Mike Hackett | Nov 1, 2019

Last month, another winery was approved, through the Napa County Planning Commission process, on Diamond Mountain Road. Always, the planning commission explains that they "don't set policy," and therefore have no grounds to disapprove this type of development even though I think we'd all agree; with this new normal of continued threat of fires on our watersheds, safety is being sacrificed for yet another remote winery.

Now I see a "Aloft" project is slated for a planning commission hearing in December, out on the end of Cold Springs Road. This is extremely troubling. People who will be drinking alcohol will pass by an elementary school, a day care center and over 70 homes on a narrow one-directional rural road. The effect will devalue the home's on the road on Cold Springs Road and change those home owners quality of life, forever.

Additionally, when, not if, there's the next wildlands fire in remote Angwin, egress will be impossible. Do you want blood on your hands? Do you want to be responsible for this clearly unsafe condition? Well, I know you all fairly well, and the answer is no.

Please delay all actions until further notice regarding winery expansions on any new commercial developments in the AW until you have a new policy in place through which the planning commission can have a clear direction.

This is vitally important. It is timely and we must error on the side of safety.

NVR version 11/1/19: Remote winery approval is poor planning

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