The Sammamish Valley was the focal point for a series of proposed regulatory changes to alcohol production facilities and tasting rooms across King County. Aaron Kunkler/staff photo

The Sammamish Valley was the focal point for a series of proposed regulatory changes to alcohol production facilities and tasting rooms across King County. Aaron Kunkler/staff photo

Tasting room proposal could redefine alcohol production in King County

Pilot program would benefit wineries, breweries and distilleries. Several farmers are concerned.

A King County ordinance that would create a pilot program to allow alcohol tasting rooms and production in unincorporated areas was sent back to committee after a lengthy public hearing.

The ordinance in question would allow tasting rooms for wineries, breweries and distilleries to operate in three areas of the county at first, but if successful, the program could set precedent for code across King County. In particular, the ordinance is dealing with several tasting rooms that have set up in recent years just outside of the Woodinville tourism district. While the tourism district is zoned to support tasting rooms, under current county code, several of the tasting rooms in unincorporated King County are not allowed.

The public hearing packed the council chambers and led to more than a three-hour meeting as supporters and detractors of the ordinance voiced their concerns. The sides roughly broke down to winery, brewery and distillery owners who hoped the ordinance passed — and neighbors and farmers who were worried it could open the door for development and contamination for farmland across the county.

A representative of the Castillo De Feliciana winery asked the council to pass the ordinance, allow parking to be accommodated at current levels, and extend their hours of operation past a 7 p.m. cutoff on weekdays. Several other business owners expressed frustration and concern that while they were trying to come into compliance with interim permitting rules, it seemed that King County staff was constantly changing their regulations.

Several farmers also showed up to voice concerns that allowing these pilot programs to continue could eventually open the door for land speculators to purchase normally cheap farmland, therefore driving up the cost of land and pricing small farmers out of the market.

The council ultimately decided to send the ordinance to the Committee of the Whole for further discussion at a date yet to be decided.

“We will make sure the public knows what the schedule is,” said council chairman Rod Dembowski.

The ordinance was created to try and balance the desires of winery tasting rooms — which set up in the Sammamish Valley in recent years out of compliance with city code — and neighbors and farmers who view this as a threat to the semi-rural and agricultural nature of the valley.

Neighbors of the wineries and tasting rooms in recent years began filing code enforcement complaints against the facilities operating without permits. Some said at the public hearing that noise from events at these facilities were affecting their quality of life while others worried about an increase in traffic.

Under the proposed ordinance, alcohol production and tasting rooms would be broken into three categories, roughly by their size. The first and smallest would be for production facilities of no more than 1,500 square feet that would not be allowed to have onsite tasting, events or sales. It would allow small commercial production to replace home businesses.

The next level would allow up to 3,500 square feet of space for properties of at least 2.5 acres of land. Product tasting and sales would be allowed and events could be held with temporary-use permits.

The largest category would allow for up to 8,000 square feet of facility on properties of at least 10 acres in size. Product tasting and sales would be allowed and events would need special permits. In the valley, only two wineries have enough land to qualify for this. The largest two classes of wineries would also be required to grow at least 60 percent of their grapes on site.

If the pilot program is successful, these rules could change alcohol production across the whole county. Two pilot zones would also be created in the Sammamish Valley that would allow most of the current wineries and tasting rooms on rural-zoned land to remain at least through the duration of the three-year pilot program.

Most of these businesses are located on rural land on the eastern side of the Sammamish Valley. However, at the center is the Sammamish Valley Agriculture Production District, farmland the county is preserving for farmland. In total, the district is 1,082 acres and produces food, sod, trees and hosts around 500 acres for equestrian uses.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

File Photo
Kent man, 21, killed in West Meeker Street parking lot shooting

Suspect fired five to 12 shots before fleeing; shooter and victim reportedly knew each other

Courtesy Photo, City of Kent
Kent City Council approves B&O tax increases to hire more police

Additional revenue will pay for four police department positions

t
King County executive will nominate replacements for Upthegrove

District 5, which includes parts of Kent, will get new representative on County Council in January

t
SeaTac man, 21, fatally shot in vehicle in Kent on West Hill

Someone ran up and fired multiple shots into vehicle Nov. 21 at Veterans Drive and Military Road

Kentwood High School, 25800 164th Ave. SE, in Covington, remained without power Thursday morning, Nov. 21, according to Puget Sound Energy. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent School District
Kent schools remain closed due to windstorm damage, power outages

Second consecutive day of closures Thursday, Nov. 21 across the Kent School District

t
Kent-based Puget Sound Fire calls windstorm ‘one for the ages’

Agency responds to 308 calls in 12-hour period, including 245 for storm-related issues

Crews clear trees from State Route 18, which the Washington State Patrol closed in both directions Wednesday, Nov. 20, from Issaquah Hobart to I-90 over Tiger Mountain because of fallen trees during a windstorm. COURTESY PHOTO, Washington State Patrol
Windstorm closes Kent schools, roads due to fallen trees

Many without power in areas of Kent and beyond

t
“Prolific” vehicular theft suspect arrested in Renton

Kent man holds 13 prior convictions and 41 arrests.

tt
Green Kent volunteer program wraps up season at city park

Volunteers remove invasive species, plant native trees and shrubs at Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park

t
Copper-wire thieves damage Kent Senior Center roof refrigeration unit

Facility temporarily loses commercial kitchen refrigerator but staff, community keep meals going

t
16-year-old girl dies in Covington single-car crash

Teen was driving when car crashed into a tree Nov. 15 along SE 256th Street just east of Kent