Guy Fieri's Proposed 'Hunt-Ryd' Sonoma County Winery Rejected By Zoning Board

A proposal for Guy Fieri's self-described "small, boutique" winery in Sonoma County, Calif., named Hunt-Ryd Winery after his sons Hunter and Ryder, has been unanimously rejected by the Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments as of Thursday, January 22, reports The Press Democrat.

The 5-0 vote reportedly followed "two hours of public comment in front of an audience that at one point featured more than 150 people, most of them opposed to the project," especially by neighbors of the would-be winery.

As we've previously reported, Fieri's proposal has been stalled since at least May 2014, when "a band of neighbors" urged planning officials to investigate the winery's potential noise and traffic concerns. Those same issues remain the principal concerns for local residents, including Willie Lambertson, a board member who explained, "I don't see this being compatible with the rural nature of the area."

Fieri himself was not present at the zoning board meeting, but was represented by attorney Tina Wallis, who suggested that an appeal to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors was still possible.

Still, a follow-up appeal seems unlikely to reverse the fate of Hunt-Ryd Winery, as the unanimous vote was described by the zoning board's planning director, Tennis Wick, as a rare occurrence.

"During my tenure, we haven't had a unanimous vote denying a use permit for a winery," said Wick.