Scotland County planning board recommends brewery permit for 14001 Highland Road

The Scotland County Planning and Zoning Board on Nov. 12 recommended that the county commissioners approve special use application 542-25, a proposal from Tier 1 Management LLC (doing business as Gaston Brewing Company) to manufacture alcoholic beverages at 14001 Highland Road in Laurinburg.

Board members discussed the applicant’s plan, which the board characterized as a manufacturing-only operation rather than a retail taproom. Chair Mason Johnson and other members said the board may attach conditions to a special-use recommendation. The property was described in the application as roughly 8 acres; deed information in the packet lists James E. Crawford III as the owner.

Board members and staff noted that the brewery would still need state and federal alcohol permits before production could begin. The board’s staff summary also flagged that any final permit would have to meet county ordinance requirements, and members said the board could recommend stipulations such as hours of operation or waste‑management measures if needed. "It is just a manufacturer. It is not a service," a board member said of the proposal.

John moved to recommend approval and the motion was seconded; the board voted to forward its recommendation to the county commissioners. The board’s recommendation is advisory; state and federal licensing and any conditions required by the commissioners must be satisfied before a business license or building/occupancy permits would be issued.

The county planning office will include the board’s recommendation in the materials sent to commissioners for their consideration at a future meeting.