Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Sonoma's Tough New Vineyard Rules

Sonoma County, Calif. -- Though Napa County was the first to require erosion control in new vineyards, Sonoma County has its own version. Last year, it updated the Vineyard Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance, or VESCO, first implemented in 2000. Napa's ordinance is generally regarded as very demanding; Sonoma's version is somewhat easier to comply with in many respects..................

Under the new rules, all vineyards and orchards more than one-half acre in size must meet a number of requirements. These include:
  • No planting on slopes greater than 50%. (It's 30% in Napa County.)
  • Setbacks are extended to unnamed streams as well as blueline streams, including 25 feet from the top of bank if it contains native vegetation, with no work allowed on this area. As an option, growers can maintain a 25-foot vegetated filter strip if there's no vegetation already there.
  • For developing new vineyards, differing plans are required depending on the slope and soil conditions.
  • Level 1 conditions are slopes less than 15% without highly erodible soils, or slopes less than 10% with highly erodible soils. In this case, the erosion control plan does not have to be prepared by an engineer.
  • Level 2 situations are slopes more than 15% with no highly erodible soils; or slopes greater than 10% with highly erodible soils. These require an engineered erosion control plan.

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