Pending Metro Nashville legislation will greatly increase potential locations for breweries in Music City. Currently, breweries must be on land zoned for industrial use.
Industrial areas are usually located in remote areas, away from retail centers and houses. Who wants a horse rendering plant making glue near their shop or house?
But breweries are different. Although classified as an industrial use, breweries like Yazoo and Jackalope work well in retail commercial districts. Part of the Gulch is zoned for manufacturing, but popular commercial areas in East Nashville and Hillsboro Village prohibit breweries, because they are classified as industrial plants - as if they made glue from horses.
Fat Bottom Brewery ran into this issue when working on its new brewery in the old Fluffo Mattress site on Gallatin Pike. Scott Davis, the local Metro council member, introduced legislation to fix the problem for future brewers.
Davis' legislation allows "nano-breweries" that produce less than 1,250 barrels of beer per month to be located in most commercial zones. Davis' legislation has some simple rules that require breweries to be sensitive to neighborhood concerns. The proposed ordinance and the specific restrictions are at this link.
We think the nano brewery legislation is great for Nashville and its budding suds-stewing scene. If you support local beer brewing in Nashville, e-mail your local council member. You can find your local council member on the map at this link. Click on the e-mail link and let our representatives know Nashville loves beer.
No comments:
Post a Comment