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San Joaquin County Community <br /> Development Dept. <br /> September 4, 2001 <br /> Page Three <br /> WEDDING RECEPTIONS AND PRIVATE PARTIES <br /> ARE NOT MARKETING EVENTS . <br /> It is our position that renting the Harmony <br /> Wynelands facilities to private parties for wedding <br /> receptions, parties or related celebrations simply does not <br /> come within the definition of "marketing events" as <br /> provided by the ordinance . It should be noted that the <br /> ordinance defines a marketing event as being "for the <br /> purpose of promoting the wine industry and marketing wine" <br /> and gives examples such as educational wine tours, non- <br /> profit fundraising, private seminars, and events for wine <br /> industry groups . (Ordinance Section 9-110 .4, Division 1) . <br /> The ordinance does allow wineries to hold (subject to some <br /> limitations) marketing events and special events, however, <br /> there is no mention of facility rental . Section 9-1075 . 1 <br /> makes it clear that "a major purpose of this ordinance is <br /> to guarantee that both winery and wine seller marketing <br /> events are accessory and are subordinate to the primary <br /> agricultural use. A strong nexus must exist between the <br /> marketing event and the production or storage of wine. The <br /> focus of marketing events should be wine. " <br /> It has been suggested in the past that merely <br /> having the owners wine available for a reception would be <br /> sufficient to justify facility rentals for parties, <br /> receptions, and the like . My clients believe in allowing <br /> great leeway for legitimate wine marketing activities such <br /> as tasting, lectures, new releases, meetings, retail sales, <br /> and supervised tours . They are adamantly opposed to <br /> defining the ordinance in such a way to allow a small land <br /> owner to rent out a hall attracting large numbers of people <br /> to engage in parties and receptions which include <br /> unregulated drinking, amplified music, noise, and trespass <br /> under the guise that somehow certain individuals are being <br /> introduced to the landowner' s wine. If that is <br /> justification, then such a landowner should also be <br /> entitled to hold rock concerts and sporting events under <br /> the theory that new people will be introduced to his wine. <br />