The Buellton Planning Commission has approved development plans for a proposed wine processing center on Industrial Way.

The Terravant Wine Company has proposed a total of 125,455 square feet of wine processing facilities, in two phases, at 35 Industrial Way. The company does not plan to develop the Phase 2 building at this time and the design may change based on the outcome of Phase 1 building.

Phase 1, a two-story 41,007-square-foot building, includes public spaces for wine tasting, administrative offices, fruit processing crush pads, fermentation areas, barrel storage and bottling area. An onsite wastewater treatment facility is also included. The tasting room will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Standard operating hours for the other parts of the facility will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday with longer hours during harvest.

Phase 2 is an expansion of Phase 1 with a 84,448-square-foot building including all of the features of the Phase 1 building expect a public wine tasting facility. The onsite wastewater treatment facility will be expanded if Phase 2 is built.

The Planning Commission approved the plans Thursday, June 21.

Lew Eisaguirre, a partner in the project, said the center will be a “world class” outsourcing facility for small wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley and neighboring areas. Randolph Pace, who Eisaguirre said has years of experience at Northern California wineries, will be the facility general manager.

Speaking on behalf of the ownership of Ranch Club Mobile Estates, Trey Pinner said traffic circulation in the area is a concern, particularly access to a property owned by the park's owner to the south of the city's wastewater treatment plant and west of the wine processing center site. The property, Pinner said, is also at risk of overflow from a retention pond.

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The resolution was approved 4-0-1. Commissioner Robert Mullane recused himself because of a potential conflict of interest. His employer, Rincon Consultants, worked with the city to prepare a study of the project.

Julian Ramos can be reached at 688-5522, Ext. 6008, or jramos@santamariatimes.com.

June 28, 2007