From The Lodi News-Sentinel’s LodiNews.com
By Kristopher Anderson
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted April 2, 2014
On Tuesday, San Joaquin County’s Community Development Department released a draft of the new winery ordinance, which makes distinctions between different types of events, places limits on the number of events that can be held each year, and defines the minimum size of a winery, among numerous other alterations.
The public will have an opportunity to weigh-in on this first draft during a meeting scheduled for later this month.
Any changes would not apply to already-existing wineries.
Cries for clarification to the existing winery ordinance have come in recent years as several wineries have battled with neighbors upset by the noise and traffic sometimes associated with events.
Here are several highlights of the new winery ordinance:
Events are defined as either a marketing event, industry event or accessory winery event. Marketing events include nonprofit fundraisers, weddings, concerts and/or any other event where the winery is rented out by a second party and wine is served, among other requirements. An industry event must include winetasting and the sale of wine, among other requirements. Accessory winery events include wine-release parties, barrel tasting and wine club activities, winetasting and the sale of wine.
A large winery must produce a minimum of more than 555.1 tons of grapes or approximately 100,000 gallons of wine per year, among other requirements.
A medium winery must produce a minimum of 201 tons of grapes or approximately 36,000 gallons of wine, and no more than 555 tons of grapes or approximately 99,999 gallons of wine per year. A small winery, among other requirements, must produce a minimum of more than 1.1 tons of grapes or approximately 201 gallons of wine, and no more than 200 tons of grapes or approximately 36,000 gallons of wine per year.
A small winery must be located on a lot of at least five acres. A use permit is required for any small winery proposing marketing events.
A minimum of 50 percent of small and medium wineries’ production or off-site wine cellar’s wine must be from grapes grown in San Joaquin County.
An off-site wine cellar can have a maximum of 10 marketing events per year.
A small winery can have a maximum of 12 marketing events per year. A medium winery can have a maximum of 15 marketing events per year. A large winery can have a maximum of 20 marketing events per year.
A maximum of one marketing event can be held per week.
Small wineries, between a minimum of 5 and 9.9 acres, and off-site wine cellars can have a maximum of 150 attendees per event. Parcels with a minimum of 10 acres can have a maximum of 300 attendees.
Large and medium wineries with a minimum of 10 acres can have a maximum of 300 attendees.
Outdoor amplified sound is permitted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. two times per month.
Marketing events must end by 10 p.m.
A public meeting to discuss the proposed changes will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 24 at the Public Health Auditorium, 1601 E. Hazelton Ave., Stockton.
Contact reporter Kristopher Anderson at krisa@lodinews.com.
