Caltrans says no to wine trail signs in its rights-of-way

Ramona Wine Trail signs have run into a bump in the road on their route to approval.

Caltrans has said it will not allow the directional signs in its rights-of-way, Jim Piva, chair of the Ramona Community Planning Group, said at the group’s Oct. 1 meeting.

Piva said he received a call from Caltrans after the planning group approved the signs at its September meeting. The state transportation agency, he said, is not opposed to wine trail signs, but only if they are placed on county property or private land.

However, David Billick, who designed the signs and is vice president of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA), said he was contacted by Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s office about setting up a meeting with Caltrans. Billick said the county has been supportive of the wine trail signs that would direct drivers to the many wine tasting rooms in Ramona Valley and eliminate the sandwich board signs placed on the main roadways by winery owners on the weekends.

As proposed, the wine trail signs would be 8 feet high by 5 feet wide with attached 8-inch high metal wine placards, each identifying a different wine tasting room with a directional arrow and mileage.

“Obviously the industry is here to stay. We need to facilitate that growth,” said Billick.

Most of the seven proposed sign locations are on state routes 67 or 78 — highways maintained by Caltrans.

According to Piva, Caltrans said that allowing the signs in its rights-of-way could open a Pandora’s box with other businesses trying to find ways to do the same. Piva acknowledged that was a concern by planner Dan Scherer, who was the only opposition in last month’s RCPG vote of support.

With the information from Caltrans, Piva said the planning group needs to reconsider and amend its vote to support the signs. Saying he does not want the process to take a step backward, Billick asked the planning group to wait until he has more information from the county.

“We’ve gotten this far. Let’s keep moving forward,” said Billick.

He told the Sentinel that he is working with county staff on amending the county sign ordinance so it facilitates the emerging wine industry in Ramona.

The signs, he said, will be inclusive of all licensed and bonded wineries in the area and need “to be uniform and appropriate and sanctioned by the county. That’s my whole focus.”

Although several Ramona winery owners were at the RCPG meeting and filled out speaker slips, most elected not to speak after the planning group tabled a vote of reconsideration.

Beth Edwards, co-owner of Edwards Vineyards and Cellars, said she liked the idea of uniform signs but they should say “Ramona Valley Wine Trail,” like Napa Valley, instead of “Ramona Wine Trail.”

Edwards said that she and others worked to get a designated American Viticultural Area designation (AVA) and its name is Ramona Valley.

According to Billick, the signs would include wineries on Highland Valley Road and in Julian that are not in the Ramona Valley AVA.

Edwards also said she is concerned about proposed freeway and highway signs that would state “Welcome to San Diego County Wine Country,” adding that they should instead state Ramona Valley wine country.

Those signs are proposed to be at the following 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.

After mentioning a couple of suggested visual changes, Edwards said, “I feel like we’re rushing it through and we’re going to be stuck with it a long time.”

“We all want what’s best for Ramona,” said Piva.