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Planning Commission Meeting

Date: October 05, 2023

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Webinar Information:

Registration Required: No

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Attachments:

The Planning Commission conducts public hearings and makes decisions on applications for subdivisions, mining permits, and legislative policy matters such the General Plan, Specific Plans, and Zoning changes.

The Planning Commission meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month (and as needed).

Roll Call

Commissioner Cornwall, District 1
Commissioner Gilardi, District 2
Commissioner Ocaña, District 3
Commissioner Koenigshofer, District 5
Commissioner McCaffery, Chair, District 4

Staff Members

Cecily Condon, PRMD Division Manager
Doug Bush, Project Planner
Robert Aguero, Project Planner
Alexandria Sullivan, Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Klein, Chief Deputy County Counsel

Disability Accommodation

If you have a disability which requires an accommodation or an alternative format to assist you in observing and commenting on this meeting, please call (707) 565-6186 or email PlanningAgency@sonoma-county.org at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting to make arrangements.

Materials

Available digitally through the link in the Agenda and on the Planning Commission website. You can also email PlanningAgency@sonoma-county.org or the project planner to request materials.

Agenda

1:00 PM Call to order, Roll Call and Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes None

Correspondence

Board of Zoning Adjustments/Board of Supervisors Actions Commissioner Announcements

Public Appearances for Non-Agenda Items

Items scheduled on the Agenda in order to expedite the meeting, please fill out a speaker card located on the back table before speaking.

Planning Commission Regular Calendar

View documents for all items listed digitally »

Item No.:

1

Time:

1:05 PM

File:

ORD23-0004

Applicant:

County of Sonoma

Owner:

Not Applicable

Cont. from:

September 21, 2023

Staff:

Doug Bush & Robert Aguero

Env. Doc:

Categorical Exemptions Section 15307 for actions by regulatory agencies for protection of natural resources, 15308 Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment

Proposal:

Amendments to Chapter 26 of Sonoma County Code to incorporate an Oak Woodland Ordinance to conserve oak woodlands and their associated community benefits, and rezoning parcels to apply the OAK Oak Woodland Combining District.

Recommended Action:

The Permit Resource and Management Department (Permit Sonoma) recommends that the Planning Commission find the proposed action exempt from CEQA and adopt a resolution recommending that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached Ordinance (Attachment 2).

Location:

Countywide; not applicable in Coastal Zone

APN:

Various

District:

All

Zoning:

Various

Action:

Commissioner Cornwall motioned to recommend approval to the Board of Supervisors with modifications to staff’s recommendation. Seconded by Commissioner Gilardi and approved with a 5-0-0 vote.

Appeal Deadline:

Not Applicable

Resolution No.: 

23-41

Vote:

Commissioner Cornwall: Aye
Commissioner Gilardi: Aye
Commissioner Ocaña: Aye
Commissioner Koenigshofer: Aye
Commissioner McCaffery: Aye

Ayes: 5
Noes: 0
Absent: 0
Abstain: 0


Permit Sonoma Hearing Waiver Calendar

This calendar serves only to notify the public of hearing waiver projects. The projects listed below are not on the current agenda.

File:

UPE21-0049

Project Name:

Draxton Cellars

Applicant:

Draxton Vineyards Investments, LLC

Staff:

Derik Michaelson

Location:

20750 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville

APN:

140-090-003

Project Description:

Use Permit for a new 61,658 sq ft custom crush winery (Draxton Cellars) facility with a maximum annual production of 20,000 tons of grapes, 20 full-time, and 15 seasonal employees, no tasting room, and operating hours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday during the off-season, and during harvest (10 weeks), from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, on a 2.64-acre parcel.

Last Day for Public Comment:

October 9, 2023

Public Appearances for Non-Agenda Items

Shortly after the hearing begins, the PC invites public participation regarding the affairs of the County. Any person desiring to speak on any matter which is not scheduled on this agenda may do so. Comments may be limited to three minutes, or as imposed at the discretion of the Chair. Under State Law, matters presented during public appearances cannot be discussed or acted upon by the PC commissioners.

Public Appearances for Agenda Items

PC hearings begin at 1:00 PM and are recorded. Agenda items begin on or after the time stated on the agenda. After a county staff project presentation and commission questions, the public hearing is then opened. The applicant may then give a 10-minute project presentation followed by public comments. The time limit for public comments is at the Chair’s discretion and is typically three minutes per speaker. Please state your name for the record when you are called upon. Questions raised by the public may be answered after all public comments are given. The Commission may request staff or the applicant to answer questions, and the applicant is given the opportunity to respond to any public comments. The public hearing is then closed, and no further public comments are received. The commissioners discuss the project and make a decision by motion and roll call vote.

Contributions

Pursuant to Government Code section 84308, members of the Planning Agency, Planning Commission, or Board of Zoning Adjustments (collectively “Planning Agency”) are disqualified and not able to participate in any agenda item involving contracts (other than competitively bid, labor, or personal employment contracts), franchises, discretionary land use permits and other entitlements if the member of the Planning Agency received more than $250 in campaign contributions from the applicant or contractor, an agent of the applicant or contractor, or any financially interested participant who actively supports or opposes the County’s decision on the agenda item since January 1, 2023. Members of the Planning Agency who have received, and applicants, contractors or their agents who have made, campaign contributions totaling more than $250 to a member of the Planning Agency since January 1, 2023, are required to disclose that fact for the official record of the subject proceeding. Disclosures must include the amount of the campaign contribution and identify the recipient Planning Agency member and may be made either in writing to the Clerk for the Planning Agency, Planning Commission, or Board of Zoning Adjustments, as the case may be, prior to the subject hearing or by verbal disclosure at the time of the hearing.

Hearing Waiver Calendar

The hearing waiver calendar lists projects proposed for public hearing waivers for informational purposes only. The listed items are not scheduled on the current or uncontested calendars. For more information on the hearing waiver item, contact the planner assigned to the project or fill out a ‘Request for Information’ card.

Public Comments

Please follow the instructions below to submit a Public Comment in writing, email or in person via the hearing room. The PC invites interested persons to submit comments which are entered into the permanent record. Written comments received prior to and during the hearing are distributed to the commissioners, staff, and are available to the public via the public copies link in the calendar section of this agenda. Written comments received after the package is made public may be read into the record.

Mail Public Comments

Address letters to: Permit Sonoma, 2550 Ventura Avenue, Attn: Planning Agency Secretary, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 and include the project number. This is not the location of the hearing.

Email Public Comments

Email comments to: PlanningAgency@sonoma-county.org. Please provide your name and the project number. It is advised to email comments (no later than the day before) prior to the hearing date to give commissioners and staff review time.

Speaking In-Person on an Agenda Item

If you wish to speak on an item which appears on this agenda, please fill out a speaker card and drop it in the box near the staff table. You will be called by the Chair in the order received. Your name, will be announced when it’s your turn to speak (1 public comment is allowed per person). The meetings are recorded and all in person testimony must be given through the microphone. Please state your name upon approaching the microphone. Each person may speak only once and is usually granted 3 minutes. Time limits are at the discretion of the Chair. Questions raised by the public are to be directed to the Commission. At the end of the hearing, the Commission may ask staff or the applicant to respond to any questions raised during the hearing. 

Comment on a Hearing Waiver Item

If you wish to comment on a hearing waiver item, submit your comment directly to the assigned planner prior to the “last day for public comment” date listed for each item.

Be Respectful and Courteous

Please Be Respectful of others and the varying points of view. No clapping, booing, or speaking out of turn.

Please Be Courteous turn off cell phones and pagers while the meeting is in session.