LAKEPORK >> The Lake County Planning Commission unanimously approved the final environmental impact report (FEIR) for the Wild Diamond Vineyards expansion project at its regular meeting on Thursday.
Just as in the two previous meetings over draft reports, public comment was filled with concerns over the company’s thoroughness in its analyses. Again, concerns focused specifically on the groundwater wells and potential noise coming from the Hidden Valley Lake property.
A Hidden Valley Lake watershed group opposed to the vineyard put provided a vocal and adamant counterpoint. According to resident and group leader Elizabeth Montgomery, the organization collected nearly 500 signatures — more than 300 coming from the website, change.org — on their petition to have commission order a complete hydrology study on the project.
They even obtained a letter from Swape, an environmental consulting firm based in Santa Monica, which said the hydrology report was insufficient in satisfying the requirements outlined by the California Environmental Quality Act. Written by Matt Hagemann and dated Oct. 11, the letter argued that four areas required addressing: a comprehensive survey of current water resources, a quantitative groundwater model, baseline measurements also including Coyote Creek and a gradual implementation and monitoring plan.
“Data on water quality and flow rates from springs feeding the reservoir [Hidden Valley Lake] is needed to determine potential project impacts. No comprehensive survey of these springs has been completed,” he wrote, noting that flow rates from seven nearby springs has been estimated but not measured in the WSA.
Despite this argument and the petition, the commission felt the FEIR satisfied CEQA with the inclusion of the WSA. Furthermore, it argued that they cannot force the company to go on the residents’ properties and survey every groundwater well.
However, the board did pass the resolution with conditions that the company make efforts to communicate with the community about upcoming large events and agricultural activities that could affect air quality.
One more meeting is required to greenlight the project. Scheduled in November, the commission will decide on the approval of a major use permit.
Hidden Valley Lake Watershed has until Oct. 20 to appeal the decision. The vote was 5-0 on both the WSA and the FEIR.
