Oversight Committee.  Commissioner Terry Scott’s Term expires in October 2003.

THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REAPPOINT CHAIRPERSON TERRY SCOTT TO THE FARMWORKER HOUSING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.                                  JK-DG-JD-BF-TS

 

 

14.       Director's Report on Board of Supervisors' Actions.

STEVE LEDERER, DEPUTY PLANNING DIRECTOR, ADVISED OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

           

            BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2003:

 

THE BOARD DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT WINERY CAVES SHOULD MEET THE 300’ OR 600’ SETBACKS AND REQUESTED CLARIFICATION TO THE SETBACK ORDINANCE, WHICH SHOULD COME TO THE COMMISSION NEXT MONTH. 

 

THE BOARD ALSO DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL OF RAISING THE TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT) FROM 10.5% TO 12% AND WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD WILL PUT THIS ITEM ON THE BALLOT.

 

BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 7, 2003:

 

THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILL DISCUSS ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, RESOURCES AND FUTURE PLANS.  

 

THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF BALLOON LAUNCHING SITES IN THE COUNTY.

           

 

 

 

 

 

15.       Future Agenda Items.

 

Compliance Reviews (#02339-UP, February 04, 2004) (#02362-MOD, 6 months after opening) (#02082-UP, 1 year after opening)

BAYLEAF RESTAURANT (#02362-MOD) IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN LATE IN SEPTEMBER AND WILL BE REVIEWED IN 6 MONTHS.

 

MR. LEDERER PERFORMED AN UNANNOUNCED SITE VISIT LAST WEEK TO AUDIT THE DOG AND CAT KENNEL (ITEM #02339-UP) AND EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER.

 

Prepare for next meeting with Board of Supervisors (approximately December, 2003)

MR. LEDERER WILL MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE TO SCHEDULE A DATE FOR THE NEXT JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD. 

 

 

Adjournment.
ADJOURNED TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CONSERVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING COMMISSION, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2003 AT 9:00 A.M.

 

 

 

           

            TERRY SCOTT, Chairperson

 

 

ATTEST:         CHARLES WILSON, Secretary-Director

 

           

SHERRY VATTUONE, Deputy Secretary      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key

 

Vote:    DG = David Graves; JD = John Dickson; TS = Terrence Scott; BF = Bob Fiddaman; JK = Jim King

 

The maker of the motion and second are reflected respectively in the order of the recorded vote.

 

Notations under vote:  N = No; A = Abstain; X = Excused