The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The Columbia County Commissioners have formally objected to the granting of a liquor license renewal to Monteillet Fromagerie, according to a letter written to the Washington State Liquor Control Board last week. The current liquor license on file with the state for the Fromagerie will expire soon.

Monteillet Fromagerie is a cheese-making facility two miles west of Dayton that expanded its business to include retail sales of cheese, as well as wine and cheese tasting events. As part of the process for liquor license renewal, the state liquor board solicits objections to the renewal by local authorities.

“The business is operating in violation of Columbia County code by conducting retail sales, including sales of liquor, on land zoned agricultural-residential and holding special events without obtaining a proper permit to do so,” the letter, signed by Chairman Dwight Robanske, stated. “This activity causes concern for the health and safety of the citizens of Columbia County and visitors to the county.”

Last year, Pierre Louis and Joan Monteillet requested a change to the county’s AR-1 zone that would allow commercial uses. The commissioners, on the recommendation of the county Planning Commission, rejected the amendment, stating the change would violate the county’s comprehensive plan.

The Monteillets were informed in 2011 that they were in violation of county zoning regulations; their proposal would have made their business compliant.

“The Monteillets’ retail space is accessed directly off of a very busy state highway, Highway 12, at a spot where the speed limit is 60 miles per hour,” the commissioners went on to explain in their letter to the liquor board. “Our zoning and permit process ensure that the health and safety of all citizens are protected as best we can by addressing possible traffic and health hazards.”

The commissioners discussed the issue with Prosecuting Attorney Rea Culwell during last week’s commissioner board meeting, at which time they all stated they didn’t know whether the Monteillets were still operating their retail sales business or the tasting events.

The letter to the liquor control board, however, stated that the prosecutor’s office is planning to file criminal charges against the Monteillets for violating the county code in the next few weeks.

Upon receipt of the county’s objection, the Liquor Control Board can decide to overrule the objection and renew the license anyway, or they can decline the renewal. In the latter case, the licensee could then appeal the decision to a state administrative law judge.