Taft Street Winery considering move to Jensen Lane

Twenty-eight acres surrounded by subdivisions may become
site of 200,000 case per year production facility
by BERT WILLIAMS, News Editor
A Sebastopol winery may be moving to Windsor, building a new
facility in a vineyard that is encircled by subdivisions.
The proposed winery, if the project goes ahead, will be located
on 28 acres along Jensen Lane in the northeast part of Windsor.
Most of the property is planted in vineyards. Two farm houses and
some out buildings are also on the land.
The property is located just outside the current town limit, but
is inside the town’s sphere of influence and urban growth boundary.
Subdivisions already exist on three sides of the property.
Though no vote was taken at the Feb. 18 council meeting where
the project was discussed, councilmembers expressed support for the
project.
“I see this going forward,” said Councilmember Sam Salmon. “This
may turn into a winery spot for a long time.”
It probably won’t be a winery spot forever because Windsor’s
General Plan calls for the area eventually to become another
subdivision. That long-range plan is unlikely to change.
But residential development on Jensen Lane is years in the
future. Town officials say Shiloh Road and Arata Lane will be
developed before Jensen Lane. Development of those areas is
expected to take 15 to 25 years. In the meantime, Taft Street
Winery proposes to build a $5.5 million winery on Jensen Lane.
Taft Street Winery got its start in the mid-1970s in a garage on
Taft Street in Oakland. In 1982 the winery moved north to
Forestville, producing several hundred cases per year of Chardonnay
and Cabernet/Merlot/ Cabernet Franc blend.
The winery moved again in 1990, this time leasing the old
Silvera-O’Connell Apple Plant in Sebastopol and increasing its
production to 27,500 cases.
Currently producing 63,000 cases of wine under its own label,
along with custom processing for other labels, the winery expects
to expand its production to 200,000 cases per year.
“Why would a successful established winery consider such a
move?” asked Taft Street co-owner Mike Martini during his
presentation to the Town Council. He offered several reasons.
The owners are ready to expand, he said, but are hesitant to
make improvements to property they do not own. If they move to
Jensen Lane, they will have part interest in that property.
The winery’s owners like the idea of being located on vineyard
land, Martini said. The winery will be near one of its sources of
grapes and its presence will help preserve the vineyard from
residential development.
Taft Street Winery and the Jensen Lane land owners have a long
term business relationship, and Martini explained that pooling
their resources into one entity will be profitable and efficient
for both parties.
Because the price of land for residential development is much
higher than the price of agricultural land, moving on will be
economically viable when the town finally decides it is time to put
housing on the land, Martini said.
Martini also addressed the question of why the Town of Windsor
should favor the winery project.
“To have a winery within your town boundary would be a good
thing,” he said. He noted that an agricultural processing facility
would add balance to the local economy, creating jobs and
contributing sales tax to the town coffers. He also observed that
becoming home to a successful winery would lend credibility to
Windsor’s claim to be “Gateway to the Wine Country,” and he noted
that the winery plans to develop a picnic grove that will provide
another events venue for the town. In the future the grove could
become a park as part of a new subdivision.
The impact of the proposed winery on its neighbors created
considerable discussion at the council meeting. Traffic, noise,
odors, nighttime lights and the winery’s appearance all drew
attention.
Martini said the winery currently employees 16 full-time and
three part-time workers. Most work Monday through Friday from 8
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tasting room operates seven days a week from
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Activity increases during the grape harvest in September and
October. Hours of activity are expanded to accommodate the delivery
of grapes. Two additional workers are employed during harvest.
Activity also increases during bottling in April, May and June.
Five to seven additional part-time employees work during those
months.
It is estimated that a winery producing 200,00 cases per year
will generate an average of 60 trips on Jensen Lane each day. The
figure includes employees, delivery trucks and visitors to the
tasting room. Martini said that as many as five 20-ton trucks per
day could deliver grapes during harvest.
If the project goes forward, the Taft Street owners plan to
build a 40,000-square-foot processing facility and a
10,000-square-foot crushing facility. The building will be less
than 25 feet high. The processing area will be located on the
eastern side of the structure, buffering residences on the west
side from noise and lights.
An existing house will be converted to a tasting room. New
wastewater processing ponds will be required, as will widening and
improvements to Jensen Lane.
Several neighbors of the Jensen Lane property spoke up during
the workshop. There was no strong opposition to the winery
proposal. Most of the nearby residents said they would rather keep
the vineyards, with the addition of a winery, than see the property
become another subdivision. Council- members agreed.
“Pressures for residential development will always be there
unless there’s some other appropriate use for the land,” said
Salmon.
“Windsor has lost at least 350 acres (of vineyards) to homes
already,” said Mayor Debora Fudge. “This is a way to preserve some
of what we have left.”
Councilmember Steve Scott said that he had no objections to the
project, but that many questions remained, especially the question
of whether the town should annex the land.
Planning Director Peter Chamberlin said annexation of the 28
acres would give the town more control over the winery’s
development, and would also supply revenue to the town.
Fudge said she felt strongly that the town should annex the
parcel if the winery goes ahead.
Though no vote was taken, councilmembers made it clear that they
favor the project. It will be left to the Planning Commission to
work out many of the details.
Town Manager Paul Berlant said that several hurdles must be
cleared for a winery on Jensen Lane to become a reality. They
include an environmental impact study and amendments to the town’s
zoning code and General Plan. “They are not overwhelming hurdles,”
said Berlant.