Dear Interested Community Members,

We want to hear from you! The County of San Diego Planning & Development Services (PDS) invites you to attend the first Focus Group Meeting regarding the Tiered Winery Rural Residential (RR) Expansion Project. This project is part of an ongoing update to the Tiered Winery Ordinance, following a 2024 Feasibility Analysis.

Through this project, the County will be looking at how different types of wineries could operate in RR zones under clear and consistent criteria. The project will entail changes to zoning rules, new operating standards, and a review of potential environmental effects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Meeting Discussion Topic: Draft Zoning Ordinance Changes

At this meeting, we will focus on drafted Tiered Winery Ordinance changes being proposed. We are looking for participation from community members who are residents in RR zones, business associates, agritourism partners, and agricultural resource organizations. Additionally, we will go over both noise buffers/setbacks for amplified live music and outdoor seating capacity for Boutique Wineries.

The goal of this meeting is to obtain feedback on draft changes to the Winery Ordinance that fosters a thriving agricultural economy while maintaining harmony with nearby residents and preserved open spaces.

PDS will host this in-person hybrid meeting on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 12 PM.

If you would like interpretation services at this meeting, please contact Ashley Rivero in your preferred language at [email protected] by Friday, May 8, 2026.

Two additional participation opportunities are anticipated and are listed below. If interested, please wait for future updates on those opportunities.

Focus Group Meeting #2: How Feedback was Incorporated – This meeting will go over drafted operational standards, permitting pathways, and criteria’s that were gathered by the community and vetted by County departments. The anticipated meeting date is mid-June 2026.

Open House: This is an opportunity to ask County staff any remaining questions on the draft Tiered Winery Ordinance changes and provide any comments before staff brings the draft language to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. The anticipated date for the Open House is mid-July 2026.

Please help us spread the word – share this message with family, friends, neighbors, businesses, and colleagues!

For more information about the project, please visit this link: Tiered Winery – Rural Residential Expansion | Engage San Diego County.

To receive updates on this project, please subscribe to the email list.

If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Rivero at [email protected] or (619) 629-4438.