(PD) - Ken and Diane Wilson, the well-known winemaking duo, are seeking to expand their slate of established wineries in Sonoma County by building a new 25,000-case winery on Dry Creek Road northwest of Healdsburg.

The Wilsons, owners of eight wineries in northern Sonoma County, including their flagship Wilson Winery, are seeking county approval to construct a new 17,000-square-foot wine production facility and tasting room, where they want to hold up to 12 special gatherings per year and participate in up to eight wine industry events, such as springtime barrel tasting.

The Wilsons’ plans, a decade in the making, are slated for a final vote by county zoning officials Thursday. County planning staff have recommended approval, with a smaller total number of events.

The proposal, though opposed by some Dry Creek Valley residents, has prompted far less public backlash than other recent, high-profile winery projects in the county. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri dropped his plans for a disputed Santa Rosa-area winery earlier this year after it was unanimously rejected by the county zoning board.

Ken Wilson agreed to changes that tempered some of the initial concerns about his project. He has scrapped plans to host up to two 100-person weddings per year.

But Wilson said he would challenge other limits floated by county planning staff, including a smaller cap on the number of industry events the winery could host.

Echoing other local vintners, Wilson said the use of such events, including countywide offerings that can bring thousands of weekend visitors to the region, are essential to boosting consumer sales and staying competitive in the wine business.

“You do have to have a more intimate relationship with your customers. You want them to be happy and keep coming back,” Wilson said. “It’s part of the business model, not only for my wineries, but throughout the industry.”

Still, the project, which was shelved during the recession after first earning county approval in 2007, has re-emerged at a time of intense scrutiny on winery development in Sonoma County. Rural residents concerned about noise, traffic and other impacts have pushed county officials to draw up tighter limits on wineries that double as event centers, hosting private gatherings that range from weddings to large industry events.

In one case, on West Dry Creek Road, not far from where the Wilsons want to build their new Hale Winery, neighborhood complaints led the county to take an unprecedented action and ban all special events at Bella Vineyards. The winery’s owners are appealing that decision to the Board of Supervisors.