Cedar Lake Farm will be adding another reason to entice visitors in its quest to become a destination venue. Owners of the property, located on Schreckengast Road southeast of Wright City, plan to open a winery next year. Grapes will be grown on the property, but no wine will be produced there, according to county officials. At the county's Sept. 17 planning and zoning commission meeting, a conditional use permit was approved, the final step needed to allow plans for the winery to move forward. A week later, property owner Carl Bolm met a second time with county commissioners to continue discussions on a possible cost-share agreement to help fund road improvements, including asphalting the county road. When Bolm and the county commission met in August, Gary Ruether, road supervisor, estimated it would cost $100,000 to upgrade the road. Last week, Bolm was open to splitting the costs in half to fund the road improvements. Commissioners noted that funding for county roads would be available in July 2010 when 70 percent of revenue received from a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2008 would be used for county roads. The remaining 30 percent is earmarked for capital improvements. While the county commission has voiced support for the cost-share arrangement, obstacles remain. Easements are needed on 10 feet of each side of the roadway from neighboring property owners, some of whom have yet to endorse the idea. "A person has to look at what positive aspects it brings," Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson said. Bolm said it was never his intention to have a winery placed at the property, located near the intersection of South Stringtown Road and Highway M. He said a paved road makes a winery at Cedar Lake just as attractive to visitors who frequent others on the Highway 94 corridor in Dutzow and Augusta. "We want to be that destination," Bolm explained. "We want to be on a level playing field." Cedar Lake Farm was initially approved for a conditional use permit as a private recreational facility. The property is mainly used as a venue for weddings, corporate retreats and birthday parties. Some of the initial permit stipulations covered hours of operation, prohibited parking on county roads and allowed no more than 700 people at an event. Linda Gant, planning and zoning enforcement officer, said those permit conditions remain intact. As part of the conditions approved by the planning and zoning commission two weeks ago, a minimum of 33 1/3 percent of the wine and/or grape juice must be produced in Missouri, a minimum of 2 acres of vineyard needs to be established on the designated area by the end of the next growing season, and retail items must be related to the operations of the vineyard. "All this will do is enhance the experience and make this a destination attraction for Warren County," Bolm said. "This will allow the public to see and use the venue." Bolm had anticipated a "soft" opening this fall, but said it will be pushed back to next year, noting renovations of a second barn should be completed by the fall.