Land owners and vineyard owners wanting to clear hillside land of trees may find it more difficult in the future to do so if a moratorium proposed by the newly installed agricultural commissioner is adopted.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat is reporting in an article titled “Moratorium would block some proposed Sonoma County vineyards“, that:
Growing unease about a wave of vineyard projects that call for clear-cutting forested hillsides has Sonoma County officials calling for an emergency halt until new regulations are crafted.
Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner Tony Linegar has proposed a four-month moratorium on vineyard projects that would remove trees from ridge tops or slopes greater than 15 percent.
The article continues:
The county allows the development of hillside vineyards on slopes up to 50 percent under an erosion control ordinance passed in 2000. The ordinance, known as Vineyard Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance, or VESCO, contains no restrictions on tree removal.
Trees near rivers and creeks are protected by regulations requiring vineyards be set back from banks 25 to 50 feet, depending on the slope and soil conditions.
What exactly this will mean for vineyard property owners remains to be seen. The article also reported a slight increase in the price for grapes due to a reduction in the planted acres and smaller grape crops the past years. Property owners with established vineyards may see the value of their property increase if supply of new vineyards is unable to keep pace with demand for grapes.
