Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By ASSOCIATED PRESSDevelopers envision Oregon's pristine wine country as a lucrative travel destination, but environmentalists and growers say it would set a dangerous precedent.
McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Yamhill County is a sweet sip of Oregon's natural beauty.
Green vines stripe its hillsides, and farmlands blanket its valley. Wineries that produce legendary pinot noir sprinkle the hills. And the sweeping landscape is largely uninterrupted because of longstanding state laws that protect agricultural land.
It's a sigh-inducing sight that businessman David Kahn wants to share.
Kahn plans to build the area's first luxury hotel, with a spa and restaurant. The 50-bed hotel nestled in the hills is based on the Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, where rooms rent nightly for $500 to more than $1,000.
Yamhill County officials recently approved the plans to rezone agricultural land for the hotel.
But a number of wineries and land conservationists say the hotel will intrude on agriculture and compete for its water.
On a larger level, opponents worry that it opens the doors to projects that might be waiting in the wings for access to agricultural land. They see a dangerous precedent in a state that has long tried to keep commercial development from supplanting pastoral uses.
"If we want to be taken seriously as a place to grow grapes, we have to respect the land it comes from," said Jason Lett, operator of Eyrie Vineyards, who has organized a group of wineries to fight the project.
Kahn argues the hotel needs this spot to work - it is secluded, has a priceless view and is conveniently nestled among the wineries. He agrees that at least part of the land can be farmed, and he plans to grow grapes there.
The controversy has quickly become about something more than a view on the hill.
The Oregon wine country has an estimated $1.4-billion economic impact on the state. Nearly everyone, including Kahn's opponents, want a hotel and support tourism. But they are finding it difficult to strike the balance between needs of the agriculture and the demands of growing tourism.
It's a particularly tricky task to manage development in Oregon, where land-use laws have historically limited growth and the state prides itself on its laid-back, rusty-in-the-corners ambiance.
Oregon put laws in place in the 1970s that protect agricultural land and require development to remain in line with state goals. This is overseen by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, which does not support Kahn's project, saying it does not meet the goals.
Among the potential sources for rural development in wine country is the controversial voter-approved Measure 37. Under it, landowners can claim compensation or a waiver of rules if the rules were imposed after the owner acquired the land.
Kahn's rezoning was not based on the measure, however.
Development is not something to be feared, Kahn's opponents say, but it is something that needs to be managed.
"I can understand the concern," Kahn said. "But this is rather modest; we are not a Wal-Mart, we are not a Motel 6. If executed properly, it should fit in with the area."
The county's decision is subject to appeal, which could tie up the project for months.