Residents Express Concerns With Brewery, Restaurant Near Homes

Despite concerns from neighbors, the Planning Board gave its unanimous approval to the proposed at its Wednesday night meeting. Member Gillian Lazar was absent.

The idea of the project is not what had residents concerned — it’s the location. The brewery and restaurant is proposed for 563 and 575 S. Eton St. and will have a beer garden, tasting room and onsite brewery.

Preliminary plans came before the Planning Board on Oct. 12 and brought about similar concerns and requests for a few changes, including the positioning of the dumpster and parking lot spaces, which were reflected in the revised site plans Wednesday.

Among the residents who rose to voice their concerns against the project were Bill and Monika Clogg, who live directly behind where the brewery is looking to move.

“This is going to kill our property value,” Bill Clogg said. Monika Clogg added, “Who is going to compensate us for that?”

Another resident, Barbara McIntosh, made several comments against the brewery as well.

“The traffic on Eton Street is already horrendous,” McIntosh said.

However, there were several residents in support of the brewery as well.

“I think that the parking that they’ve proposed seems more than adequate and I think the use of the facility is actually complementary to the adjacent businesses,” Birmingham businessman and resident John Kelly said.

Likewise resident Dorothy Conrad said, “I believe this will be an enhancement to the area. I do understand the concerns that some of the neighbors have shown regarding the possibility of parking spilling out into the neighborhood and that is a real possibility … but no matter what you put in there you’re going to have that situation,” she said.

Planning board members liked the vision of the project, but did not disregard the residents’ concerns. In the motion for approval made by member Carroll DeWeese, they advised the City Commission to cap beer garden operating hours at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Additionally, since cut-through traffic and parking on residential streets across from the property was a concern, member Bryan Williams asked for the minutes to reflect that they would like the Traffic and Safety Board to consider posting a sign noting no cut-through traffic is allowed.

The brewery now moves to the City Commission, which will make the final decision on the special land use permit.