Major protest over winery, vineyard Major protest over winery, vineyard (May 04, 2005)

** La Honda residents pack school gym. Winery owner "guarantees" he will not harm the water.

By Richard Hine

Almanac Managing Editor

Well over 100 local residents crowded into a gym at La Honda Elementary School last week to express serious concerns about environmental impacts from the Clos de la Tech vineyard and proposed winery, located west of Skyline Boulevard and just above the small community of Cuesta La Honda.

Their primary concern is the effect the operation may have on the quality and quantity of water used by the community of about 1,000, and by the La Honda Elementary School -- which will begin to receive water from the Cuesta La Honda system in about a week.

The school has been without running drinking water for several years due to agricultural contamination of its wells, and kids have been drinking bottled water.

"We don't want to be drinking bad water just after we're getting good water," said Miles McLeod, president of the student council.

Another student, Soleil Spigelman, brought applause when she held up a sign that read, "Kids drink water not wine."

The meeting was a "scoping session," designed to get public comment on impacts from the proposed winery that need to be studied in an environmental impact report.

The winery site is owned by T.J. Rodgers of Woodside, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor, and his partner Valeta Massey. They also are seeking a zoning change to lift the county's current limit on a winery's annual production from 2,500 cases to 13,000.
T.J. Rodgers comments

Mr. Rodgers didn't attend the meeting, but afterward said he was in a position to "guarantee" to an independent scientific body that he will not harm the quality or quantity of the water.

"Those promises are credible and enforceable," he said. "That's why we are doing the environmental impact report, so we can stop the town hall meetings where children are giving their opinion on water quality, and get the scientists involved."

Thirty people spoke, mostly La Honda residents, and including scientists, environmental advocates, physicians and children. They addressed their comments to Darcey Rosenblatt, project manager with ESA Land Management in San Francisco, which is conducting the environmental analysis; and San Mateo County officials, including Mike Schaller, a planner with the county's Environmental Services Agency.

One of the big worries is the possible planting of 16 acres of vines above Woodhams Creek, which provides 80 percent of the drinking water to Cuesta La Honda.

Residents fear erosion, landslides and agricultural contamination of the water supply from pesticides and herbicides, said Janet Clark, a spokesperson for a grassroots group called the La Honda Watershed Council.

"We should not have our lives threatened by the applicant's leisure-time activities," remarked one speaker.

About 50 acres of the 173-acre site -- located about two miles down Langley Hill Road west of Skyline Boulevard -- have been planted under a county grading permit approved in 2002.

Mr. Rodgers' dream is to produce the best pinot noir in the world, a point raised several times by speakers concerned about the possible environmental impact of such a goal.

The winery operation -- plus offices and living quarters for up to six people -- would be located in three caves that were drilled 300 feet into the hillside. The caves are another point of controversy in the community because of the noise from months of dynamite blasts used to break through basalt rock.
Watershed protection

The La Honda Watershed Council, a community group, has proposed what it calls a "watershed protection alternative" that has been endorsed by the board of directors of the Cuesta La Honda Guild, representing the 300 homes in the community.

The proposal calls for a conservation easement -- or its regulatory equivalent -- that would prohibit planting on about 16 acres of steep slopes above the Woodhams Creek watershed.

Well drilling in the area would be prohibited and the project would be required to use organic farming practices. Noise and lighting would be restricted.

The watershed council opposes boosting the county's limit on wine production to 13,000 cases a year.
INFORMATION

San Mateo County invites public comment on this project and proposed zoning law change. E-mail comments to: mschaller@co.sanmateo.ca.us. Or mail to: Mike Schaller, Planner, Planning and Building Division, Environmental Services Agency, 455 County Center, 2nd Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.