Site Information:

Address: 7050 County Road 101 East

Property Owner: Timothy and Kathleen Walsh

Lot Size: 2.82 Acres

Zoning: I-2, Heavy Industry

2030 Comp. Plan: Industrial 

Introduction:

Timothy Walsh, representing Walsh Distillery, has applied for a conditional use permit for a Tasting Room at 7050 County Highway 101 East to accompany Walsh Distillery, a craft distillery (narrative attached). Craft distilleries are a permitted use in the I-2, Heavy Industry Zone, tasting rooms require conditional use permits.

Discussion:

Walsh Distillery intends to produce whiskey, brandy, bourbon, gin, vodka. Currently, the applicant has a recipe for whiskey, which requires aging in barrels for multiple years before it would be marketed and sold. Initially, the applicant intends to construct the distillery portion of the facility and later add the 660 square-foot, 10 seat tasting room as different recipes develop and they are able to market the spirits.

The anticipated hours of operation for the tasting room are Fridays from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., which are times when other business tenants of the building are closed. There is adequate off-street parking on the site even if the tasting room were to operate when the other businesses are open. The calculated off-street parking requirement is 11 spaces. No food preparation, live music or large events are planned for the tasting room area. All surrounding properties are industrial development and a significant distance away from the proposed use. The applicant conducted a neighborhood meeting and no adjacent property owners attended the neighborhood meeting.

Due to the nature of the surrounding area, staff is comfortable with the tasting room operating during any legal serving hours, which is governed by the City Clerk's Office for liquor licensing.