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• <br />• <br />• <br />PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD <br />AGENDA ITEM 5A <br />STAFF ORIGINATOR: Paul Bengtson <br />MEETING DATE: December 14, 2011 <br />TOPIC: Public Hearing: <br />Zoning Ordinance Amendment to add brewpubs, breweries <br />and taprooms as uses allowed in certain zoning districts. <br />VOTE REQUIRED: 4/6 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />In 2011 Minnesota state law was changed to provide new opportunities for smaller scale <br />breweries to sell product on -site. The "Surly Bill ", as it became known, creates a new class of <br />state license which allow breweries to sell pints of beer on -site. Shortly after the passage of that <br />bill, the City Council discussed the economic development opportunities of this new bill and <br />directed staff to initiate the zoning ordinance and city code amendments necessary to provide for <br />these types of uses. <br />The city code amendments will be reviewed by the City Council in conjunction with this zoning <br />ordinance amendment. <br />BACKGROUND <br />Zoning Ordinance - Breweries <br />The Light and General Industrial (LI & GI) zoning districts currently allow `Bottling <br />Establishments to include beverages such as soft drinks, milk etc., but not including hazardous or <br />toxic materials' as a permitted use. Staffs interpretation of this language is that the term <br />`beverage' would include beer, wine, and spirits. However, the question of <br />brewing /distilling/vinification, or for simplification — production, enters into the equation. Much <br />like any other production process, the production of alcoholic beverages is appropriate in the LI <br />& GI zoning districts. Any concerns over noise or odor would be handled by the city code's <br />nuisance language. <br />Staff's recommendation would therefore be to include the production of alcoholic beverages in a <br />revised definition for this use. Staffs proposed use is as follows: <br />Beverage production and bottling <br />