26-43
HAL AND FIONA BARNETT / BARNETT VINEYARDS WINERY / USE PERMIT P19-00125-UP, VIEWSHED P20-00121-VIEW, AND EXCEPTION TO THE ROAD AND STREET STANDARDS CEQA Status: Consideration and possible adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration. According to the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration, the proposed project would not have any potentially significant environmental impacts after implementation of Mitigation Measures. Mitigation measures are proposed for the following area: Biological Resources. In accordance with Section 15105(b) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Napa County submitted the proposed Initial Study/Negative Declaration to the State Clearinghouse for a 30-day review period beginning December 4, 2025, and running through January 3, 2026 (State Clearinghouse No. SCH 2025120300) https://ceqasubmit.opr.ca.gov/. This project is not on any lists of hazardous waste sites enumerated under Government Code Section 65962.5. Request: The proposal is for a new Use Permit for a small winery established under a Small Winery Use Permit Exemption approved on September 12, 1988, for an existing 20,000 gallon per year winery (Permit No. 158889). This application was submitted to participate in the County’s Code Compliance Program as described in Resolution No. 2018-164 adopted by the Napa County Board of Supervisors on December 4, 2018. The request is to allow the following: The Use Permit would modify and supersede an existing winery first approved under a Small Winery Exemption permit to recognize and establish uses and activities beyond the scope allowed under the previous Small Winery Exemption. The existing winery is currently approved for 20,000 gallons per year with 7,046 sq. ft. winery facility containing a 3,276 sq. ft. type 1 production cave, 1,470 sq. ft. production building, and 2,300 sq. ft covered crush/fermentation pad with solar panels, two (2) full time employees, six (6) parking spaces, process wastewater system, and other improvements typically associated with a winery. A. Components Necessary to Remedy Existing Violations: Establish a new Use Permit to recognize and approve: 1) Twenty-one (21) visitors per day for by-appointment Tours and Tastings with a weekly maximum of 97 visitors. The winery was approved for zero (0) visitors per day; 2) Recognize and approve a marketing program in the form of seven (7) events per year with a maximum of 30 guests with catered food and one (1) event per year with a maximum of 250 guests with catered food. The winery was approved for zero (0) marketing events; 3) Recognize and approve five (5) full-time employees. The winery was approved for two (2) full-time employees; 4) Recognize and approve on-premises consumption of wines produced on-site on the outdoor patio, outside of the northeastern cave portal, in accordance with Business and Professions Code Sections 23358, 23390 and 23396.5. No on-premises consumption was approved for the winery; 5) Hours of operation seven days a week: production 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., visitation 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and marketing events 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The winery was approved for wine production between 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Monday through Sunday. Recognition and approval of these unpermitted activities and uses triggers the installation of a public water system; excavation of approximately 1,000 cubic yards of spoils associated with the construction of improvements to the project driveway; removal of three (3) oak trees associated with driveway improvements, and the planting of nine (9) replacement oak trees (at a 3:1 ratio) on the project parcel. 6) Approval of an Exception to the Napa County Road and Street Standards (RSS) to construct a modified driveway design that serves the same overall practical effect of the RSS. B. Expansion Beyond Existing Entitlements: 1) Increase production capacity from 20,000 gallons per year to 30,000 gallons per year; 2) Construction of a new 1,700 square foot structure for uses accessory to a winery, including a tasting room and office, in conformance to the Viewshed Protection Program (Napa County Code Chapter 18.106) and a garbage enclosure; 3) Excavation of approximately 800 cubic yards of spoils associated with the construction of structural pads for the new accessory structure and removal of approximately 1,150 square feet of vineyard; 4) Increase the number of onsite parking spaces from six (6) to twelve (12); 5) Install a new 12,000-gallon fire protection water tank; 6) Increase visitation from 21 visitors per day (recognized above) to 30 visitors per day for by-appointment Tours and Tastings with a weekly maximum of 210 visitors (97 maximum weekly visitors recognized above); 7) Increase employment from five (5) full-time employees (recognized above) to nine (9) full-time employees; 8) Reconfigure the marketing program to allow: four (4) events per year with a maximum of 20 guests, three (3) events per year with a maximum of 60 guests, and two (2) events per year with a maximum of 100 guests. Events to include catered food. Daily tours and tastings shall not occur on days with marketing events; 9) Installation of wastewater improvements, as detailed in the Wastewater Feasibility Report prepared by Madrone Engineering, dated February 12, 2020; and 10) Landscaping, and other improvements typically associated with wineries. The project is located on an approximately 39.96-acre site within the Agricultural Watershed (AW) zoning district with a General Plan land use designation of Agriculture, Watershed, and Open Space (AWOS) at 4070 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, CA 94574; APN: 020-300-047-000. Staff Recommendation: Adopt the Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the project and approve Use Permit No. P19-00125, Viewshed Protection Program No. P20-00121, and Exception to the Road and Street Standards, as conditioned. Staff Contact: Matt Ringel, Planner III, Matthew.ringel@countyofnapa.org, (707) 299-1351 Applicant Contact: Hal and Fiona Barnett, 4070 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, CA 94574, hbarnett@barnettvineyards.com, (707) 963-3724. Applicant Representative Contact: Rob Anglin, Holman Teague Roche Anglin, LLP, 1455 First Street, Suite 217, Napa, CA 94559, anglin@htralaw.com, (707) 927-4280.
- Committee
- Planning Commission
- Requested by
- Planning, Building and Environmental Services
- Introduced
- December 19, 2025
- On agenda
- January 7, 2026