The San Benito County Supervisors today will continue discussion
of an appeal to the planning commission’s decision granting Leal
Vineyards a use permit, after a decision was postponed because of a
lack of information.
The San Benito County Supervisors today will continue discussion of an appeal to the planning commission’s decision granting Leal Vineyards a use permit, after a decision was postponed because of a lack of information.
The continuation stems from the supervisors June 1 meeting after the discussion and testimonies took more than three hours. Supervisors asked from more information in three different areas – noise, fire-code compliance and traffic – before a decision could be made.
Leal Vineyards’ neighbor Bill Lee filed the appeal after Leal Vineyards was issued a use permit on April 7. Lee said the excess amount of noise was the main reason why he filed the appeal, but Lee suggested Leal was out of compliance in an array of other county codes.
Assistant planner Byron Turner appeared to support Lee’s claims by giving a presentation that listed off Leal Vineyards’ lack of fire code compliance and building without permits.
Turner mentioned a wine cave that was built without a permit and the permanent tent that is still listed as temporary as some of the main issues with the property.
The winery also has yet to install a left-hand turn lane, which was agreed upon when the initial permit was granted in 2004.
The county sent a total of four letters to Leal Vineyards in 2005 and 2006 stating that Leal Vineyards was not in compliance. And in 2009, a notice was sent to the vineyards to shut down all activities.
But Lee complained more about the loud noise from the property.
Most of the vineyard’s activities surpass 10 p.m. and the level of noise is higher than the county permits, he alleged. The county also does not have the correct tool that can measure the high volume of noise.
The April planning commission decision would have allowed Leal Vineyards to still hold events and prove that a turn lane is not warranted.
The discussion is scheduled for the afternoon session in Tuesday’s meeting. It’s the final item on the agenda.
