CRAFT BREWERY
Operation caught in zoning snafu
The owner of a small brewery on 105 Avenue — behind the Brewery District — believes he’ll have to pay $15,000 to open for business.
After three years of operating in Fort Saskatchewan, Kevin Moore hoped to relocate his brewery, Two Sergeants Brewing Inc., to Edmonton. He signed the lease for his new location late May, only to learn in July he would have to be approved for brewing.
Moore first hoped to open by the end of August but is now aiming for the end of September.
“It’s a headache, it’s been a lot of work,” Moore said.
Prior to last fall, microbreweries could only run in areas of the city designated for general industrial also cleared for restaurants or bars. They also needed permission for alcohol sales.
Last September, city council opted to streamline the paperwork for microbreweries by making a new zone use category for breweries, wineries and distilleries. Instead of having to get approval to use their sites for three different purposes, microbreweries now only have to get approval in their own category.
Old Strathcona and certain areas downtown were blanket-zoned for brewing, but Moore’s facility falls outside those areas.
When Moore first relocated to the city, he was planning to land a lease in Old Strathcona, where the necessary zone use would have been approved already.
City council did consult with a number of breweries wanting the change, said Harry Luke, a senior planner with the city. No communications were sent out to breweries after the zoning change was introduced.
While Luke said the city does support Moore’s brewery, he said businesses should always figure out their zoning before signing leases, and should find out what permits are required before signing a new lease.
“(This is) not the final ideal situation, but they appreciate that we can help them continue to develop this business,” he said.
There isn’t any further discussion planned on whether there will be any changes to brewery zoning, Luke said.
The city and Moore agreed to allow him to operate under two sets of business and restaurant licences, one for each of the brewing and the restaurant sides of the business, while Moore arranges for a new zone use, which he said will take another six months. He’ll have to apply for another set of licences after the new zone use is approved, but Moore hopes the new arrangement will let him open in the fall.
When a small business tries to open and they’re looking at $15,000 for a small piece of paper to operate ... problems start to arise
Combined with other fees that come with applying for a new zone use permit, Moore said he’s looking at paying an additional $15,000 to open for business.
He’s happy with the city’s accommodations, but wishes that the regulations were more clear.
“It’s just another one of those cases where the city says they’re small business friendly, but when a small business tries to open and they’re looking at $15,000 for a small piece of paper to operate ... problems start to arise,” Moore said.