The Pella Area Community and Economic Alliance made a presentation to the Pella City Council about considering adding microbreweries as an allowable use following regular business at Tuesday’s council meeting.

PACE Alliance Executive Director Karen Eischen led the presentation, highlighting the desire of potential business-owners Betsy Duffy and Mindi Vanden Bosch to create a new microbrewery in the community called Gezellig Brewing Company. The two followed Eischen with a presentation of their own, discussing the intentions of their business, which is a brewery producing beer for at-location consumption with a restaurant and outdoor seating.

The primary use for the proposed zoning law is the manufacturing of beer or alcohol, with consumption of beer and food sales as a secondary use. A 30% food sales requirement was added to the language under consideration by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission as well. Additionally, a separate change to city code would also be necessary for anyone under the age of 21 to be in an establishment that sells alcohol–currently, that only extends to grocery stores, liquor stores, and restaurants.

Members of the PACE Alliance had previously requested the addition of brewpubs, however, they raised concern over the ability of those businesses to generate a majority of their revenue from food sales, which is a requirement for those restaurants. The proposed brewpub ordinance was tabled by the council during the February 6th meeting and remains there until changes can be made.

The council and Mayor Jim Mueller expressed concerns with having a microbrewery downtown and the implications of the laws they could potentially pass. Councilmembers Harold Van Stryland and Lynn Branderhorst specifically cited numerous residents contacting them over the phone or in person about their lack of support of having the business downtown. However, Branderhorst and Mueller both stated their support overall of the project and of finding a location outside of the Central Business District. A crowd of approximately 30 people was in attendance, with many members in the audience Tuesday backing the microbrewery. Council also discussed a petition they received with over 800 signatures in favor of the project. Councilmember Tony Bokhoven also expressed frustration with the change in request from a brewpub to microbrewery, citing other parties wanting to be involved in similar projects have been rejected by council as the community seeks a downtown destination restaurant.

Duffy and Vanden Bosch both stated they do not have a home for the new business at this point, and say they are learning through the process and want to work with council to find the best solution. Duffy also shared their intent to keep the brewing operation small–to approximately 2000 barrels annually, and the hurdles they would face if they even wanted to distribute the beer they would be brewing. The language of the ordinance would allow for up to 10,000 barrels of production per year. Vanden Bosch said the change from brewpub to microbrewery was also necessary, citing of the over 80 breweries in Iowa, 24 sold food and only two met the 50 percent food sales threshold of a brewpub.

The microbrewery zoning request will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 26th, with a potential direction for the council to consider in the next two months.