Placer community provides input on Project 8 Winery

The Placer County Planning Commission held a public hearing Dec. 15 regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Project 8 Winery project in Penryn. "What's being proposed here is a full-production winery operation, including a tasting room," Jennifer Byous with Placer County Planning Services said. "There'll be some underground caves, an accessory restaurant and then associated facilities to support that." The proposed project is slated for a 17.96-acre portion of a 44.14-acre site at 7615 Callison Road. According to Byous, the project would include a 26,000-square-feet warehouse for the agriculture operation and a multi-level, 75-foot-high octagon structure with space for production, a caretaker unit, commercial kitchen, tasting room, restaurant and gravity filtration system. The plan proposes the fourth level of the 75-foot building, the accessory restaurant with a reservation-only 32-seat limit, would be on a turntable and rotate. Byous said the applicant is also requesting a zoning text amendment for a height-limit exception and a conditional use permit to allow an increase from 50 to 75 attendees for agricultural promotional events (for the purpose of promoting the on-site agricultural operations). According to Byous, the draft EIR shows no impacts or less-than-significant impacts. According to the EIR, alternatives for the project are no project, a reduced height option and a reduced operation alternative. Before accepting public comment, Placer County Counsel Clayton Cook confirmed, "Today's meeting is to take a look at the Environmental Impact Report and in the same vein, any comments should be geared somewhat toward the environmental impacts. This is not a meeting today to determine the overall merits of the project. That will come at some point later. This will come back to the Planning Commission and then to the Board (of Supervisors), where both of those hearing bodies will evaluate the pros and cons of the project and whether or not to approve it …" The commission received 32 comments, with 15 in support of the project, 11 against, two asking for the preservation of the Lincoln Highway to preserve the transportation history of the county and four requesting additional clarification regarding traffic impacts, the overall height of the octagon structure, noise pollution and a fourth project alternative due to one alternative being solely based on the approval of the zoning text amendment. "The Project 8 Winery, as conceived, will be a world-class attraction for Placer County," Tiffany McKenzie, director of marketing for Visit Placer, read on behalf of Visit Placer Executive Director Rob Haswell, who was out of the country. "It will serve as a beacon to the world about what Placer County has to offer and how you can thrive economically while still respecting the local culture and quality of life." Joshua Hanosh, vice president of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, said, "... We will be getting a first-class winery that will be a great gathering spot for the residents of Placer County. It will help showcase our vibrant wine and beer culture that we have built over the last few decades. The restaurant that is being planned is going to be a local gem and experience." Other comments in support noted the benefit of having the project provide a fuel break for wildfire, bringing more agritourism to Placer and appreciation that the property will be utilized for a winery and not another housing development. "To just change an entire zoning text amendment for the entire county to allow unlimited height of buildings in wineries only, that really capitalizes on the scenic personal profit for one specific industry and it grants special privilege to wineries," Penryn resident Patty Neifer said. Said Penryn resident Muriel Davis, "This restaurant is not an accessory restaurant. It's a commercial endeavor to attract people from all over the area and it will impact our residents, and not just in Penryn." Additional comments in opposition noted the project's anticipated industrial interruption of the rural community, a loss of privacy for residents living near the winery, the intrusiveness of the 75-foot structure and its rotating restaurant, and the Board of Supervisors' denial of other height variances for past projects. Commissioner Anders Hauge noted most comments were about the project instead of the EIR and directed county staff to address the issues raised when the project returns to the commission. Commissioner Daniel Woodward directed staff to provide more clarity to the chart of project alternatives within the EIR to provide a better understanding of the impact of the reduced height alternative. Commissioner Anthony DeMattei requested clarification on the visual interruption, whether the project is located in Penryn or Newcastle and the percentage of intervening topography versus vegetation in order to determine how significant of an obscured object the project will be for residents living in the area. Residents can view the draft EIR at placer.ca.gov/7767/Project-8-Winery. Comments on the draft EIR are being accepted until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28. Comments can be mailed to Placer County Development Resource Agency, Environmental Coordination Services, 3901 County Center Drive, Suite 190, Auburn 95603 or emailed to cdraecs@placer.ca.gov. Byous confirmed once public comment is closed, staff and the environmental consultant will review all comments and provide responses. According to Byous, the project is slated to return to the Newcastle Ophir Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) and Horseshoe Bar-Penryn MAC for action in early 2023, and projected to return to the planning commission in the spring. The project is anticipated to go before the Board of Supervisors in late spring or early summer. According to the Lecavalier Cellars website, the winery is anticipated to open in 2025.