Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday discussed a draft design review guidelines and ordinance, noting a criticism for its exempting wineries and vineyards.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said critics thought it was ironic to exempt wineries when they are the biggest draw to county tourism. Supervisor Richard Forster said “some wineries get more traffic than commercial businesses.
Deputy County Counsel said “you can build in exemptions, but it needs criteria if you want to have staff rule on the variance.
Jackson Vice Mayor Keith Sweet urged approval, saying “if you don’t have a plan then you don’t know where you are going.”
Forster said it “has flexibility that you absolutely have to have when you work with businesses.”
Plasse wondered about the ability for guidelines to be appealed by a third party, as is happening in Jackson. Gillott said “almost any decision or interpretation by staff can be appealed” by the applicant, staff or the public because it exists in the county statutory scheme for discretionary acts.
Susan Bragstadd spoke on behalf of Foothill Conservancy, saying they supported the design guidelines ordinance, and adding wineries.
Supervisor Ted Novelli read a letter by Planning Commissioner Denise Tober, who could not attend. Tober also said wineries and tasting rooms should be covered.
Supervisor Brian Oneto said wineries in the Shenandoah Valley have real entrepreneurs with vision, and he did not want to take away from their vision. But he said the exemption may mean “you risk having something ugly.”
Supervisor Vice Chairman Louis Boitano said no guidelines were in place when the historic buildings were built. He said “Gold Rush architecture was practical and cheap.”
Forster said he would like to see wineries covered by design guidelines, because some of the new buildings in the Shenandoah Valley “are not very handsome.” He said it could have been fixed with a couple of trees and minimal landscaping.
Oneto said one is “a little stark,” but “the guy has spent a lot of money, and he’s got a business plan.” Boitano asked if they would include wineries, tasting rooms or vintners. Forster said he would include all of them.
Boitano said Napa Valley is doing it right, with architecture and not allowing residential use. But he said in Amador, they “can’t leave it up to the wineries to come up with a solution on their own.”
Planner Nathan Lishman said they wanted to have flexibility, and “every one of those wineries would be acceptable under this plan.” He said “none of those buildings are cheap.”
Plasse said they would have been OK with the Planning Commission, “but what about the appeal process?”
Supervisor Ted Novelli said “everything we have going on in the Shenandoah Valley is just as good as what we have down in Napa Valley.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
