July 13, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Temporary Ban Imposed On New/Expanded Vineyards In Santa Monica Mountains:

Spurred primarily by concerns about water use amid the extended drought, the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday imposed a temporary ban on new or expanded vineyards a large swath of the northern Santa Monica Mountains.

The ban affects the 32-square-mile Santa Monica Mountains North Area, which includes unincorporated land west of the city of Los Angeles and reaching the Ventura County line, adjacent to Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village.

“Quite recently, 12 new vineyards have been approved just in this area,” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said. “And if you take a longer look at it, 25 new vineyards have been approved. Sixteen more applications are pending for vineyards.”

She stressed that the ban is only a temporary step designed to give county planners a chance to review water issues as they relate to vineyards and determine if additional conditions should be imposed on future projects.

“No, vineyards did not cause the drought,” Kuehl said. “I didn’t cause the drought either by using too much water, but the point is the aggregate of everybody’s actions is contributing.”

Richard Bruckner, the county’s director of Regional Planning, said people who want to install a vineyard simply bring an application to the county that is approved administratively.

Imposing a temporary ban will “give us a chance to think of a more thoughtful approach to maybe, perhaps, some conditions for the vineyards, perhaps look at the water certainly look at the water quality coming off of the vineyards,” he said. “So it would be an opportunity to look at perhaps some conditions that may be applicable to vineyards in the future.”

The ban was opposed by vineyard operators.

“It seems like we’re being targeted for vines, whereas other things that might actually lead to more significant drought reduction are not even being mentioned in this — agriculture, housing, horses,” said Malibu resident Dan Fredman, who has been operating a vineyard for about five years. “All of those things use significantly more water than grapes do.

“… I realize it’s difficult to get much sympathy for people who live in Malibu,” he said. “This morning we’ve been hearing about valley fever, living-wage issues, all of that, but the reality is most of the people who are working with farming, we’re out there doing it ourselves.”

Greg Barnett of Malibu Coast Wines, added that he has “enjoyed the Santa Monica Mountains my whole life, and then I’ve welcomed the whole wine country that is just blossoming behind our backyard in the mountains.”

“I just can’t believe that this is going to put a ban on all future vineyards as well as any sort of vineyard expansion, which is kind of distressing to our family,” he said.

Beyond the amount of water used by vineyards, Kuehl said the county also wants to look at their water runoff, which can contain chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers.

The board is expected to revisit the issue during a public hearing on July 28.

in News
<>Related Posts

County Health Leaders Decry Federal Policy Barring Undocumented from Programs

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

The officials argued the policy jeopardizes care for all residents, noting it could deter people—regardless of status—from seeking treatment  Leaders...

County Supervisors Move to Preserve Measure J Amid Charter Error

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

Measure J mandates that at least 10% of the county’s locally generated, unrestricted funds be allocated to community investments like...

LA Medical Center Seeks Help Identifying Unconscious Patient

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

He has been unconscious since admission, and staff have been unable to determine his identity Los Angeles General Medical Center,...

Mayor Bass Issues Directive to Protect Immigrant Communities

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

The order expands access to city resources for affected families and requests records from ICE, including details on arrests Mayor...

Downtown Santa Monica CEO Andrew Thomas to Step Down

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Thomas, who rejoined DTSM, Inc. in 2022, oversaw the introduction of a private security program, expanded homeless outreach, and boosted...

Conservancy to Tour Historic Miles Playhouse at State of the City Event

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Built in 1929, the Miles Playhouse serves as the centerpiece of Lincoln Park The Santa Monica Conservancy will offer 15-minute...

Sen. Ben Allen Highlights Challenges, Economic Gains for LA28 Olympics

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

The remarks came during the first informational hearing of the Senate’s Special Committee on International Sporting Events State Sen. Ben...

(Video) Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

To Sign Up Now, Go To Schoolofrock.com Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars To...

L.A. Louver Marks David Hockney’s 88th with Exhibit

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for...

Suspect Arrested in Shoe Retail Theft Spree Across LA County

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

During the search, police recovered two firearms and a significant quantity of merchandise The Los Angeles Police Department’s Organized Retail...

Suspect Arrested in Santa Monica Pier Arson Incidents

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The suspect, matching video footage from an arcade, was taken into custody Santa Monica Police Department officers arrested a suspect...

SMPD Launch New Recruitment Website Amid High Vacancy Rates

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The site features multimedia content, including day-in-the-life videos and officer profiles, highlighting the impact of serving the community The Santa...

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Santa Monica Joins Regional Lawsuit to Halt Unconstitutional ICE Raids

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The motion to intervene seeks to ensure that Santa Monica and other plaintiff-intervenors can advocate for their residents’ rights in...