To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Scott Orr 707-565-1754, Jen Chard 707-565-2336
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
Permit Sonoma File No. LLA25-0015 Kosta Browne Lot Line Adjustment, 4151 and 4175 Slusser Road, Windsor
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution approving a Lot Line Adjustment between two lots subject to Conditions of Approval and a Land Conservation Act Contract at 4151 and 4175 Slusser Road, Windsor; APNs 057-070-021 and 057-070-025. (Fourth District)
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Executive Summary:
The proposed adjustment is consistent with the County’s Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and the Land Conservation Act. Permit Sonoma staff recommends approval of the Lot Line Adjustment to adjust between two lots of 153.55 (Lot A) and 10-acres (Lot B) in size resulting in two lots of 148.05-acres and 15.5-acres in size. Lot Line Adjustments on lands under a Land Conservation Contract require that the Board of Supervisors make findings of consistency with the Land Conservation Act requirements. The adjusted lots meet the land use and density criteria of the General Plan, Lot A and Lot B meet all of the required findings for Land Conservation Act Requirements.
Discussion:
Duckhorn Wine Company seeks approval of a Lot Line Adjustment between two lots (refer to Lot Line Adjustment Site Plan under Attachment 5). The legal parcels are identified as APN 057-070-025 Lot A) and APN 057-070-021 (Lot B). The current lot sizes are: 153.55+/- acres (Lot A) and 10+/- acres (Lot B). The Lot Line Adjustment will result in parcels 148.05+/- acres (Lot A) and 15.5+/- acres (Lot B). The Lot Line Adjustment is being requested to realign property boundaries around the proposed winery development on Lot A. The property line currently runs through the proposed winery development. The lot line adjustment facilitated by the recommendation action will place the proposed development solely on adjusted Lot A.
Zoning for Lot A is DA (Diverse Agriculture), B6 60 (60-acre density), Z (Accessory Dwelling Unit Exclusion) with combining zones for F2 (Floodplain), OAK (Oak Woodland), RC 50/25 (Riparian Corridor 50 ft setback), RC 100/50 (Riparian Corridor 100 ft setback) and VOH (Valley Oak Habitat).
Zoning for Lot B is DA (Diverse Agriculture), B6 60 (60-acre density) with combining zone for F2 (Floodplain).
A condition of approval requires that prior to recording the grant deeds, the owner must submit a complete application for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change technical correction to align land use and zoning boundaries with the adjusted parcel boundaries.
Site Characteristics:
The project site includes two contiguous lots under the same ownership. The lots are located 2.46 miles southwest of the Town of Windsor and 3.74 miles northwest of the City of Santa Rosa.
Lot A is a 153.55-acre parcel currently under a Prime (Type I) Land Conservation Act contract approved by the Board in November 2003 and is devoted to agriculture with 124-acres planted in vineyard. Existing agricultural structures on Lot A comprise approximately 1-acre and includes a single-family residence, Ag Employee Housing, three barns, and accessory experimental wine making facilities within two accessory structures. The remaining 28.55+/-acres is open space and riparian habitat.
Lot B is a 10-acre parcel currently under a Prime (Type I) Land Conservation Act contract approved by the Board in November 2003 and is devoted to agriculture with 7.9-acres planted in vineyard. Existing agricultural structures on Lot B comprise approximately 0.2-acres and includes a single-family residence with septic system. The remaining 1.9+/-acres of Parcel B is undeveloped.
After the Lot Line Adjustment, the Owner will seek approval for County rescission of the existing Land Conservation Contract and immediate replacement with two new Land Conservation Contracts that restricts the resulting adjusted lots. Resulting Lot A will contain 119.3-acres in vineyard (81% of the parcel). Resulting Lot B will contain 14.2-acres in vineyard (92% of the parcel).
Land Conservation Act:
To facilitate a Lot Line Adjustment, Government Code Section 51257 permits the contracting parties to rescind the existing contract and simultaneously enter into new contract if the required findings can be made.
State regulations for Land Conservation Contracts and the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Uniform Rules) require that the amount of land under contract after a Lot Line Adjustment remain the same as it was before the Lot Line Adjustment and that the adjusted contracted parcel continue to meet all the requirements for a contract. The proposed Lot Line Adjustment will not result in a reduction of land under contract and the currently contracted parcels will individually meet the requirements for a contract after the adjustment because the lots will: (1) continue to be devoted to agriculture with at least 50% of the parcel planted in vineyard; (2) meet agricultural income requirements; (3) be included in an agricultural preserve (after required application for such inclusion); (4) will be comprised of a single legal parcel; and (5) all non-agricultural uses are compatible uses listed under the County’s Uninform Rules and do not collectively exceed an area that is 15% of the parcel or 5-acres in size whichever is less.
Both lots are currently under the same Prime (Type I) Land Conservation Act Contract. A condition of approval requires that prior to recording the grant deeds for the adjusted lots, the owner apply to rescind the existing Land Conservation Act contract and replace it with new contracts for the reconfigured lots in accordance with the Uniform Rules.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends the Board approve the request because all the state and local requirements for the Lot Line Adjustment can be met.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None. This is an at-cost project with costs paid by the applicant.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Draft Board of Supervisors Resolution
Attachment 2: Conditions of Approval
Attachment 3: Proposal Statement prepared by the applicant
Attachment 4: Assessor’s Parcel Map
Attachment 5: Lot Line Adjustment Site Plan
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None