Sonoma County halts events, wine-cave tasting at Bella Vineyards

 Angela Hart, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County planning commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to ban all events at Bella Vineyards north of Healdsburg and to halt wine tasting in the winery’s popular storage cave.
The swift vote by the Board of Zoning Adjustments came in less than 10 minutes after little discussion by commissioners. The action represented a strong crackdown unprecedented in the county’s history of regulating events at wineries.
“I’m saddened we got to this point,” said Jason Liles, a planning commissioner who represents Healdsburg. “I’m hopeful this will once and for all put to rest any confusion or disagreement.”
The restrictions on Bella take effect immediately. While banning a range of events, cave tastings and dinners, it does not prohibit the winery from holding wine tasting in its primary tasting room.
The formal vote came a month after county planning officials first presented evidence outlining more than a decade of permit infringements by Bella — from building code violations, to unauthorized events to prohibited wine pairing dinners in the hillside cave.
via Sonoma County halts events, wine-cave tasting at Bella | The Press Democrat.

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