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Likely Mt. Winery owner addresses county planners, will seek permit
Organizers haven't 'legally' held concerts at the venue
Expansion plans uncertain
By Steve Enders
Residents who live near the Mountain Winery and whose homes line the access routes to it are hearing a familiar song lately, and it's not coming from the stage of the concert venue.
It's uncertainty over what the plans are for possible expansion of the winery, and how the venue can continue to operate without permits from the county.
The answer to that question, much to some Saratogans' dismay, is that the concerts will likely continue as they have for the last 40 years.
Mike Lopez, secretary to the county planning commission, said that the frequent turnover in owners of the winery is partly to blame for it operating for so long without completion of an environmental impact report and subsequent use permit.
"We're trying to get compliance, not to shut anyone down. The new owners look like they have more experience in getting [the EIR] done," Lopez said, adding that he's hopeful it will get done this time.
According to Bill Hirschman, who's likely to become the winery's new owner, he'll finish the job that was started by his predecessors.
"We're going to go in and ask for the use permits for the existing uses," Hirschman said, adding that he's hoping to finalize the purchase within the next week.
Until this week, no one close to the winery would confirm or deny the winery was for sale. Hirschman said he's been looking into buying the property for a couple of years.
Hirschman appeared before the county Planning Commission on March 4 to give an already-agendized status report. There, Hirschman told commissioners that he intends to finish the environmental review process and is moving ahead in filing for the proper permits so the concerts can legally be held.
The timing of his appearance at the meeting and the sale of the winery was purely coincidental, he said.
"The common thought pattern is that no one really wants to see the concerts there get shut down," he said. "What we need probably is better traffic control ... but we're starting off fresh and new."
Hirschman said he hopes Saratoga residents will give him a chance to better the venue's image, which has suffered under the legal troubles and management of current owner Ravi Kumra.
Kumra was convicted last year on counts of disturbing the peace, for allegedly harrassing employees at Villa Montalvo, the concert organizers of the winery.
Montalvo will release their concert schedule for the summer at a press conference March 10, even though no permits have been issued yet, and the winery's ownership is technically still up in the air.
County planner John Davidson said that winery owners are still expressing interest in expanding the seating capabilities of the venue, much as Kumra has planned to do.
Last year, a notice of preparation was filed with the county, stating that an EIR will take place and that owners would like to expand the venue for 1999 by 750 seats, for a total of 2,500.
No official plans have been submitted yet, but Hirschman said he "is going in under the same application."
On March 3, Saratoga's City Council also heard a status report on the winery from Community Development Director James Walgren.
In his report, Walgren told the council all he knew of the dynamic situation--the winery may be sold and the owners were planning on filing the necessary documents to obtain the permits.
Councilmember Evan Baker expressed frustration over the winery's plans.
"My concern is that the City Council is not on record as to how we stand on the Mountian Winery, and I think we should be," he said. "I'm against expanded use of the winery and the number of performances they have is excessive... It's a hot potato from one owner to the next so no EIR is ever done."
The 580-acre property partially lies in Saratoga, but is mostly on county-controlled land. The access routes, including Pierce Road, are in Saratoga. Residents in those neighborhoods have long held that traffic leading to and from the winery during concert events is too heavy.
The council, seemingly in support of a limited concert venue at the winery, instructed Mayor Jim Shaw to write a letter to county Planning Commission Chairman Terry Trumbull expressing the council's dissatisfaction with the winery's plans of expansion and going ahead with its concert series without a use permit. A copy of the letter was also to be sent to county Supervisor Joe Simitian.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
