Work continues this week on a proposal to better welcome the craft brewing industry to the Port City.
The Wilmington Planning Commission on Wednesday will review and potentially retool a recommendation from the city’s planning staff to properly include breweries in the local development code.
That document as currently written doesn’t recognize breweries at all, meaning craft brewers who want to produce beer by the barrel here must deal with regulations treating them like nightclubs or heavy manufacturing establishments, mismatching their business type and limiting where they can operate.
The proposal on the table would define breweries by size and expand their location options.
According to senior city planner Phil Prete, eight or more brewers in the past year have inquired with his office about locating in Wilmington. Many have found the current rules impractical, he said.
The planning commission scheduled its Wednesday workshop to begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Lord Spencer Compton Conference Room on the first floor of Wilmington City Hall (102 N. Third St.).
The planning commission and the city council would have to vote at regular meetings to make the changes effective.
Background:
