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Design Review gives green light to wine trail signs

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Wine trail signs, sign violations, monument signs, illuminated signs — Ramona Design Review Board’s meeting Thursday night was basically all about signs.

Most notably was the board’s unanimous approval of the proposed wine trail monument signs, suggested by the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA) in an effort to promote the wine industry and eliminate the clutter of sandwich board signs that many wineries put out every weekend.

“It starts the economic development in a real sense,” said David Billick, who designed the signs that would be placed in seven locations in the Ramona area to direct visitors to the many wine tasting rooms. Billick is also vice president of the RVVA board and co-founder and publisher of Ramona Valley Wine Magazine.

Each sign would be 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide with 8-inch high metal wine placards attached, each identifying a different wine tasting room with a directional arrow and mileage.

Although his original proposal had the RVVA logo at the top, with “Ramona Wine Trail” underneath as a header, Billick said the signs would be inclusive of all wine tasting rooms, not just members of RVVA.

Beth Edwards, co-owner of Edwards Vineyard and Cellars, is not a member of RVVA but is a member of the Ramona Valley Winery Association, another local organization. She said no association logos should be attached.

According to Edwards, this fall there will be 22 wineries open for tastings within the Ramona Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) and of those, 17 are members of the RVVA. The Ramona Valley Winery Association represents nine wineries, four wineries belong to both associations, and at least one winery is not a member of either association, she said. She presented the board with a packet showing photos of other wine trail signs and a variation for Ramona.

Edwards also said that instead of “Ramona Wine Trail,” the sign should say “Ramona Valley Wine Trail” to reflect the Ramona Valley AVA, adding that other areas with wine trails list the name of their viticultural area.

Billick noted that some of the wineries that would be listed are not in the Ramona Valley AVA.

Design review chair Greg Roberson said that to add the word “valley” would take up too much space on the header. He and other members agreed that the RVVA logo should not be on the sign.

“This needs to be inclusive,” Roberson said.

The board agreed that the header should only say “Ramona Wine Trail.”

The design review board’s approval is just the first step, Billick noted, but added that it’s a huge first step.

“We have a starting point now,” he told the Sentinel.

The signs, Billick said, would be placed in Caltrans or county rights-of-way for which he still needs approval. He will also need approval from the Ramona Community Planning Group, he said. RVVA is seeking grant money for funding. Members’ dues will also contribute to the project, said Billick.

Plans call for wine trail monument signs to be placed in seven locations: state Route 67 and Via Penasco, Route 67 and Brantner Lane, Route 67 and Dye Road, state Route 78 and Fourth Street, East Old Julian Highway and Vista Ramona Road, Route 78 and Witch Creek, and Pomerado and Highland Valley roads in Rancho Bernardo directing travelers to the wineries on Highland Valley Road.

Billick said he also wants to have six freeway and highway signs that state “Welcome to San Diego Wine Country” and proposes six locations: on Interstate 15 to Pomerado Road, on Route 78 to San Pasqual Valley, on Wildcat Canyon Road near Lakeside, on state Route 79 from Santa Ysabel, on Route 78 from Wynola, and on Route 67 from Lakeside. In the event the wine industry continues to grow and they run out of room for more placards on a monument sign, additional signs may be needed, he said.

Although he sought to have the RVVA logo added to the signs, he said, “The most important thing is to get people to the wineries.”

The RVVA board was OK with the decision, he told the Sentinel this week.

In other business at the meeting:

•The board saw a preliminary proposal for a Taco Bell with a drive-through at the former Big Apple Bagels shop, 1925 Main St. Representative Gabriela Marks said the 10 parking spaces behind the building would need to be removed for the drive-through. In response to a question from a board member, Marks said the franchisee would not be the same franchisee who had a previous Taco Bell in Ramona. The board was supportive and said she will need a site plan review. Member Rob Lewallen stepped down from the board as he owns that business center.

•Board members discussed sign violations and contacting county code enforcement. They highlighted three violations with internally illuminated signs: a monument sign at Mi Ranchito, a sign by the door at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a Chase sign on the Arco station at Pine Street and Route 78.

•The board reviewed preliminary plans for a new monument sign for Albertsons, and said the company will need to return for a waiver request.

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