Tasting rooms that don’t make alcohol onsite banned in unincorporated King County

New rules for areas in unincorporated King County could negatively impact some wine, beer and liquor tasting rooms.

This week King County approved controversial new requirements for wineries, distilleries and breweries that would ban tasting rooms at businesses that don’t also make the alcohol onsite in unincorporated King County.

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Under the new rules, in rural areas tasting rooms will have to produce beverages onsite, and in agricultural zones, they will have to grow what they sell.

“The code the King County Council adopted today provides clear and measurable rules for businesses to follow and for the County to enforce. It strikes a balance that will enable wineries, breweries and distilleries to operate in rural and agricultural King County, but at a size and scale that protects our agricultural lands and preserves the rural character of eastern King County and Vashon,” King County Council said in a statement.

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“While this has been a highly contentious issue, I believe we have found a good balance that will enable us to successfully regulate the industry and preserve the heritage of our rural and agricultural areas going forward.”

The updated code also provides new rules about the size and scale of such businesses, and limits on parking and hours, among other factors.

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