County holds agriculture workshop as growers and advocates urge permit streamlining, land access and farmworker supports

Sonoma County held an extended agriculture workshop April 14, where county staff and agricultural stakeholders laid out a broad set of challenges and potential responses ranging from permit streamlining and revised "by-right" uses to land-access programs and farmworker housing.

County staff framed the session as a contributor to the county's General Plan process and a vehicle for near-term policy changes. The presentation reviewed land-use concepts (by-right uses, ministerial permits, discretionary use permits and CEQA processes), definitions and limits for agritourism, and questions about "fallowing" practices and whether they should continue to count as active agricultural use for purposes such as Williamson Act eligibility.

Speakers representing vineyards, market farms and community food hubs described operational strain. "Level 2 permits can cost $15,000 to $30,000 and take 5 to 6 months," said Cam Wirtz, who pressed the county for a low-impact registration pathway to allow timely vine removals and future replanting. Joe Belli, who operates a winery and fabrication business in Dry Creek, said two families have waited more than two years for winery permits: "When it's all done, you come out and check if they did what they were supposed to do. Pretty simple process," he said.

Operators focused on three consistent asks: (1) create shorter, clearer administrative pathways for low-impact farm activities and small agritourism events; (2) improve and speed permitting for vineyard replanting and removals and reduce duplication across county offices; and (3) expand land-access tools such as buy/protect/sell models with affirmative agricultural easements, longer leases and incubator farms so smaller and tenant farmers can access land.

Farmworker advocates pressed for urgent action. "Our farm workers are struggling," said Zeke Guzman, who described community farm initiatives and training programs that have scaled production for local food banks. Speakers called for easier farmworker housing approvals, targeted infrastructure investments (wastewater and water), and county support for market development to stabilize income for local growers.

Discussion among supervisors emphasized both the need for short-term "quick hits" (streamlined permitting, preapproved farm-stand or farm-event designs, a county point person or "ag ombudsman" to help navigate Permit Sonoma) and longer-term measures to improve land access. Supervisor Hopkins urged exploring an emergency or urgency ordinance to allow the county to pilot time-limited changes while the General Plan update proceeds.

The board directed the agriculture ad hoc and county staff to return with a prioritized work plan that separates near-term actions from longer regulatory and General Plan changes. Potential near-term items discussed included low-impact event approvals, expanding administrative pathways for farmworker housing, preapproved designs for farm stands, and interagency streamlining for vineyards and water-related permitting.

What happens next: The Ad Hoc Committee will work with staff to develop a menu of short-, medium- and long-term actions and return to the Board with implementation options and timelines.