Zoning of Different Sized Breweries?

I know not everyone's local zoning ordinances regulate breweries, microbreweries, nano breweries, brewpubs, bottling facilities and brew bars in the same way.

Can anyone share with me a locality (perhaps where you live?) where you think the local zoning ordinance "got it right" with how it treats these types of facilities?

All I have seen online are complaints about how some locality has zoned a microbrewery into heavy industrial or some other inappropriate use.

The only concern for zoning isn't just that it has commercial output. There's also concerns about it's garbage outflow, wastewater and water use. Sometimes that means a brewery has to go in a more industrial area.

ReverseApacheMaster said:

The only concern for zoning isn't just that it has commercial output. There's also concerns about it's garbage outflow, wastewater and water use. Sometimes that means a brewery has to go in a more industrial area.

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Understood, I don't want one of the big three locating next to my home. Still looking for places that have walked a careful line in defining and properly zoning the different types of brewery operation.

Cigar City here in Tampa Bay is in a warehouse building, but it's basically in a residential neighborhood, in a space behind a Home Depot. It must be properly zoned, because there are a few of the locals that have lobbied pretty hard to run them off, and the locals always lose that battle.

TopherM said:

Cigar City here in Tampa Bay is in a warehouse building, but it's basically in a residential neighborhood, in a space behind a Home Depot. It must be properly zoned, because there are a few of the locals that have lobbied pretty hard to run them off, and the locals always lose that battle.

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What is there beef, if it is behind a home depot the residential area buts up to commercial. Do they have a taproom at the brewery? If so it would be a bonus, walk to good beer, hell yes.

LOL....It isn't exactly a craft beer kinda neighborhood. Probably not even a BMC kinda neighborhood. It is a low income neighborhood that probably can't afford to step foot in the tasting room. I doubt anyone in that neighborhood has ever tasted a Cigar City beer.

Do they still make Mad Dog 20/20? That would be an interesting brewery tour/tasting room!

TopherM said:

Do they still make Mad Dog 20/20?!

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Hahaha Mad Dog 20/20 Banana Red FTW:rockin:

Ramitt said:

What is there beef, if it is behind a home depot the residential area buts up to commercial. Do they have a taproom at the brewery? If so it would be a bonus, walk to good beer, hell yes.

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Usually, it has more to do with a "not in my backyard" mindset. Alcohol = Drunk & Disorderly.

But, a more effective argument is over complaints about odor. To which I can sympathize. I may enjoy the aroma of brewing but others do not.

I used to live near a Cain's coffee roasting facility. Some days the air was stank with that aroma. Time of roasting did not matter either. It reeked no matter what.

I've also been subject daily to the aroma produced by a Purina pet foods plant. Blech!

My city (the one I live in and work for) is somewhat silent on breweries. This a good thing in that large scale breweries and bottling facilities are actually considered manufacturing uses and must therefore be located in industrial zones. Micros/nanos can be located in commercial/retail zones. The city next door just amended their zoning code to allow breweries (regardless of size) in their small downtown. IMO, this is a mistake since it doesn't preclude a macrobrewery from siting their plant there (not that it'll ever happen, but that's just irresponsible planning).

I grew up a few miles from a Miller brewery. Even as a kid, I thought the smell was heavenly but I'd probably hate it if I lived close enough to smell it all the time. NIMBY!!

GilaMinumBeer said:

Usually, it has more to do with a "not in my backyard" mindset. Alcohol = Drunk & Disorderly.

But, a more effective argument is over complaints about odor. To which I can sympathize. I may enjoy the aroma of brewing but others do not.

I used to live near a Cain's coffee roasting facility. Some days the air was stank with that aroma. Time of roasting did not matter either. It reeked no matter what.

I've also been subject daily to the aroma produced by a Purina pet foods plant. Blech!

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I didn't know Cains made coffee. I was a town away from Cain's mayo factory...waste there=bad rotted eggs, vinegar, and spoiled cooking oil.. hurl city.

But a microbrewery or brew pub emits little disturbing odors and good grainy ones. Waste water flow would be ok for commercially zoned too. Macro's use a but load of water, I get the problem there.