Sonoma County delays decision on Knights Valley winery

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has postponed until next month a final decision on a controversial Knights Valley winery project.

Supervisors on Tuesday opted for more time to consider traffic impacts and other documents filed in an appeal of the proposed Delectus Winery, which the county's zoning board unanimously approved in April.

The 12,000-case winery, 3.5 miles up Ida Clayton Road from Highway 128, is one of two small wineries proposed in the area that have touched off a battle between wine industry backers and an environmental group and some neighbors opposed to the projects.

The Maacama Watershed Alliance successfully sued the county last year to require a full environmental impact report on the other project, billionaire Jess Jackson's tiny Pelton House Winery proposal.

Opponents are asking for the same exhaustive review of the Delectus project.

After more than an hour of public comment Tuesday from both sides, the supervisors directed county staff to return Sept. 14 with an amended report on the potential traffic impacts along Ida Clayton Road.

Some limited public comment may be allowed at that meeting, officials said.