Customer Matt Oliver shops in the craft beer section of the NB Liquor store attached to the old Fredericton Railway Station in Fredericton, N.B., on Friday, June 16, 2017. A Supreme Court of Canada ruling that provinces have the right, with limits, to enact laws that restrict interprovincial commerce represents a "missed opportunity" to free up trade within Canada, industry observers say.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray

Customer Matt Oliver shops in the craft beer section of the NB Liquor store attached to the old Fredericton Railway Station in Fredericton, N.B., on Friday, June 16, 2017. A Supreme Court of Canada ruling that provinces have the right, with limits, to enact laws that restrict interprovincial commerce represents a "missed opportunity" to free up trade within Canada, industry observers say.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray

Lake Country council approves first step to making beer in the district

A proposed zoning amendment will allow craft breweries and meaderies in the district

Lake Country councillors have taken the first step to allow breweries, distilleries and meaderies in the district.

Council unanimously passed the first and second reading of zoning bylaw amendment which permits large scale brewing in the district’s industrial zones and allows smaller craft operations in the Town Centre, as well as service and highway commercial zones.

RELATED: New craft brewery location chosen in Kelowna

“Right now the district’s zoning bylaw doesn’t actually permit breweries or distilleries in the district, so this was a policy gap potentially in terms of economic development and we looked to bring this proposal to council to really address that,” said Jamie McEwan, community development manager.

Meaderies would be added to an agruciluture zone, as long as it is permitted by the Agricultural Land Commision.

“A brewery/restaurant would be a great thing in the Turtle Bay Crossing, now that we’re getting that zoning for it,” said Coun. Blair Ireland, referring previous discussions where council rejected a second drive thru at the complex.

READ MORE: Fast food drive thru at Turtle Bay Crossing rejected a second time

The zoning amendment was approved during Tuesday night’s regular council meeting.

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