Farm Breweries And Brew Pubs Being Considered in Madison

MADISON, CT - People have expressed an interest in opening a brewery or brewery pubs in the town of Madison and that interest was the subject of a lengthy discussion at the most recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Director of Planning and Economic Development David Anderson stated that a group of people has expressed an interest in having a brewery or brewery pubs in town, and the Planning and Zoning Commission should be specific about allowing for them in Madison.

There is a new concept the state just passed, which is a farm brewery, wherein the first year of operation 25 percent of the ingredients have to be Connecticut grown, and every year thereafter, 50 percent of the ingredients have to be Connecticut grown, Anderson stated.

Five acres comprises a farm, in Madison, and crops must be produced.

One of the problems facing potential breweries is that the town is on septic systems rather than public sewer systems, but those interested in establishing breweries or brewery pubs in Madison appear to be considering satellite type operations, as opposed to large facilities, Anderson said.

With septic systems, water used in brewery operations has to be pre-treated or specially pumped. Anderson expressed an interest in also allowing farm breweries.

A farm brewery has been approved in nearby North Branford at DeFrancesco Farms.

Anderson gave the Planning and Zoning Commission a seven page document that included: Section 7, Light Industrial Districts’ permitted uses by Special Exception; regulations and definitions from Section 6; regulations for farms in a residence district, from Section 3; and Section 19, Definitions, all from the Madison Planning and Zoning Regulations. Discussion centered on allowing breweries in the Light Industrial Districts, under Section 7.1.3, with the permitted use being, “The manufacturing, processing or packing of foods, non-alcoholic beverages, toilet supplies, pharmaceuticals, perfumes and similar products.”

Planning and Zoning Commissioners recommended removing the word “non-alcoholic,” which would then allow breweries to be a permitted use by Special Exception. In discussing Section 6.2.2.1e, retail sales establishments are permitted in the Downtown Districts, and the breweries would become a use requiring a Site Plan Review with a number of stipulations that other such retail sales establishments must follow in that section.

That section does state that the use may be allowed provided that no objectionable noise, smell or unsightly condition is created which is noticeable off the premises, and Commissioner John K. Mathers stated that he has had experience with a hotel establishment that had a brewery on site.

Mathers said there were times when the brewery had an odor some found objectionable, while others were not bothered by it, Commissioner Mathers stated, describing the odor as malty or yeasty.

There could be two approaches to including breweries in the town’s Planning and Zoning Regulations—one would be to specifically state the words breweries and brew pubs with restaurants, and the second would be to include breweries and brew pubs in a regulation under restaurants.

Chairman Ronald Clark suggested the words alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages be used, to be more specific. In Section 6.2.2.1e, suggested changes for “including the manufacturing or processing of materials only as incidental to a permitted retail operation,” included deleting the words “only as incidental” or deleting “only as incidental” and replacing those words with “related” or “related to.”

Chairman Clark stated that he did not see that an odor from a brewery would fall out of bounds, since odors do emanate from restaurants. If language were added to retail sales establishments, then breweries would be allowed in the Downtown District, the Commercial District, and the Rural Shopping District, Anderson stated.

Commissioner Mathers asked if a farm could include a distillery or a vineyard.

Anderson stated that the regulations for the state allow sales on premises, but that regulation also gives towns the right to deny those types of sales.

Anderson stated that he will do some research on distilleries and vineyards and return to the Planning and Zoning Commission with further recommendations on language.

Any regulation change would have to go through the hearing and adoption processes that the PZC normally uses.