🌱 New Water Rules + Winery For Sale + 'Fairy Door' Treasure Map

Hello, people of Healdsburg! Good to be back in your inboxes this morning. Here's everything you need to know to get this Tuesday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Clouds giving way to sun. High: 68 Low: 43.

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. The City of Healdsburg just cut the current water conservation mandate in half. After a long summer of requiring residents to use 40 percent less water than the year prior, the required reduction is now back up at 20 percent. Limited outdoor irrigation is allowed again. The City Council made the decision at their Monday meeting based on rising water levels in the Lake Mendocino reservoir, our main water source — but recognized that it's still at near-record lows, with very real risk of running dry in coming years. City staff called the new, softer conservation mandate a "middle ground" that should still keep water saving top-of-mind for the moment when we have to return to more severe cutbacks. (City of Healdsburg & San Francisco Chronicle; paywall)
2. Healdsburg's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate just went up for sale in the Dry Creek Valley foothills for $15 million. It's described as an "unparalleled opportunity to create your own private compound or a viticultural legacy in Sonoma County's most exclusive location." The property on Wine Creek Road, "permitted for 25,000 cases of annual wine production," features "100 acres of prime vineyard bench land" including a lake, olive grove and 30-plus acres of vineyards; a "classic Spanish Mission-style winery" with "an iconic working bell tower"; and "three luxury suites, a gourmet kitchen and a dramatic open-beamed tasting salon." (Redfin & Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate)
3. There was a small fire scare in the hills west of Healdsburg over the weekend. "We have received a lot of calls for a fire in the hills above West Dry Creek Road near Big Ridge and Chemise Road," local fire officials said on Saturday evening, sharing some scary footage from wildfire cams. However: "While the large burn piles have been burning all day they have now become very visible due to darkness. These piles have good clearance and do not pose a threat at this time. Due to the size of the and material in the piles we anticipate they will be visible for at least the rest of the night possible the next few days." (Facebook)
4. Did you know Healdsburg has a bunch of magical little "fairy doors" scattered throughout town? Local photographer Pierre Ratté just wrote a mini feature on them in the Healdsburg Tribune — and he included a treasure map, so you can go discover them all yourself. The tiny doors reportedly started appearing on local homes and buildings in 2017, and now there are at least 20. "You can ask, but you may not find the secretive artist who is responsible for these creations," Pierre writes. "They appear and change, as if by magic." (SoCoNews Healdsburg & Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce)
5. Rural Healdsburg residents angry about Pacaso, a real-estate company that's been selling co-owned homes on the timeshare model in the Dry Creek Valley, will appear before the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors this morning to make their case. In a letter to the Press Democrat, resident Jan Mettler writes that "Pacaso has invaded our most restrictive, protected farmland" with an "unpermitted, unregulated parade of housekeepers, landscapers and vacationers." Although Pacaso execs have been hit with a few county warnings, they've argued that "the properties are used as owner-occupied single-family homes, and therefore are in compliance with local zoning laws." (Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)

Today's Healdsburg Daily is brought to you by L.L.Bean, a Patch Brand Partner. Planning a trip this holiday? Find your perfect luggage match.

Today in Healdsburg:

• Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Meeting, Feat. Redistricting Hearing (8:45AM)
• Meet the Artist at Upstairs Art Gallery: Willow LaLand, Wine Country Small Works Collection (11AM-2:30PM)
• Sonoma County Government Virtual Q&A: COVID-19 Vaccines for Children (5PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Ladies Night Run, Ending With Homemade "Trail Treats" Making Party (6PM)
• Redwood Empire Remodelers Association November Dinner Meeting in Windsor: "Alternate Water Reuse in New Construction" (6-8:30PM)
• Luther Burbank Center Presents: Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular (7PM)

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— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Daily? You can contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com.