Elk Grove City Council Approves Winery Event Expansion After Lengthy Public Hearing
"We want them to succeed successfully."
In a 5-0 vote during its Jan. 28, 2026, meeting, the Elk Grove City Council approved a zoning amendment and conditional use permit (CUP) that allows for an outdoor event center at Bartholomew Winery. The decision follows lengthy discussion over the expansion of operations at the 10-acre site located on the southwest corner of Elk Grove Blvd. and Bradshaw Road in Old Elk Grove.
The project, known as the Bartholomew Winery Amendment Project, sought an amendment to the city’s municipal code to allow outdoor event centers in agricultural-residential districts with specific parameters. Under the new CUP, the business is authorized to host up to 18 outdoor events per year with amplified music and can expand its typical winery events to 48 per year.
The hearing lasted over an hour with residents from the neighboring Fieldstone subdivision expressed concerns regarding the potential for noise pollution and the frequency of events. Neighbors presented a petition signed by 44 residents, arguing that frequent amplified music would disrupt the quiet of their estate-residential community.
The council’s approval included several conditions to address neighbor concerns, such as excluding the Rural Area Community Plan from the zoning amendment to prevent further proliferation of event centers in more sensitive zones. Staff noted that the 10-acre minimum lot size and direct access to major arterials would help limit traffic and noise.
District 2 Councilmember Rod Brewer, in supporting the motion, acknowledged the tension but expressed confidence in the winery's management.
Closing the hearing, Brewer stated his hope that the project and its neighbors could coexist saying, "We want them to succeed successfully."
