Lompoc Winery Proceeds With Lawsuit Against Santa Barbara County

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) - A winery in Lompoc is taking the next step in their fight against what they say is an unconstitutional mandate from the county.

In February 2025, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors established a mandatory Wine BID, or Business Improvement District.

As of April 1st last year, a mandatory 1% assessment fee from Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) sales transactions at wineries, stores and tasting rooms is going to the county’s Vintner’s Association.

The funding provided by the collective assessment fees is designated for regional marketing at the local level.

The owners of Flying Goat Cellars in Lompoc are pushing back against the mandate, saying membership with the Vintner’s Association must be voluntary according to the law.

In February of this year, Flying Goat’s attorneys sent a letter to the County and the Vintner’s Association demanding they update the ordinance to make membership voluntary.

There has been no response to the letter from the county nor the Vintner’s Association which, Goldwater Institute attorney Adam Shelton says, clears the way for the next logical step in the process.

A lawsuit has been filed by Flying Goat’s attorneys, who say the Supreme Court has been clear that governments cannot force Americans to subsidize speech they disagree with.

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