Published: March 26, 2008 10:32 pm      

Micro-brewery could open next month

OAK HILL — Following a unanimous vote of recommendation Tuesday evening by Oak Hill’s planning and zoning commission, a micro-brewery could theoretically be open for business at 321 E. Main St. as early as April 15.

Nathan Herrold, one of the two would-be proprietors of the business, emphasized Wednesday he and business partner Ken Linch are keeping all options open — even those beyond Oak Hill.

“We’re going to do what’s in the best interest of our business. Our options are open,” Herrold said.

“If we are accepted (if the commission’s recommendation is endorsed by city council April 14) and everything goes through with city council, it doesn’t necessarily mean we will be opening up for business in Oak Hill.”

In a saga that has taken several twists and turns in the last two months, Herrold and Linch on Monday withdrew their application for a change to Fayetteville’s zoning ordinance that would have allowed for the operation of a “brewpub/micro-brewery” in that town, Town Superintendent Bill Lanham explained.

As recently as three weeks ago, procedural actions seemed to indicate the micro-brewery could be headed for Fayetteville. Not so, Herrold said.

“There’s a lot of moving parts. We just felt uncomfortable with the terms (of the Fayetteville move). We’re keeping our options open. We don’t have a lease signed with any particular party,” he added.

As of now, Herrold noted, there are no plans to re-submit a variance — or zoning change — application in Fayetteville.

Oak Hill Mayor Bill Hannabass and City Manager Tom Oxley were both out of town Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.



Up until Feb. 28, Herrold and Linch had devoted their collective energy toward navigating the zoning process in Oak Hill.

A variance application was filed on that date in Fayetteville for a change to the city’s zoning ordinance that would allow for bottling in a certain business area of town. Specifically, the application requested permission to operate a “brewpub/micro-brewery.”

The application listed Playmore Ventures Inc., in the name of Benjy F. Simpson, as the owner of the 18.88 acres in question on Wolf Creek.

Members of the Fayette Plateau Ministerial Association have fought the concept since the idea was first proposed in January.

Oak Hill’s planning and zoning commission gave the project its unanimous blessing then, and Hannabass broke a tied vote of city council Jan. 15 in favor of amending the town’s zoning laws to accommodate the business.

Council members encountered what Hannabass termed a “process problem” Jan. 15 when votes for both the micro-brewery and the zoning amendment appeared on the same meeting agenda.

A second reading of the amendment was endorsed by city council Feb. 11 by a vote of 4-3.

Herrold and Linch had initially applied for both a micro-brewery and a tavern in Oak Hill but chose to drop their bid for the latter.

The business would distribute beer to area restaurants that may be interested in purchasing the product for sale and consumption at their businesses. Alcohol would not be sold or consumed by the drink on the micro-brewery’s premises.

— E-mail: mhill

@register-herald.com