Wine grapes grown in California contributed over $2 billion in revenue in 2020, making it one of the state’s most valuable crops. With over 460,000 acres of vineyards, new plantings accounted for over 3,000 acres in 2020. Permitting new and replanted vineyards is done at the county level, and the requirements can vary greatly by county. As a leader in California local permitting requirements, ECORP can help navigate this process.
During the initial planning process, we work with our engineering partners and our spatial analysis team to identify plantable acres based on slope analysis, calculate vegetation retention ratios from baseline data ground-truthed to current conditions, and identify areas suitable for mitigation. A biological resources assessment of the property is typically required to identify any sensitive resources that may be affected – state or federally listed species, wetlands and streams, or other sensitive habitats are evaluated based on the needs of the client and the county. ECORP provides certified arborist surveys, wetland delineations meeting current agency protocols, and a full range of plant and wildlife surveys. Based on an understanding of the site features and constraints, our team can help design a project that minimizes impacts to California’s sensitive habitats to assist in gaining agency approval. If required by the project, ECORP can design habitat mitigation plans and prepare permits with state and federal agencies to support infrastructure, water rights, Clean Water Act permitting, and prepare Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs).
After site assessment and project design, our CEQA team and regulatory specialists can help guide the project through the environmental review and permitting process to project completion.
For more information, contact Nick Bonzey at (916) 782-9100.
