Politics & Government

City Approves Wine Tasting Businesses Despite Criticism

The San Marino City Council approved a new ordinance Wednesday night allowing for two wine tasting establishments in the city, though Councilman Dennis Kneier called the ordinance "dumb."

The San Marino City Council approved a new ordinance allowing wine tasting businesses in a 4-1 vote on Wednesday.

The council was not expected to take action on the newly introduced amendment Wednesday, but approved it anyway.

After two Planning Commission meetings about a new ordinance allowing for wine tasting establishments in San Marino, San Marino Planning and Building Department Senior Planner Aldo Cervantes presented the ordinance to a less than enthusiastic

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The amendment to the city code comes after a request from 55 Degree Wine, a wine shop and tasting business in Atwater Village, to open their second location in San Marino Courtyard’s vacant space next to .

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“I’ll support it, but I think it’s the dumbest ordinance I’ve ever seen,” said San Marino City Councilman Dennis Kneier after Cervantes laid out the details.

The ordinance:

  • Allows for up to two wine tasting establishments that do not have a bar type of atmosphere and are in the business area of town on Huntington Drive near San Marino Avenue.
  • Requires that no more than a third of the business space be used for wine tasting, while two thirds will be retail.
  • Limits a wine tasting patron to a flight of four 2-ounce pours of wine, plus a full glass of wine or beer.
  • Prohibits amplified sound or amusement-like live entertainment in the space.

Kneier called the restrictions “micromanaging” and said the only reason he’d support the ordinance is to be business friendly.

San Marino Planning & Building Director Dave Saldaña pointed out that 55 Degree Wine agreed to the ordinance terms at the Planning Commission meetings.

“If you don’t have any restrictions, you have a bar,” said city attorney Steve Dorsey, adding, “I haven’t seen anything this restrictive in other cities.”

Micromanaging?

San Marino Vice Mayor , who said he wasn’t sure if he’d even been in a bar in his life, said he agreed with Kneier that the ordinance was micromanagement and Councilman Richard Ward also sided with Kneier.

“I say we pass it and can always come back and make revisions,” said .

commented that the council should not just approve the ordinance because it’s there but could perhaps vote to have the Planning Commission draft a new ordinance the council could consider in a couple weeks or a month.

“I do have some experience going to wine tasting establishments [and] what is presented is ridiculous,” said San Marino City Council candidate Stephanie Johnson during the public comment period. “It doesn’t work that way.”

Johnson said she agreed with Kneier except she thought if he was truly against the ordinance that he should not just vote for it.

“For all this work we’re trying to help a small business on Huntington Drive,” said Johnson. “How much revenue does it mean to the city?”

Eventually the council took a vote on the ordinance as is, with all voting in favor and Kneier voting opposed.

Future changes to the ordinance will need to first go to the Planning Commission.


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