Napa County’s wine country sometimes seemed at a crossroads in 2014, as people disagreed whether certain proposals for new wineries and vineyards should go forward.

The questions asked weren’t new. Napa County for years has tried to find a balance between agriculture and tourism and between agriculture and the natural environment.

Projects such as the proposed Yountville Hill Winery prompted the questions to be asked again. This winery is envisioned for 10.9 acres on the hill that rises out of the middle of the Napa Valley east of Highway 29 and north of Yountville.

For critics, the proposed winery was just too much – too much traffic, too much noise, too much cutting into the hillside, too much hospitality and tourism plans. For proponents, it was in keeping with the spirit and rules of Napa’s wine country.