One of the North Shore’s popular breweries will now be able to expand its indoor facilities for beer lovers and offer visitors a little more variety.
City of North Vancouver councillors voted unanimously to approve an application put forward by Black Kettle Brewing to add lounge and retail use to its current zoning. The brewery’s previous zoning only covered manufacturing and storing beer and the provisions of a small number of samples.
The changes will give the brewery, which has been "making it pour on the North Shore" since 2014 at 720 Copping St. in Harbourside, the option to expand its offerings and sell complementary items, food and other beverages, like wine and cider – for those people who don't drink beer.
The approval also allows the brewery to expand its indoor area to 157.6 square metres, offering more space for North Vancouverites to enjoy a fresh brew.
Council moved to waive the public hearing for the application at its Oct. 19 general meeting because the community had responded positively to an open house on the development application back in February – some saying, “they love that it’s a local business.”
“Comments included support for additional indoor and outdoor space for customers, and observations of the business being a ‘community hub’ for nearby workers,” the report says.
Although, the city later received four letters of concern regarding litter and cleanliness in the area, which staff said they would address by talking with the applicants.
At Monday’s general meeting, Mayor Linda Buchanan said she acknowledged the concerns that had come from neighbours, but greatly supported approving the application.
“This is about supporting business and also supporting another piece of being a vibrant city,” she said.
“I think we have seen great success in other parts of the city, where we have allowed this to happen, and in these particularly extremely hard economic times, it just adds another opportunity for the business to be somewhat viable and gives another opportunity to increase their revenues.”
Buchanan also noted the brewery was along the Spirit Trail, allowing for connection between the other parts of the city’s brewery district.
“I think this will be a great addition, and I’m certainly supportive of anything that we can do to support the economy at the moment, so I'm happy to see this move forward,” she said.
Elisia Seeber is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
