Sonoma County poised for crackdown on Bella Vineyards

Sonoma County planning officials are poised to take unprecedented action Thursday against Bella Vineyards, halting all events and wine-cave tasting at the embattled Healdsburg-area winery after officials accused its owners of operating outside of county zoning rules for more than a decade.

The sanction of Bella, an award-winning winery and popular tourist destination overlooking bucolic Dry Creek Valley, would exclude it from hosting special events such as weddings and harvest festivals, and exclude it from participating in popular industry-wide events including the upcoming Winter Wineland in January and a week-long barrel tasting festival in the spring.

Bella’s owners have strongly contested the county’s claims and said the restrictions would threaten their ability to maintain a viable business in an industry increasingly reliant on direct sales to consumers - a trend driven partly by the rapid growth in events and special tastings at wineries.

County planning officials maintain that action against Bella is a targeted move against one winery with documented infractions, but industry representatives say the crackdown is sending ripples throughout the county, igniting concern and confusion about the number, size and type of events allowed at wineries. The outcome of a county hearing Thursday on Bella could have far-reaching implications for wineries, industry representatives said.

“This is a really important issue for the wine industry,” said Honore Comfort, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners, a trade group representing wineries. “The most valuable thing wineries can do is offer a memorable experience, and give customers a chance to meet the winemaker, to see how the wine is made and where it’s grown, so we want to be involved going forward.”

Planning commissioners voted unanimously last month in favor of the restrictions on Bella. Final approval is expected Thursday at a Board of Zoning Adjustments meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Bella owners contend the county’s general plan allows their events, and say they have not ruled out an appeal to the Board of Supervisors or legal action.

“What we’ve been doing are things that fit into the category of marketing our wines, which we’re allowed to do,” said Lynn Adams, who owns Bella with her husband Scott. “This whole thing has been devastating for us. We are honest people and we are working really hard to do everything correctly.”

The county took a somewhat similar action against former Healdsburg-based winery Rabbit Ridge nearly a decade ago, but that winery’s infractions were tied to building code violations. The Board of Supervisors revoked the permit for Rabbit Ridge in 2001.

Planning Commissioner Jason Liles, who represents the Healdsburg area and who drove the zoning board’s action, said a unanimous vote halting tasting at Bella’s popular wine cave and banning special events is expected to pass with little deliberation.

“For many years Bella and the county have not been on the same page regarding what’s allowed at the winery and what’s not allowed,” said Liles. “I’m hopeful that will all be resolved Thursday with no further disagreement.”

Liles said the zoning board has ample reason to curtail Bella’s unauthorized activities. Dozens of complaints have been filed with the county planning department against Bella by area neighbors. Letters and verbal complaints cited concerns about unpermitted events, noise and traffic along narrow roads, as well as over-concentration of winery events in Dry Creek Valley, home to 54 wineries.

Bella representatives pointed out that some neighbors have also written letters in support of the winery.

But Louise Madden, who lives on West Dry Creek Road, said that since Bella opened in 2000, “there has been a tremendous amount of traffic” along the rural, winding road.

“Our road is notoriously narrow with steep drop-offs,” Madden wrote in a letter to the county’s planning department, and events at Bella pose “imminent danger to those who live and work here.”

Jennifer Barrett, deputy county planning director, said the winery clearly broke the county’s zoning rules.

“Their existing use permit prohibits special events and they’ve been having special events. They were not allowed food service and they’ve been serving food,” Barrett said.

The wine cave is permitted for storage only, not tastings, she said.

The Board of Supervisors this month acknowledged confusion in the wine industry about the county’s evolving definition of events. The board directed planning officials to draft clearer rules about the type and size of events permitted at wineries. That work is set to begin next year.

Thursday’s hearing is set to be closed to public comment, including testimony from Bella representatives. Chief Deputy County Counsel David Hurst said the Oct. 18 public hearing was sufficient to gather input from the public and Bella owners.

“They (Bella representatives) had an opportunity to speak at the first hearing,” Hurst said.

Bella owners have 10 days to appeal a decision of the zoning board to the Board of Supervisors. Lynn Adams signaled that she and her husband could sue the county if their appeal is not successful.

“Luckily we’ll have other avenues going forward,” said Lynn Adams. “It’s not the end of the road.”

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ahartreports.