Tasting room moratorium on council docket

At its January 17 meeting, the Sonoma City Council will consider extending the temporary moratorium on Plaza wine tasting rooms.

A city staff report recommends keeping the ban – approved as an ‘urgency ordinance’ on December 4, 2017 — in place through next September, after the completion of a study of zoning and land-use regulations.

According to city figures, there are now 23 wine tasting facilities in and around the Plaza – an increase of 75% since 2012. Five additional facilities now the planning process would be exempt from any moratorium.

The rapid increase has raised concerns from residents and business owners, according to a report by City Manager Cathy Capriola and Planning Director David Goodison.

The issue was first officially addressed last May in a council goal-setting retreat. While wine and winemaking are part of the history and identity of Sonoma and the wine industry is an important part of the Sonoma community and economy, the report states, the council acknowledged the growing trend of wineries establishing a storefront wine-tasting presence in the Plaza.

The report suggests that such unchecked growth may not be consistent with the city’s General Plan, which states, “Sonoma should continue to be characterized by variety in terms of land uses, building types, and housing, and this diversity should be consistent with preserving the town’s small-scale and historic character.”

On September 18, 2017, the City Council held a Study Session on the issue, considering an updated business inventory of the downtown area, a survey of regulations in other communities, and feedback from local tasting facility business owners. At this meeting, city staff was directed to draft the urgency moratorium.

But when the council met to formally consider the proposal, on October 2, there was a squabble over protocol. Councilmembers Gary Edwards and Amy Harrington questioned each other’s participation in the item, citing possible conflict of interest because they own property in or near the Plaza area. The agenda item was suspended pending a ruling from the State of California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), the body responsible for making such determinations.

The FPPC subsequently determined that Councilmember Harrington may participate in the discussion of this item, while Councilmember Edwards decided to recuse himself because of a property interest in the downtown area. The ugency ordinance was subsequenty approved, on December 4.

On Tuesday night, the council will hear the staff recommendation, but may choose another option. Alternative actions include declining the extension, with or without any direction to staff to developing “updated regulations through the regular ordinance amendment process.”

The meeting will being at 6 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room, 177 First Street West, Sonoma California. City Council meetings are broadcast live on Sonoma TV Channel 27.