Council eyes ordinance to bring craft distilleries to city
WOONSOCKET – A few years ago, the City Council amended the ]oning ordinance to make it easier for small breweries and wineries to open up venues in the city, paving the way for entrepreneurs like Sean Lopolito of Lop’s brewpub on North Main Street.
Now, with a nudge from Councilman David Soucy, the panel is looking to do the same for purveyors of distilled spirits, a growing segment of the craft beverages market that’s already gained significant traction in nearby Pawtucket.
On 0onday, the council introduced a measure that would establish the same permitting process for distilleries and micro-distilleries as the panel set forth for breweries, microbreweries and wineries previously. Because the measure represents and amendment to the ]oning ordinance, it was tabled for a recommendation from the 3lanning Board and a public hearing prior to a vote, but it is expected to win the full support of the council after the procedural prerequisites are satisfied.
“We’re just starting the process, but every member of the council is fully supportive of it,” said Councilman James Cournoyer.
soucy called the measure “a small incremental thing” the city could do promote a unique type of economic development, just as other cities and towns have done for the distilled spirits industry.
He’s visited several small distilleries, some of which have converted former mills – a plentiful local resource – into cozy tasting rooms that draw plenty of patrons, especially young people.
“It’s just another thing that’s nice to have in communities,” says Soucy. “It adds to the quality of life here in the
city. It’s not new, but we’re usually late on the bandwagon so it’s time for us to jump on.”
The current version of the zoning ordinance is silent on what city officials should do if an investor were to propose a distillery business, which means it’s not permitted, according to Soucy.
The proposed amendment makes it clear that a distillery or micro-distillery would be permitted with nothing more than a state license in five mixed-use, commercial and industrial zones. No local authorization from the zoning board would be required.
In most other zones, including all the residential ones, distilleries would not be allowed at all, except for one low-intensity mixed-use zone. In the latter case, a distillery startup would require a special use permit from the =oning Board of Review, in addition to whichever state permits are required, in order to open up a new business.
Soucy says just having explicit regulations for distilleries on the books is an important component of attracting new business. “If someone is looking and sees it is permissible without going through all sorts of hoops” the city is more likely to gain a visit from a potential investor, he said.
“We’re still probably a couple of meetings away from passing it completely,” he said. “I’m glad it got the support of pretty much everybody.”
Although it suffered a crushing blow at the hands of COVID-19, the craft distillery industry in the U.S. was a $1.8 billion a year business in 2019 and had been steadily growing for several years previously, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a trade group. The industry employed about 15,000 people, most of them in very small environments with 10 or fewer workers producing 2,500 cases per year or less of their products.
Distillery Trail, a web site for small-batch spirit fans, lists five distilleries in Rhode Island, including two in Pawtucket. They include White Dog Distillery, located in the Lorraine Mills at 560 Mineral Spring Ave., which specializes in whiskey, rum and gin, and the Rhode Island Spirits Distillery & Tasting Room at 59 Blackstone Ave. The latter is known for the Rhodium brand of specialty rums, vodkas and liqueurs.
Other distilleries in Rhode Island are Sons of Liberty Spirits in South Kingstown, Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Company in Newport and Industrious Spirits Company in Providence.