TO: Napa County Planning Commission
FROM: Brian Bordona - Director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Trevor Hawkes - Supervising Planner
SUBJECT: Staglin Family Vineyard Monitoring Hearing - P18-00253-MOD
RECOMMENDATION
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STAGLIN FAMILY VINEYARDS / STAGLIN FAMILY VINEYARDS / MONITORING HEARING FOR P18-00253
CEQA Status: The proposed hearing and possible actions are not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
Request: For the Planning Commission to hold a Monitoring Hearing, pursuant to Condition of Approval No. 4.20(c) of Use Permit Major Modification P18-00253-MOD
Staff Recommendation: Open the hearing, receive any public testimony, and close the hearing. No further action is recommended by Staff.
Staff Contact: Trevor Hawkes, Supervising Planner; phone number (707) 253-4388; email address: trevor.hawkes@countyofnapa.org
Applicant: Staglin Family Vineyards; 1570 Bella Oaks Lane., Rutherford, CA 94574
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PROPOSED ACTIONS:
That the Planning Commission:
1. Open a public monitoring hearing;
2. Receive any public testimony; and
3. Close the public monitoring hearing. No further action is recommended by Staff.
DISCUSSION:
On June 18, 2018, Staglin Family Vineyards applied for a Use Permit Major Modification (P18-00253-MOD). The item was scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission on February 3, 2021. At the public hearing the Planning Commission received public testimony on the proposed project and continued the item to March 3, 2021. After the public hearing the applicant proposed several revisions to the proposed project, seeking to reduce impacts of the project based upon comments received from neighbors. Included with the requested revisions by the applicant was a self-imposed Condition of Approval, 4.20(c), which required the applicant to return to the Commission two (2) years after the start of the operational components of the project to conduct a Monitoring Hearing focused on noise and other neighborhood impacts, if any. At the March 3, 2021, public hearing the Commission again received public testimony, deliberated on the proposal, and approved a modified versions of the applicant’s revised request, further reducing operational components of the project to reduce potential impacts.
The initiation of the operational components of P18-00253 were officially allowed to proceed with completion of a Grading Exemption request finaled on February 10, 2023. Staff requests that the Commission conduct a Monitoring Hearing pursuant to COA 4.20(c); open the hearing, receive any public testimony and then close the hearing. A review of Code Enforcement files indicates that there have been no formal complaints lodged against Staglin Family Vineyards since the operational components of P18-00253 began, so Staff does not recommend any further actions after the hearing is closed.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed hearing and possible actions are not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On June 18, 2018, Staglin Family Vineyards applied for a Use Permit Major Modification (P18-00253-MOD) to an existing 36,000 gallon per year winery to allow the following:
a) Modification to increase by appointment Daily Tours and Tastings Program from the current 10 persons per day (weekdays only) to 44 persons per day (Monday through Sunday), 308 persons maximum per week;
b) Allow Tours and Tastings to take place in the Steckter House and the existing wine caves;
c) On-premises consumption of wines produced on-site located in the outdoor areas immediately to the south and west of the Steckter House in accordance with Business and Professions Code Sections 23358, 23390 and 23396.5;
d) Modification of the existing Marketing Program of nine (9) events per year consisting of eight (8) events with a maximum attendance of 45 persons and one (1) event with a maximum attendance of 200 persons to allow the following: including 32 events per year with 12 attendees maximum (11:00am - 10:00pm), 16 events per year with 32 attendees maximum (11:00am - 10:00pm), three (3) events per year with 100 attendees maximum (6:00pm - 10:00pm), one event per year with 100 attendees maximum (10:00am - 4:00pm), one event per year with 250 attendees maximum (1:00pm - 4:00pm), catered food prepared by a licensed caterer with minimal on-site preparation (heating and plating), events of 32 attendees or less to occupy the building identified as the Steckter House, and events of 100 attendees or more to occupy the outdoor area north of the Steckter House;
e) Increase on-site employees from 8 full-time employees and zero (0) part-time employees to 11 full-time employees and 5 part-time employees;
f) Add three (3) parking spaces for a total of 15 spaces;
g) Deletion of COA No.3 from the original approved Use Permit (#98072-UP) which required the applicant to notify a representative of neighbors to the applicant 48 hours prior to an event;
h) Expansion of the existing internal access driveway to 20’ with a 22’ horizontal clearance to comply with the Napa County Road and Street Standards; and
i) Modify internal circulation so that a portion of the access driveway loop becomes a one-way road.
A public hearing was scheduled before the Planning Commission on February 3, 2021, with Staff recommending that the Planning Commission adopt a Negative Declaration and approve the Use Permit Major Modification. Prior to the hearing 28 letters were received from neighbors, with 14 letters in support of the project and 14 letters in opposition to the project. Letters in opposition to the project included topics such as: lack of timely notification, additional traffic and noise from increased employment and hospitality, changes in the locations for Tours and Tastings and Marketing Events, increased groundwater extraction, emergency evacuation on Bella Oaks Lane, insufficient onsite parking, and removal of the existing conditions of approval requiring neighbor notification. In response to these letters the applicant proposed revisions to change the location of some marketing events, reduce same day visitation for Tours and Tastings during marketing events, add TDM provisions encouraging utilization of higher occupancy vehicles and add a 30-day notification requirement for some marketing events. Thirteen (13) additional public comments were received during the hearing with three (3) in support of the project and 10 in opposition to the project. The staff report, associated project documents, public comments and video of the February 3, 2021, public hearing at the Planning Commission can be viewed at the links below.
