The Paso Robles City Council approved the removal of several oak trees Tuesday night that will ultimately pay for an expansion at Justin Vineyards.
Justin Vineyards has been looking to build a 100,000 square foot wine storage facility on Wisteria Lane near the Paso Robles Airport.
Workers are going to make way for the new building, but they will redesign the structure to keep three prime specimen Oak trees.
Since several oak trees would have to be removed, the city’s Oak Tree Preservation ordinance requires there to be tree replacement. Therefore, a minimum of 28 Blue Oak Trees will be planted in place of the old ones.
The general manager of the winery says the proposed project would enhance employee safety by keeping barrel storage to one location.
"We’ve worked closely with the City of Paso Robles to prepare for the construction of a new storage facility next to our offices which will spur local economic growth and allow for the hiring of additional staff," Matt Steel, Justin Vineyards general manager, told KSBY in early August. "The new structure will improve site safety, while consolidating barrel storage and promoting sustainable production. While there are 13 mostly dead or dying trees that must be removed to facilitate this expansion, we have consulted with an arborist during the design phase to ensure that our project footprint has a minimal impact on our adjacent property."
