The coast news 2014 07 25

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92025 PERMIT NO. 94

THE COAST NEWS

.com MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

VOL. 28, N0. 30

JULY 25, 2014

SAN MARCOS -NEWS

.com THE VISTA NEWS

.com “Urban wineries create a communal space,” Adam Carruth told City Council on Tuesday. The Council voted 3-1, with Mayor Matt Hall recusing himself, to change the Master Plan to allow wineries to make wine in the area. Photo by Ellen Wright

RANCHO SFNEWS

EMBARKING ON A NEW VOYAGE The iconic Encinitas Boathouses are embarking on a voyage to receive some much-needed funds for upgrades and restorations. See the full story on page A8. Courtesy photo

North County cities look at improving watershed quality By Promise Yee

REGION — The state adoption of the Regional MS4 Permit requires cities to improve the quality of their watershed, and in turn the quality of local creeks and coastal waters. The idea behind the permit is to step away from the former one-sizefits-all approach that has traditionally required cities to adopt prescribed water-friendly practices, and tests that may or may not address their local storm water issues. Carlsbad, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista and unincorporated portions of the county make up the eight watershed management areas within the Carlsbad Watershed that stretches from south of the San Luis Rey River down to the San Elijo Lagoon. New requirements ask cities to be proactive, take a good look at their storm water discharges, and set a common watershed priority and specific city goals to improve the quality of the watershed. “Most watersheds have a singular outlet,” Mikhail Ogawa, principal with Mikhail Ogawa Engineering, said. “The Carlsbad Watershed has

.com Urban wineries allowed in Barrio By Ellen Wright

CARLSBAD — City Council voted to change the Village Master Plan to allow for urban wineries in the Barrio neighborhood. Council members were in favor 3-1 with Mayor Matt Hall sitting out because he is a property owner in the area. The move to change the Master Plan came

We’re not getting people hammered and sending them out on the road.” Ryan Scott Winemaker, Witch Creek Winery

Residents sit in on Water Quality Improvement Plan Public Workshop led by Mikhail Ogawa, principal of Mikhail Ogawa Engineering. Cities within the Carlsbad Watershed met to draft goals and strategies to improve watershed quality. Photo by Promise Yee

six outlets, and eight agencies involved.” In November, cities within the Carlsbad Watershed decided to focus on bacteria as a watershed priority. Cities met on July 17 to learn what should be included in city goals and strategies to meet the MS4 Permit require-

ment. Examples of numeric goals were given, and water-quality improvement strategies were defined. Numeric goals include quantitative bacteria reduction. Strategies could include reducing the concentration of pollutants in storm water discharge,

and prohibiting nonstorm-water discharge. Cities were encouraged to take risks and set big goals for the next five to 10 years. “The water board wants to see measurable progress,” Laurie Walsh, Regional Water Quality TURN TO WATERSHED ON A18

after Adam Carruth, owner of Carruth Cellars in Solana Beach, expressed a desire to open an urban winery on Roosevelt Street in an unused auto body paint shop. Austin Silva, assistant planner for the city, gave a presentation to the Council, explaining that the change to the plan is conditional. Each winery owner that hopes to open in the industrial and residential area has to get approval by city staff. An urban winery is a winery in which the

grapes are brought in from elsewhere and then crushed and fermented on-site in large tanks. One issue council considered was the smell that comes from the wine making process. Winemakers assured the Council that the odors produced are pleasant. “There are no foul odors. Mostly it smells of French Oak and fresh grapes,” Carruth said of the wine making process. Chris Van Alyea, owner of Solterra Winery, agreed with Carruth and compared the smells to raspberry and guava. Residents who spoke out against the amendment were worried that wineries would create more problems with alcohol consumption. Susan Marie Smith of Tyler Street was worried about people doing the “Carlsbad Crawl.” “I get to hear the aftermath of people walking home drunk from the Carlsbad Crawl,” Smith told the Council. “Having a winery is way too close to our residential homes.” Silva addressed her concerns, saying that restaurants and convenient stores are already permitted to sell alcohol in the area. Those in favor of the amendment said wineries would increase property value in the area, improve aesthetics and provide another place to TURN TO WINERIES ON A18


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