At Tuesday's meeting of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, the Board approved the Clos de la Tech project largely as described in the Planning Commision's letter of decision but with one significant addition - a condition attached to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) that prohibits imaportation of grapes grown in the Woodhams watershed by the winery applicants or their successors.  This provision provides long term protection of vineyard planting in Woodhams with respect to the winery.  Altogether, the project has been amended since the start of the environmental review p

Based on communications with the applicant, the County, and other key parties, the Board of Directors has submitted a letterwritten by Counsel to the County Board of Supervisors to support adoption of the project essentialy along the lines reflected in the Planning Commission's Letter of Decision.  In addition to  the landswap, this letter specifies the drilling and use of a monitoring well as part of a water monitoring plan.  However, the Guild asks for three modifications:

On Oct. 29, the County distributed the final draft environmental impact report (FEIR) on the Clos de la Tech winery project.  The FEIR consists of the DEIR plus submitted written comments and replies to those comments.  It can be downloaded here.  The FEIR does not include a robust monitoring plan for the affected watersheds.  The Guild's hydrologist, Barry Hecht, has proposed a sensible monitoring plan that the consultants deem reasonable which they dimiss in commentary as not needed.

The Guild's hydrologist, Barry Hecht of Balance Hydrologics, has submitted a comment letter to the County concerning the Clos de la tech DEIR.  The letter details deficiencies in the hydrological analysis of the DEIR and suggests a number of specific remedies, including a specific and simple monitoring plan that the County is urged to adopt as a condition of project approval. 

The County plans a public hearing on the Clos de la Tech DEIr and project November 10 at La Honda Elementary School. A time has not been announced.  It is important that you attend the hearing to express your concerns so the County understands the need to provide adequate and sensible safeguards for our current and future water supply.