Gary Margadant | Oct 13, 2014

Attached are our comments, Mount Veeder Stewardship Council, on two vineyard projects before the county Planning Dept. Both of these projects were only noticed in the paper and via email (a short list), and there will be no hearing.

Our group has made the point of commenting on all Water Matters within the county, including the WAA, WICC, and any project. And they know we want to comment, so there is additional notification channels. We do this as a body of work demonstrating to the county that we not only comment, but we want to be part of the solutions by adding our ideas and pressing our reviews of county procedures. We have developed many contacts within the county and some mutual respect has emerged.

The Planning Dept is changing the way it is approaching their review of such projects, especially those involving water, ground or surface. They are now requiring the applicants to speak to their water sources in the WAA on each project. My recent emails for these projects included the MND, water rights, maps, application, etc. In the Hardin project, the county is requiring the applicant to clean up his water permit with the CA State Water Resources Control Board before the county will allow the project to go forward. Our comments also spotted another problem with the permit.

We covered a bit of ground in the letters, some of which has to do with notification, response and collaboration, besides the water.

Hardin Wallace Ranch Conversion
Vino Farms, Huichica Hills Vineyard

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