WESTLOCK - Next Monday night, Town of Westlock councillors will debate whether to include breweries, wineries and distilleries as a permitted use within the downtown core following an application from a local businessman who plans to open a brew pub the community “can all be proud of.”
At their June 13 meeting, councillors voted 5-0 to pass first reading of Consolidated Land Use Bylaw 2015-02, Amendment Bylaw 2022-10 and set July 11 for a public hearing to debate the addition to the downtown, mixed-use district within the Downtown Policy Area under Municipal Development Plan (MDP) Bylaw No. 2015-03.
In his application for the zoning change, Pembina Brewing’s Dean Demitor said the pub, which will be family-owned and operated, will have an “atmosphere like no other” and pledged they’ll use local hops and grains in their seasonal beers. The pub, slated to be located at 9928 - 107th Street, will brew two times a week and include indoor and outdoor seating as a place to “have a pint or two with friends and family.” With the closest breweries in Slave Lake and Morinville, Demitor writes, “There’s a massive opportunity for us to provide a service for our community.” See more on Pembina Brewing in an upcoming edition.
Development services director Krystle Fedoretz told councillors a brew pub fits well within the MDP which states the town, in addition to promoting reinvestment in the downtown and attracting new businesses, wants to “maintain, enhance and extend the downtown as a central hub of commerce” and “promote a diverse, cohesive, and viable downtown area to ensure increased and sustained levels of activity in the downtown throughout the day.”
Fedoretz also told councillors that following recent work to update the land-use bylaw, they had “contemplated breweries, wineries and distilleries as a new use” and included the definition within the request for decision which reads in part: “ … the manufacturing of beer, wine, spirits, or other alcoholic beverages. This use may include the sale of alcoholic beverages to the public for consumption within the premises. Retail sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption off-site shall be limited to alcoholic beverages manufactured on-site. Accessory activities may include the preparation and sale of food and the storage, packaging, bottling, canning, and shipping of products.”
While the public hearing will solely be to debate changing the LUB, councillors were excited about the prospect as there’s been talk of a brew pub for years.
“I’m glad that we’re heading in this direction and some young businessmen are pursuing their dreams,”” said Coun. Abby Keyes.
“I know one of the owners and I’ve already tested (the beer). He’s a good beer maker. I’m in,” added Coun. Randy Wold.
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