The Pella City Council unanimously approved an ordinance allowing microbreweries in commercial zones outside of the central business district.
The council voted on the measure at their meeting this evening after nearly a year of discussion and meetings with city staff and boards. They waived the second and third readings of the ordinance, which means it will be adopted.
Any business wanting to open a microbrewery will have to seek a special use permit from the city’s Board of Adjustment.
The matter was driven by Betsy Duffy and Mindi Vanden Bosch, who have developed Gezellig Brewing Company with the intent of bringing a microbrewery to the Tulip City.
“Our concept is comfortable, cozy,” Duffy said in a previous interview with KNIA/KRLS. “The word gezellig actually is a Dutch word with no direct English translation — it is an adjective that means cozy, that feeling you get when you’re with your friends or family.”
The council tabled an ordinance that would allow anyone under the age of 21 to come into microbreweries and other establishments with class A and B liquor license, as long as they are accompanied by someone 21 or older. The class A and B permits do not allow the sale of hard liquor on the premises. Council expressed concerns about potential operating hours, and will seek further detail from city staff and potential microbreweries. Councilmembers Bokhoven, Branderhorst, Van Stryland, and Schiebout all expressed disapproval of minors in establishments selling primarily alcohol. More information will be presented to council at a later date.
Duffy and Vanden Bosch will now have to seek approval from the Board of Adjustment at a future meeting to receive a special use permit after they identify a location they plan to move to. However, they intend to wait until the age restriction issue is resolved before proceeding. Microbreweries will not be permitted in the central business district, but will be in any other commercial zoning area in Pella.
The Pella City Council also approved and adopted an ordinance allowing brewpubs in the city in any commercial zone, which are restaurants that brew beer as a secondary use.
According to the City of Pella staff memo for council:
“The primary use for the microbrewery would be the brewery component, while food sales would be an
accessory use. Listed below is the proposed zoning definition:
Brewery, Micro: A business that brews beers, ales, and/or similar beverages on-site. This definition requires the manufacturing and packaging of beer, ales, and/or similar beverages to be the principal use and produces no more than ten thousand (10,000) barrels of beer or ale annually. The area used for brewing, including bottling and kegging, shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the commercial floor space. By definition, a microbrewery may include the preparation and retail sale of food and beverages as an accessory use. No class C liquor license (LC) will be allowed in conjunction with the microbrewery; having such license will classify the establishment as a “cocktail lounge” for the purposes of this definition.”