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Board approves AB 720 wine-tasting pilot and Salinas Dam study funding amid clarifications from County Fire and Public Works
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Summary
Supervisors approved a pilot to implement AB 720 wine-tasting rules and clarified Type 93 permit eligibility; they also approved funding to participate in a Salinas Dam-related study after public-works confirmation that the city pays dam-related project costs (item 20 passed 4–1).
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on April 21 approved multiple consent items including a pilot implementation of AB 720 permitting for on‑vineyard estate tastings and authorized participation in a Salinas Dam study (item 20 passed on a 4–1 roll-call vote).
Public testimony in support of the AB 720 pilot came from wine-industry speakers. "AB 720 creates a common-sense opportunity for winemakers and wine growers to host intimate tastings on vineyard sites," said Joel Peterson, CEO of the Pastoral Wine Country Alliance, who described the pilot as balancing state law with local oversight on attendance, traffic and safety. Jamie Jones of Kirk Consulting, representing wine-industry clients, thanked staff and county leaders for moving the pilot forward.
County Fire Chief John Owens clarified staff-report language on Type 93 permits, saying eligibility is controlled by the adopted resolution and consistent with state law. Chief Owens said properties are eligible for a Type 93 permit if they are adjacent to licensed premises or are a non-adjacent vineyard owned or controlled by the licensee; he said County Fire will revise its website language to remove phrasing that caused confusion.
Item 20 — a proposal related to a Salinas Dam study cost allocation — drew dissent from Supervisor Pichel, who objected to using county funds for a study he said should be paid for by the Army Corps of Engineers. Public Works Director John Diodati told the board that projects involving Salinas Dam are paid for by the City of San Luis Obispo. The board approved item 20 by roll call (4 yes, 1 no). The vote record shows Supervisor Perchong (listed in the roll call transcript as voting "no" on a related item earlier) and the assembly of supervisors voted to pass the consent items as amended.
The board also approved other consent items on the agenda, and several board members thanked community groups and staff for their work on housing, behavioral health facility design-build, and a sheriff’s substation project.
What’s next: County Fire will update public-facing language about Type 93 permit eligibility to align with the adopted resolution; staff will continue implementation steps for the AB 720 pilot ahead of summer tourism season.
