Independent Brewing Co. LLC's application for a special exception was approved Tuesday evening by the Bel Air Board of Appeals, part of a lengthy town, county, state and even federal approval process the company must go through before it opens a craft brewery in Bel Air.
A number of community supporters of the project attended the Board of Appeals meeting in Bel Air Town Hall, and they applauded when board Chair Greg Adolph announced, following the four-member board's unanimous vote, that "the special exception is passed."
A tap room, where visitors can taste samples of the beers brewed on-site and fill growlers with beer, will be part of the project.
"That, by definition, is a bar use that does require a special exception," Bel Air Senior Planner Bob Syphard, the town's liaison to the Board of Appeals, said of plans to serve alcohol.
Company owner and "chief fermentation officer" Phillip Rhudy, of Fallston, and Bel Air attorney Kevin Mahoney spoke about the project before the board.
Rhudy and his business partners plan to convert a former auto shop at 418 N. Main St. into a microbrewery, which he expects will be an economic boon to the north side of Bel Air and an attraction for users of the nearby Ma & Pa Trail.
The existing building, which is just north of the intersection of North Main and Ellendale streets, is the former home of M&J Complete Auto Care. That business has moved to a new facility on Ellendale.
"It's my vision to make that area what it should be, as a hub of economics in the town," Rhudy said.
The site is surrounded by businesses such as a car wash, The Mill of Bel Air garden center, a Domino's restaurant and a storage facility.
"We consider the use of a location as a brewery as an industrial-production type of use that is permitted in that district," Syphard explained.
Rhudy said he hopes the brewery will attract more shops that are "focused on that same economy of the trail," such as a bicycle shop.
In addition to the special exception from the town, the site plans for the brewery must be approved by Bel Air's planning commission, and the company must obtain a tavern license from the Harford County Liquor Control Board.
The brewery must also have approvals from the state and federal governments.
Rhudy noted during the board meeting that he had to obtain signatures from residents of the nearby Roland Park neighborhood as part of the process of getting the liquor license.
He said the homeowners he spoke to were "so extremely supportive of having a place in town that they can walk to, that they can bicycle to, that is part of their community."
Rhudy said a minimal amount of food will be served to visitors as a condition of the county tavern license, but the primary focus will be on brewing and serving beer.
Mahoney said the brewery will have a "rated capacity" for 97 people, and there will be indoor seating as well as outdoor seating on an enclosed patio.
There will be 44 parking spaces, and company officials are negotiating with the owners of neighboring businesses to have satellite parking across Ellendale Street.
Mahoney also noted traffic consultants and town officials have determined that a traffic study will not be needed, since the proposed use is not expected to generate significant additional traffic in the area.
"Certainly, it is our contention that the use would not generate any impact to surrounding properties," he said.
Mahoney said the brewery is also scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. to accommodate the demands of the brewing operation and any visitors who prefer to come earlier in the morning.
Rhudy said that, "as a brewing operation, our hours will be whenever we have to tend to the beer."
"It's making sure the beer's at peak freshness when it needs to be moved from one container to another," he continued.
Board members made the 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. hours a condition of approval for the special exception. Some members expressed concerns that the brewery could be open later if the operators plan to have live music events.
"Then we have another nightclub situation," board member Rick Gerety said.
Mahoney said the company plans to operate during the hours submitted on its application, and any changes would have to be approved by the Board of Appeals.
"I don't think there's any intention to stay open until 2 a.m.," he said.
Several people, including local business owners and advocates for cycling and the Ma & Pa Trail, spoke in favor of the project.
Rod Bourn, past president of the Ma & Pa Trail Association, said that, even though the area is coming out of the economic doldrums of recent years, "we need every little bit, and we need to show, especially to small business people, that we do encourage them to come into our county, our town and give something to the people that I think would be a huge draw."