Coppola won’t appeal pyramid lights

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola won’t appeal a recent zoning board decision restricting him from illuminating the massive pyramids he plans to build atop his Geyserville winery

Coppola’s Rosso & Bianco winery will not appeal the Board of Zoning Adjustments’ ruling to the county Board of Supervisors, according to a winery spokeswoman. The deadline for filing an appeal is 5 p.m. today.

“They would have been nice, but hey, you move on,” said Kathleen Talbert.

The winery still plans to construct the 24-foot-high pyramid-shaped skylights atop the winery’s twin towers. They will draw in natural light to the tasting room and save energy, Talbert said.

But the winery will not illuminate the skylights from beneath, and will abide by the zoning board’s requirements that no interior light escape from the structures, Talbert said.

The winery is working on a plan to accomplish those goals, and will submit the plan to county staff as part of the building permit process, Talbert said.