Gary Margadant | Nov 23, 2014

[email sent to Carl and Marge Bunch following the Woolls Ranch Appeal Hearing Nov. 22, 2014]

Carl & Marge

We were surprised by the quality of the crowd and the comments. The BOS received a taste of the issues normally beneath them and experienced the operations of their administration dealing with these discretionary permits. The realization of their understanding was very gratifying.

The board voted 5-0 to deny the appeal, but this was only after requesting and receiving strong mitigation measures put in place, especially for the "what if" scenarios. Like what if the hydrology estimates and the operations of the water extractions detrimentally affect the immediate neighbors and deprive them of water. The BOS would have voted 3-2 to approve the appeal had these strong mitigations not been placed into the permit wording. We consider this to be a major change in the BOS attitudes and directions to the Planning commission and Planning department.

Sadly, they approved the permit as is, without changing the visitation nor the winery size, 50,000 gallons. So we are going to have this large event center in the neighborhood, but they cannot deprive the neighbors of the fair share of the public resources without consequences that would reduce their water consumption; such as reducing the size of the vineyard, winery sizing or visitation. All of the permit perimeters will then be on the table in a report to the Planning commission. This yearly report will include the water monitoring consumption and neighbors water supplies, evaluated by an independent hydrologist selected by the county. The public report to the Planning commission is a great transparent victory for all residents.

If you watch the tape, you will see the deliberations of the BOS and how Diane led the discussion. It is worth the view.

Keith Caldwell was not happy about the hauling of water, especially without one single load going to the neighbors who were starved of water. Diane Dillon asked about perjury penalties for testimony before the Planning Com and the BOS. The Supervisors were not happy with the Woolls version of neighborhood outreach.

So we gotta take our wins in the advocacy department and bemoan the size of the winery and visitation. We have to keep Paul Woolls and his Winery/Vineyard on a short lease. This might be the start of a different type of Winery Audit and verification system within the valley.

The NV Vintners and other industry groups will want to be on the front end of this argument and push to keep the Wineries/Event Centers within their permits and avoid regulation. They are vulnerable and now is the time to press them and collaborate as a partner in the solution. The Water Availability Analysis and the WDO are coming up. Now is the time to press our case.

Thanks for coming, it was a good show.

Gary

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