I recieved and e-mail from Wolves and People yesterday, apparently they are still battling weird ass neighbors. They are having a gathering n May 14th after the final hearing. Here is the e-mail " Join the Wolves & People Legal Defense Network One of the most common questions we get in the tasting room is “So, how is it going with your neighbors?” Then I reply, “how much time do you have?” Not much? Oh, we know the feeling! Please though, read on. As you are aware, since shortly after we opened, we have been hounded by a small group of vocal neighbors (none of whom can see the brewery directly from their homes) and a one-man, radical anti-development non-profit led by an East Coast-bred lawyer based in another town. They’ve appealed our agritourism permit now five times, dragging us into Yamhill County Court, County Land Use Board hearings, Newberg City Council meetings, you name it. And every time, we endure negativity the likes of which we never could have imagined amid this effort to evolve Springbrook Farm through the age-old practice of farmhouse brewing. Their latest? Lodging a complaint about an upcoming Yoga class. Yes. Yoga, a near-silent form of stretching. They’ve avowed time and again their desire to end our events and put us entirely out of business. And each time, unanimously, we are backed up by city and county officials, because not only do good laws back us up, and our good record backs us up, the community at large has our back as well. Thank you for all your support thus far! To date, we have handled this legal burden alone, without retaining much in the way of paid legal counsel. Our budgets simply cannot allow us to lawyer up every time. I have learned to file Motions to Intervene and poured over statutes. I have consulted with friends and family and stood up in court and passionately defended our rights. Check out the picture below to see the "case" against us they have compiled. It's thicker than a phone book. So now, the time has come to step up our defense. Next week, we are now compelled to appear at the Land Use Board of Appeals, in Salem, to listen as the same group attempts to unwind our hard-fought and affirmed agritourism rights, which allow us to have a chef of food cart here at the farm for a limited number of weekends per year. This five-year permit was already affirmed then reaffirmed on appeal by the entire Yamhill County Land Use Board and the County Commissioners. A popular, voter-supported objective of the state, agritourism brings the public to farms to share in the goodness, and, sometimes, a meal. But there are those who, oddly enough, vehemently oppose the entire concept, and they habitually tie up the courts. We have retained a respected local land use lawyer in Portland to argue our case next week, and we need your help to take care of our mounting legal fees. Yes, we’re hitting you up! Please, come to the brewery on Tuesday, May 14th for a private gathering starting at 5pm, with light snacks, until 7pm, with beer for purchase. This will follow our hearing in Salem. At this meeting, I'll report back what I learned there, answer all the questions I can, and listen to your own ideas for innovative fundraisers (I'm all ears). You won’t be able to deduct your cash, check, or credit card gift as a charitable donation, and we can’t legally give you beer in exchange. But, we do need your help. If you can make a gift of any amount - $5, $10, $25… it would help defray some of our mounting legal costs (and note, when we have won, the opposition has never had to pay back any legal bills, and as a non-profit representing themselves, they don't have any of their own). We would love to offer anyone who makes a donation of, say, $100 a free T-shirt or hat of their choosing (a $22-25 value), and any donation of over $5 earns a nice brewery sticker ($1 in the taproom). If you can’t come, but would like to donate, please do so by following the link below and know that we are ETERNALLY GRATEFUL! We have had a remarkable few years in operation. We embarked on the major restoration-in-progress of the national historic registry 1912 barn, planted some exploratory hops, established three bee colonies, and sewed brewing grains which are now growing! We have brewed over 100 recipes, been named to the Oregonian readers’ top ten list, earned local newspaper awards, even garnered national press as one of the best new breweries in America. We ardently believe having limited food here on occasion is not only harmless but beneficial to the community. It's more enjoyable for families, safer, and more in keeping with the spirit of a community gathering place. Wineries, cideries, and other businesses on farms do not face this opposition! As one of the state's only functioning farmhouse breweries, we have a lot of important work to do—and a great deal of gratitude for having the chance to do this, here, on Springbrook Farm, our family home. Thank you for your support! See you Tuesday? Gratefully, Christian DeBenedetti Founder & Head Brewer
Donated. W&P is a great spot with very good beer. It's a shame they have to waste so much time, energy, and money fighting those NIMBY-ass ************s.
I read the email the other night, what is up with those NIMBY-ass ************s? Do they treat nearby wineries with the same level of contempt and hatred? I'm guessing they don't.
Dang, I heard they had some issues but didn't know it had gotten this bad. I'll be there on Tuesday to support.
I’ve been meaning to get out to W&P for awhile now. Will have to make it a priority now and show some support. I really don’t understand why people waste so much energy opposing something that nearly everyone else enjoys. I bet if these people stopped their bitching for a minute and paid a visit to their neighbor they might wedge that stick outta their tight asses after a few pints.
That's a very lovely thought, which I agree with, but, haz you met people? Whiny little bitch monsters gonna be whiny little bitch monsters. They don't grasp the concept that they are not alone on the fucking planet.
I read in the local McMinnville newspaper the residents compained about some shouting, one gal collapsed drunk..they like winerys better that doesnt happen in those ..LOL sure
Usually you can at least understand the other sides position, even if that position isn't particularly reasonable or even rationale. When I worked in a wine store in Memphis, we would periodically get phone calls from religious zealots, scolding us for driving people to drink and to an eventual place in hell. I've also seen winery friends having to deal with this sort of nonsence, usually because neighbors were concerned about traffic (tour buses coming up to the winery on their small roads), noise and excessive boisterous behavior from alcohol consumption. However, none of that seems to be applicable in this case. There are wineries all over the place for God's sake (so why single W&P out), and Newberg already sees a huge influx of tourists from the wine industry. Rex Hill is literally just a stone's throw away from W&P, and it doesn't look like they've had to deal with sort of behavior. I've only been to W&P a couple of times, but the scene their always seems pretty mellow and low key to me. For the life of me, I can't figure out what there is about W&P that has the locals around there so riled about their presence (considering that those locals/neighbors have already purposefully decided to live in one of the more touristy areas of Oregon, with bastions of evil alcohol manufacturing pretty much everywhere). I just can't figure out what their point of view is as it pertains to W&P.
As someone who does a LOT of winetasting in the area, that argument doesn't even pass the remotely credible test. Obviously (as you intimated), this sort of behavior happens all the time in the wine country (not that any winery condones it, but it certainly does happen). That explanation is such obvious complete BS, I'm surprised anyone would even raise it. Again, you have to wonder what the real reason is W&P has some of the locals around there so riled up.
It's the stereotype of wine being super refined and high class while beer only attracts vagrants and drunks. Otherwise I have no idea what the people who are surrounded by wineries have against a farmhouse brewery.
Thats exactly it..these people have never visited WandP think its a bunch of frat boys and gals getting blootered and doing horrible things to each other in public. Put the winos are upper echelon types. Also having worked in Mac for 8 months a LOT the original locals HATE the vineyard set with a passion.
The funny thing is, it seems like half of their customers when I'm there are groups of boomers touring wineries and stopping in to mix things up
