Council approves zoning change to allow small brewery at South Creek and U.S. 87

Fredericksburg City Council voted to rezone a roughly 2.3-acre parcel at the southeast corner of South Creek Street and U.S. Highway 87 from C-2 commercial to M-1 light manufacturing to allow a proposed microbrewery and taproom.

The change, approved after a public hearing and a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, will allow the applicant to pursue a conditional-use permit and site-plan review required for the proposed brewing operation. Applicant Rick LaPlante described a taproom-focused design with two 300-gallon tanks and “a very large open area for outdoor gathering spaces,” and said the brewing component would occupy a small share of the building footprint.

The rezoning request prompted questions from council about whether the use could be accommodated under the existing commercial zoning. Planning staff (Matt) told the council that craft-brew production and small-scale distribution were interpreted as falling under light manufacturing in the city’s zoning code and that the applicant would still need to return for a conditional-use permit, site-plan review and compliance with entry-corridor design standards. “In comparing the commercial zoning district and the light manufacturing zoning district, they're very comparable uses,” Matt said during his summary.

LaPlante told council he and his partners expect production well under the state definition of a microbrewery (under 10,000 barrels annually) and emphasized the project’s emphasis on outdoor space, community gathering, and amenities for cyclists. “We're proposing a tap room and small scale microbrewery,” LaPlante said. He also showed conceptual elevations intended to reflect Hill Country design standards along the Highway 87 entry corridor.

Council members noted that several downtown brewpubs operate under commercial zoning as primarily restaurant uses; staff responded that this project is more production-oriented and therefore more consistent with M-1 zoning. Planning and Zoning recommended approval earlier in the month, and council approved the zoning change on a voice vote following a motion to adopt the ordinance.

Next steps identified by staff include a conditional-use permit application, full site-plan review and design-corridor compliance before any building or occupancy permits are issued. The council did not take action on those subsequent approvals at this meeting.

The applicant and staff said they would continue coordination with city planning to address traffic, parking and design details as part of the conditional-use and site-plan review process.