Thank you for attending the winery event ordinance workshop. Our office received great feedback and input from those who attended.
The big takeaway from the meeting was that, to drive good policy, we need good data.
Data-driven policy isn't new, but it isn't implemented in government as much as it could be. Decisions are often influenced by factors other than hard data, including personal experience or observation, instinct, hype, dogma or belief. The ability to collect and analyze large amounts of data, however, allows policymakers to cut through these distortions and noise to figure out what policy recommendation really is appropriate.
With the right data driving our decision-making process, our policies can become more targeted and tailored. Responses can address divergent needs.
Personally, I'm pretty excited about the work ahead.
When it comes to looking at our winery event ordinance, I want to see policy that takes into account how much impact our communities can take. We can define that impact using data:
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What's the impact of permitted, non-winery events?
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What's the impact of permitted winery events?
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What's the impact of non-permitted events?
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What's the impact of agriculture events?
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What's the impact of our everyday residents?
By understanding the impact -- or how much of our carrying capacity an event consumes -- through the lens of empirical data (visitor days, traffic studies, tax revenue), I believe we can create policy that balances the needs of our vineyards and wineries with the desires of our community.
