Board approves wine‑country zoning change for 5‑acre parcel despite neighbor objections

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a change of zone Tuesday to align a 5‑acre property in the Temecula Valley Wine Country with the Wine Country Winery zoning classification.

Planning staff told the board the rezoning is conforming to the Wine Country Community Plan and — because of the parcel size — would at most allow a Class 1 production facility limited to winery production, bottling and storage. Staff emphasized that any use allowing public tastings, events, restaurants or hotels would require a separate plot plan and public hearing and therefore is not authorized by the rezoning alone.

Nearby residents objected at the public hearing, saying commercial winery activity already affects quiet residential streets and that additional approvals expand noise, traffic and event risks. One speaker presented photographs of existing activity at the neighborhood entrance and asked that any future plot plans be strictly permitted and conditioned.

The applicant, who said the property was not part of the county‑sponsored rezoning in 2014 because of ownership timing, described the proposal as a conforming change to bring the parcel into alignment with the 2014 plan. Planning and the applicant said unauthorized uses on adjacent parcels are separate enforcement matters; the rezoning on its own does not authorize events or public activity.

After closing the public hearing, the board approved staff’s recommendation 4‑0.