After two years of discussion and more than a dozen public meetings, Placer County has a winery ordinance.
The Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance Tuesday on a 5-0 vote in a meeting that featured 32 speakers on both sides of the issue.
The ordinance allows wineries to keep their wine-tasting rooms open during business hours, but limits promotional events, such as wine-tasting tours or parties, to not more than six per year. For those events, the winery must obtain an annual administrative review permit from the county that will examine safety, parking, noise and sanitation.
The county's 10 wineries previously were required to obtain a minor use permit through the county's planning department to hold such events.
Supporters of the ordinance said allowing wine-tasting and other events will give the Auburn area a needed boost in its economy and encourage agricultural uses in the county.
Opponents said the activities will funnel traffic, including drinking drivers, onto the small private roads leading to the businesses and could lead to liability issues for owners of the private road if someone is injured in a vehicle accident.
"People don't want to see our roads used for public or commercial activities," Marilyn Jasper, who lives on a private road, told the board. "This ordinance will perennially pit neighbor against neighbor."
Mike Giles felt the ordinance was "radically changed" in May from its draft wording in 2007, and said that the public got only three months to comment on it.
Several winery owners who now allow patrons to taste wine said they don't anticipate major traffic increases. They said they get no more than 18 vehicles on a weekend day.
"I don't think you're going to see this area overwhelmed with traffic," said Jim Taylor, owner of Mount Vernon Winery in Auburn.
Discussions over wineries in Placer heated up last year, particularly over Pescatore Winery off Ridge Road.
The winery held several wine-tasting events and private weddings.
Neighbors complained that more than 100 cars at times came to the events. The traffic and noise disrupted the peaceful, rural neighborhood, they said.
Call The Bee's Art Campos, (916) 773-2825.
