Public hearing on appeal for winery use permit modification in Healdsburg.

NOTICE OF A SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUERVISORS PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN APPEAL OF BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENTS APPROVAL OF A MODIFICATION OF A USE PERMIT FOR A WINERY AND TASTING ROOM WHO: Project Applicant, Medlock Ames Vintners, MA Properties, LLC Permit Sonoma File No. UPE21-0042 WHAT: An appeal of the decision of the Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration for and approving the project consisting of a modification to a Use Permit for Medlock Ames Winery (UPE01-0182) to increase production to 30,000 cases annually, and to incorporate tasting and vineyard tours by appointment, retail sales, and 12 annual agricultural promotional events with a maximum of 50 guests per event on a 48.37-acre parcel and 139.90-acre parcel. Existing facilities will be utilized for the proposed winery activities, which will involve conversion of 1,600 sq.ft. of space within the 20,000 sq.ft. existing winery building, and conversion of a 1,350 sq.ft. barn into a tasting room with a commercial kitchen, office space, and support space. Tasting would occur within the winery building, converted tasting room barn, and outdoor courtyard by appointment only with a maximum of 60 persons per day between 11:00am and 5:00pm, daily. Agricultural promotional events would be scheduled any day of the week, between 11:00am and 9:30pm on the combined 188.27-acre project site located at 13414 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg; APNs 132-120-017 and 132-120-018. Supervisorial District 4. Appeal of the approval was filed on August 22, 2025, by Jay Zalewski, Charlie Martin, Albert Merck, John RoseKrans and Roger McDermontt. Parcel Zoning: Land Intensive Agriculture, 40-acre density, Accessory Dwelling Unit Exclusion with combining districts for Oak Woodland, Riparian Corridor 100 ft setback and Valley Oak Habitat The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing to consider the appeal at which all interested persons are invited to attend and provide comments. An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared for the project which found that potential environmental impacts can be fully mitigated to less-than-significant levels. All mitigation measures have been incorporated into the project conditions of approval. Recommended Action: Staff recommends the Board of Supervisors deny the appeal by Jay Zalewski, Charlie Martin, Albert Merck, John RoseKrans and Roger McDermontt., adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration, and uphold the Board of Zoning Adjustments decision to approve the project subject to the revised Conditions of Approval. WHERE & WHEN: March 3, 2026, at or after 10:30am, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, CA. Instructions for participating in the hearing will be published on the Board's agenda. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS: Meeting materials, will be available on the Board of Supervisors website, https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and will also be available for public inspection during normal business hours in the office of the Board of Supervisors, 575 Administration Drive, Room 100A, Santa Rosa, CA. GETTING INVOLVED: Public comment prior to the Board meeting: You may submit an emailed public comment to the project planner, identifying the specific item and agenda number on which you are commenting. The Project Planner is Joshua Miranda at Jen.Chard@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2336. Written comment can also be mailed to: Permit Sonoma Attn: Jen Chard, 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. All written comments received by the Project Planner in advance of the hearing will be provided to the Board of Supervisors prior to the commencement of the hearing. Public comment during the Board meeting: Only members of the public who join the meeting in person in the Board Chambers will have an opportunity to provide live comments during the hearing. Please refer to the meeting agenda for instructions on how to join the meeting. The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting date on the Board of Supervisors website: https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, if you require accommodation to participate in this meeting, please contact the Clerk of the Board at (707) 565-2241 or bos@sonoma-county.org at least 72 hours before the meeting. To request an accommodation for review of the file, please contact the project planner. If you challenge the decision on this project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, directly or via Permit Sonoma, at, or prior to, the public hearing. DATE: February 21, 2026