Despite five years of planning work and dozens of meetings, the controversial update to Santa Barbara County’s winery ordinance update was killed on Tuesday, when the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to effectively deny the new set of rules. While the wine industry applauded the denial, those wine country residents who believed the new rules would protect their rural quality of life were left with nothing.
“It just reinforces our argument that the proposed ordinance, as written, had too many issues that remained unanswered,” said Morgen McLaughlin, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association. “But because the supervisors didn’t approve it, we know that we have to do a better job of building bridges with neighbors, better understanding neighborhood concerns, and educating the general public on what is agriculture.”
McLaughlin admitted to being in shock after the vote, for the move was almost entirely unexpected by all parties. Many figured that the ordinance might squeak by on a split vote if it incorporated some of the revisions requested by the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association. Others thought that the board might bow to the vintners’ request to form a new task force.