Over in Fairfax County, zoning laws are preventing the county from getting it’s first winery:
The setting couldn’t be more splendid for a Virginia Piedmont farm winery: 35 acres of rolling hills, wood-rail fencing, an 18th-century log cabin and ancient stands of black walnuts, holly and American boxwood.
But Jane and Kirk Wiles, a mother-and-son entrepreneurial team trying to establish Fairfax County’s first winery, near the southwestern enclave of Clifton, have discovered that there’s no place for their plans in the county’s suburban zoning regulations.
(…)
[T]his fall, the Wileses received bad news from the office of the Fairfax zoning administrator: There is no provision in county regulations for a farm winery. Such a use is not allowed in the property’s zoning category, “residential-conservation,” the office said, although the category allows agricultural uses. Because of the Wileses’ intent to manufacture wine and buy grapes, in addition to growing their own, the operation could legally operate only on land zoned for industrial use, said Deputy Zoning Administrator Lorrie Kirst.
The conclusion was absurd, the Wileses argued. Farm wineries are licensed by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. They are, by definition, agricultural entities where grapes are grown and processed. A farm winery could not operate on industrially zoned land, the Wileses said.
Kirst said that Virginia law states that local land-use regulations may come into play in the location of wineries. The Wileses said that if the winery were not permitted in their zoning district, then Fairfax officials were effectively barring wineries from the county.
“They’re trying to blockade this winery,” said Chris Pearmund, a grape grower with operations in Fauquier and Prince William counties who is the Wileses’ consultant. “Fairfax is not agricultural. It does not want to be agricultural. If this winery were to open, the county is afraid that more small-parcel wineries would open, and you’ve got a Pandora’s box.”
Open the Pandora’s Box to what ?
A Fairfax that contained something other than strip malls, office buildings, and subdivisions ?
How horrible that would be.
December 5th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Don’t forget about the evils of alcohol! If there’s a winery in Fairfax county, people might start drinking!
December 5th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Yes, and how terrible that the value of the land might increase with a winery there. (Check Napa, Ca and others…)
How terrible to encourage a business that builds no big concrete parking lots, brings visitors who respect the land and spend money in hotels and restaurants….
Erika
December 5th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Not to mention the fact that they want to do this all on their own property. God forbid anyone would want to do build a winery on their own land!
December 5th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Ignore the “do” in that last sentence.
December 7th, 2008 at 10:28 am
What is a winery farm after all? A farm that grows grapes, yes.
In this case, the request is for a tasting room, retail store, a factory that will process substantial imported raw materials, and, oh yes, some quantity of locally grown grapes to justify it as a “farm”. For sure, we will be having parties, weddings, etc, etc. All in the middle of a residential street.
In the middle of a residential neighborhood where the landowners just happen to still have a 35 acre parcel that they have not yet sold off for development of private residences (up to 7 homes in this case), as has been done with much of the same land over the years, they propose a factory and a retail store that will attract thousands of additional vehicles onto a very dangerous, 17 foot wide narrow, twisting road that can barely handle the traffic load already present by the existing development.
Grow grapes. Sure. That is a farm. The rest is industrial and not in the spirit of farming in a residential neighborhood. 50 tons of grapes annually. That is alot of volume.
Do you want a factory in your backyard?
Go visit the site. It is there, by law, to protect your water supply. Many of you drink the water from this watershed. They want to change the law for their wine FACTORY RETAIL STORE. I strongly believe that 7 houses on the land would do far less damage than what is currently proposed. Or, the owners, in the spirit of conservation, as claimed, could just leave the land as it is, conserved. It remains a good investment.
Fairfax County has made a wise decision and the rest of government should respect it.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Have you ever been to a Virginia Farm Winery? It is hardly a manufacturing plant or a classic Retail store. Having a winemaking facility will in no way affect the watersupply as any composte is all natural. It will provide a beautiful setting for everyone to come and enjoy while sipping a glass of wine and learning about the winemaking process. Clifton is the perfect setting for a winery to exist and I am excited to visit and help out once they open!!!
December 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I’ve got to agree with apon, go to a winery like La Grange in Prince William County, and you’ll see what a winery in the middle of a suburban county looks like.
For all the good press that Virginia wines have been getting in recent years, I would think that Clifton would love to be part of that cash cow.
December 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
[...] I noted last week, Fairfax County zoning officials were threatening to block development of a farm winery in Clifton. Yesterday, the County’s Board of Supervisors voted to allow the project to go forward: [...]