Agenda Packet - <https://services.countyofnapa.org/AgendaNet/GranicusMeetingDocuments.aspx?id=6362>
Public Hearing Recording - <https://napa.granicus.com/player/clip/4808?meta_id=381001>
During the hearing, the Planning Commission expressed interest on several different items including: expanding notification to neighboring properties in excess of the 1,000 foot notification radius, some discrepancies in the Water Availability Analysis technical study, clarification of some of the language that had been used in the Traffic Impact Study and an interest in the applicants reviewing the project request with neighbors and seeing if they could further reduce visitation levels and marketing event frequency. The hearing was continued to March 3, 2021.
Prior to the March 3, 2021, public hearing the applicant transmitted additional revisions to the project description and Conditions of Approval based on neighbor discussions which included; seasonal frequency modification to Tours and Tastings, modification to marketing event notification to neighboring properties, a reduction in the overall amount of marketing events, modification to the time of day of marketing events, changes to the locations of events, a requirement to suspend hospitality on days when Red Flag Warnings have been issued from the National Weather Service and limitations on the locations of overflow parking. The applicant also included a self-imposed condition of approval which was included as COA 4.20(c)s as follows:
The Planning Commission shall hold a publicly noticed monitoring hearing on this approval approximately two years after the initiation of marketing and/or tours and tastings approved by this permit. The hearing shall focus on noise and other neighborhood impacts, if any. Prior to the issuance of a permit for the proposed road improvements, the permittee shall submit a $2,000 monitoring deposit to the Planning Division to fund (or, as the case may be, partially fund) staff time associated with the required monitoring hearing. The permittee shall be responsible for promptly reimbursing the Planning Division in the event that the monitoring costs exceed $2,000.
Prior to the March 3, 2021, public hearing staff received 19 public comments, nine (9) in support, nine (9) in opposition and one (1) letter requesting additional information. Twelve (12) public comments were made during the hearing, all in opposition. The Commission deliberated on the application, eventually approving the project and adopting a Negative Declaration but not before further modifying the revised project including: modifying the applicant’s revised proposal to set seasonal limits on the maximum number of persons per day for by-appointment Tours and Tastings and instead requiring a seasonal maximum for the number of visitors per week, modifying the proposed revised marketing program to include more small events while reducing large events further, increasing the number of marketing events which would require shuttle service and requiring the applicant to have a Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan prepared in accordance with Section 403 of the California Fire Code prior to commencement of any visitation and marketing activities from the modification. See Attachment A (Final Conditions of Approval; P18-00253-MOD)
The staff report, associated project documents, public comments and video of the March 3, 2021, public hearing at the Planning Commission can be viewed at the links below.
Agenda Packet - <https://services.countyofnapa.org/AgendaNet/GranicusMeetingDocuments.aspx?id=6364>
Public Hearing Recording - <https://napa.granicus.com/player/clip/4826?meta_id=381719>
After the Commission’s decisions on March 3, 2021, timely Notices of Intent to Appeal the Planning Commission’s decision were filed by the applicant and the Rutherford Bench Alliance on March 17, 2021. Appeal packets were submitted by the applicant on March 30, 2021, and by the Rutherford Bench Alliance on April 1, 2021, however both appeals were eventually withdrawn on July 11, 2021, after the applicant and Rutherford Bench Alliance were able to reach a settlement agreement.
Infrastructure Improvements: On November 9, 2021, the Engineering Division received an application for grading exemption, ENG21-00064, for road widening associated with P18-00253. These physical improvements were the only requirement prior to commencement of the operational components to Staglin Family Vineyard’s Use Permit Major Modification. The road widening requested under ENG21-00064 was finaled on February 10, 2023, and began the required two (2) year timeline for the Monitoring Hearing required under COA 4.20(c).
Code Enforcement History: Prior to this hearing Planning Staff contacted the County’s Code Enforcement division requesting records of any formal complaints submitted concerning Staglin Family Vineyards in the two (2) year time frame since ENG21-00064 was finaled. No formal Code Enforcement complaints have been filed.
Public Comments: At the time of publication of this Staff Report one public comment was received requesting that the Planning Commission deny the winery’s Use Permit request (this is not a hearing recommending the Commission approve a winery Use Permit).
Decision-Making Options:
Upon consideration of additional public comment and close of the public hearing, the Commission may take one of the following actions:
Option 1 - Hold a public Monitoring Hearing (Staff Recommendation)
Disposition - On March 3, 2021, the Napa County Planning Commission approved a Use Permit Major Modification for Staglin Family Vineyards (P18-00253) and adopted a Negative Declaration after receiving public testimony. Since they received this approval, Staglin Family Vineyards, has completed necessary infrastructure improvements required before initiation of the operational components of the modification. The two (2) year time frame for conducting the Monitoring Hearing required under COA 4.20(c) has passed without any formal complaints to County Code Enforcement. If there are concerns raised regarding the winery’s operations, Staff would return at a future date with possible options for addressing those concerns.
Action Required - Follow the proposed actions listed in the Executive Summary.
Option 2 - Continuance Option
If based on Staff and public testimony the Commission believes there is additional information that should be discussed in the Monitoring Hearing it may continue the item to a future hearing date, at its discretion. The Commission should clearly articulate what additional information they require prior to continuing the hearing to a date certain.