An intoxicating business proposal has led Glenville to revisit its zoning laws.
The Glenville Town Board on Wednesday, May 16, approved holding a public hearing on Wednesday, June 20, on adding zoning text amendments regarding micro-breweries and micro-wineries to its Town Code. The addition was spurred by a “nano-brewery” seeking to open doors locally, but town officials realized there were not any clear regulations for such businesses.
“I think it is a good thing,” Deputy Supervisor Alan Boulant said. “It is businesses that are going to start popping up everywhere and I think it just helps us with our overall master plan.”
The Town Code would define a micro-brewery for production limited to no more than 10,000 barrels annually and a micro-winery would be limited to producing no more than 2,000 barrels annually. A barrel is equal to 31 gallons. Also, both classifications would allow for selling the product on or off site and on-site consumption would be limited to sample tasting by customers.
Micro-breweries and micro-wineries would also be added to the list of acceptable site plan uses for Rural Residential and Agricultural, Community Business, General Business and Research, Development and Technology zoning districts.
Some members of the town Planning and Zoning Commission had expressed concern the definitions were too broad and could unreasonably govern home brewers.
“If we are going to look at changing the zoning on this we should be very careful with it,” commission member Thomas Bodden said. “I don’t want to regulate people that don’t need regulating.”
Commission Chairman Michael Carr agreed with Bodden, and in its recommendation to the Town Board the Planning and Zoning Commission suggested the addition to address a minimum amount as well as a maximum amount.
Town Attorney Michael Cuevas said the definitions are based on state laws and regulations. Town officials also said the additions weren’t aimed at personal production and there would be no plans to enforce them as such.
Scotia resident Jordan White, 30, and his friend approached the town about their business proposal, which led the town to revisit its zoning districts to clearly define where smaller breweries could be located.
White said the brewery would fall well below the annual 10,000-barrel guideline. He estimates it will produce around 100 to 200 barrels per year aimed at local consumption. The beer would be sold in 64-ounce growlers, he said, and only available on site.
“What we are really shooting for would more be termed as a nano-brewery,” White said. “Our goal is just to supply the local area, really just West Glenville and not really into the village.”
White said an exact location for the business hasn’t been established yet but when the zoning changes are approved a formal proposal will be solidified. The brewery also doesn’t have an official name yet.
White said he had held a meeting with West Glenville residents to answer questions and address concerns. Town Supervisor Christopher Koetzle said from what he’s heard the proposal has been well received by the community.
“It has been exciting so far,” White said. “Everybody we have been talking to has been very positive about it.”
