Metchosin council has voted to put off a decision on a proposed nano-brewery for the old Metchosin school building until they receive more information from the liquor board and residents.

At a meeting on Monday (Feb. 28), council reviewed feedback submitted via mail by nearby residents. Based on those letters, Coun. Kyara Kahakauwila made a motion aimed at reducing the proposed opening hours.

The plan was for the brewery to be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Friday and Saturday, when it would close at 11 p.m. Kahakauwila suggested opening hours of 2 to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 2 to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Council said they could look at extending those hours in the future.

She also wanted more information about whether council could limit the capacity of the proposed taproom. Metchosin staff needed to check with the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch to confirm.

Resident Steve Gray expressed concerns about the amount of public engagement done by the brewery owners and the potential for the taproom, if approved, to expand without council input.

Mile Zero Brewing co-owner Michael Morgan previously told Black Press Media the taproom would have capacity of around 25 people. He admitted the ownership group could have done better engaging with the public and he planned to speak to residents in the future.

The proposal, first presented to council in June 2020, calls for the nano-brewery to make less than 150 litres of beer per batch. As well as the small-batch brewery, plans call for an B次元官网网址淓nglish-styleB次元官网网址� taproom serving small samples of beer, with an indoor and outdoor patio.

Ultimately, Coun. Marie-Therese Little reiterated GrayB次元官网网址檚 concerns and called on council to defer the decision until they heard back from the liquor branch, and the owners, after they gather more feedback from residents.

Council plans to discuss the brewery proposal again at next weekB次元官网网址檚 council meeting on March 7.

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