PERRY CLARK / AMIZETTA ESTATE FAMILY WINERY / SMALL WINERY EXEMPTION USE PERMIT # P19-00132, VARIANCE #P21-00229, & RSS EXCEPTION

CEQA Status: Consideration and possible adoption of Categorical Exemption. It has been determined that this type of project does not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Napa County’s Local Procedures for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, Appendix B, under Class 3: New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures, #10 Construction and operation of small wineries. This project is not on any lists of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government Code Section 65962.5.


Request: Grant a Use Permit for a small winery established under a Small Winery Use Permit Exemption approved on May 18, 1984 for an existing 12,000 gallon per year winery to allow the following:
A. Components Necessary to Remedy Existing Violations: 1) Recognition of annual wine production of 15,677 gallons (averaged over three years); 2) Recognition of existing visitation of a maximum of 30 visitors per day, Monday through Sunday; maximum 210 visitors per week; 3) Recognition of existing visitation hours of operation; 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM seven days a week and existing production hours of operation; 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Saturday; 4) Recognition of an existing outdoor tasting area; and, 5) Recognition of five (5) full time employees. B. Expansion Beyond Existing Entitlements: 1) Increase annual wine production from 15,667 gallons to 20,000 gallons; 2) Construct a new hospitality building and construct additions to the existing winery building to no more than 5,000 s.f. of total floor area, including a commercial kitchen; 3) Increase the area of the cave to no more than 5,000 s.f.; 4) New outdoor work and tasting areas; 5) Provide 12 new parking spaces; 6) Food and wine pairings are proposed with the existing visitation requested for recognition; 7) A marketing program with eight (8) events per year with a maximum of 15 guests for each event and two (2) events per year with a maximum of 25 guests; 8) Use of the existing cave for guided tours only (Type II); 9) On-premises consumption of wines produced on site in the tasting areas (indoor and outdoor) in accordance with Business and Professions Code Sections 23358, 23390 and 23396.5; 10) Installation of a 50,000 gallon water tank and new well; and, 11) Upgrading/replacing the existing domestic/process wastewater treatment system. The project is located on an approximately 21.5-acre site within the AW (Agricultural Watershed) zoning district with a General Plan land use designation of AWOS (Agriculture, Watershed & Open Space) at 1089 Greenfield Road, St. Helena CA; APN: 025-390-010.

The request includes an exception to the Napa County Road & Street Standards from the commercial driveway width standard at various locations throughout the existing driveway. The request also includes a variance to allow the construction of the proposed hospitality building to be setback approximately 200-feet from the centerline of the existing shared access road on-site where 300-feet is required.

Staff Recommendation: Find the project Categorically Exempt and approve the Use Permit, a Variance, and an Exception to the Road & Street Standards, as conditioned.

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

Applicant Contact: Jeffrey Redding, AICP, 2433 Renfrew Street, Napa, CA 94558, (707) 255-7375 or jreddingaicp@comcast.net