Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Development Project topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lompoc planning commission approves Racine Wines production facility, removes vine-condition
Summary
The planning commission approved a 23,320-square-foot multi-tenant building for Racine Wines at 1025 West Central Avenue, finding it CEQA-infill exempt and allowing 17 parking spaces with room to add up to 10 later; the commission struck a staff condition requiring vine pockets around the trash enclosure.
The Lompoc Planning Commission on a unanimous voice vote approved a development review permit for a 23,320-square-foot Racine Wines production facility at 1025 West Central Avenue, a 1.83-acre vacant lot in a business park and special-event overlay zone. Planning staff described the project as a pre-engineered steel, multi-tenant industrial building that would include wine production space, indoor storage, and employee areas.
Planning staff told commissioners the project divides the building into three tenants, including a 12,375-square-foot production area for Racine Wines and two lease spaces of about 5,500 and 5,445 square feet. Staff said the site requires 15 parking spaces under code; the proposal includes 17 with room on the plan to add up to 10 more spaces if future tenants increase office area. Staff also said an existing, recorded 51-foot easement on adjacent property would allow vehicular access and utilities from Barton Street.
The project includes earth-tone wall panels, cedar siding accents and covered bottling areas. Staff flagged proposed Italian stone pine trees along West Central Avenue as potentially problematic because those trees can reach about 80 feet and have aggressive roots; staff added a condition requiring a different tree species to avoid damage to nearby infrastructure. The project was described as categorically exempt from environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act section 15332 (infill development).
Steven Reese, the architect representing Racine Wines, told the commission he and staff had worked through many issues and that the applicant accepted the conditions of approval “as they're written,” while asking that the requirement to add vine pockets around the trash enclosure (Condition P39) be removed. "We accept them," Reese said during public comment.
Commissioner Bridge moved to approve staffs recommendation and strike Condition P39; the motion was seconded and the commission voted in favor. The commission recorded the approval and directed staff to finalize permit conditions consistent with the action.
The commission did not place hours of operation into the formal conditions of approval; staff said the hours listed in the materials were provided for informational context only and are not an enforceable condition unless the commission required them.
The project will proceed to plan check and building permit processing consistent with the conditions approved by the commission.
