Microbreweries and distilleries in Port Coquitlam can now double the number of seats in their tasting rooms.
Tuesday, after a public hearing, city council voted 6-1 to give third and final reading to a zoning bylaw change that would allow craft brewers and distillers to apply to increase their lounge capacity to a maximum 50 seats.
By comparison, along Port Moody’s Brewers Row, there are up to 110 seats in each of the four breweries — Moody Ales, Parkside, Yellow Dog and Twin Sails — while Mariner Beer in Coquitlam has 80 spots open in its tasting room and patio.
The lift by PoCo council, which was opposed by Coun. Darrell Penner, follows through on a campaign pledge by Mayor Brad West.
But it also exposed a rift between PoCo craft breweries — two of which opened this summer — and local pubs.
During the hearing, representatives from three pubs — The Arms, Samz and Cat & Fiddle (the latter of which is also building a microbrewery on its site) — spoke up about the need to limit entertainment in microbrew lounges.
Breweries are intended to manufacture beer and have tasting rooms not gathering places, they contended.
Their competition concerns were echoed by Penner, who has worked as a musician at The Arms.
Penner unsuccessfully moved a motion to delay the vote and have council put in provisions to restrict entertainment and full kitchens in microbrews. “This is the point in time we need to be doing this,” Penner pressed city council.
But officials from Northpaw Brewing — the city’s first microbrew — and Tinhouse Brewing (formerly Tin Shed), which has yet to open, and other craft brewers and festival organizers argued microbrews don’t want to be fighting for business with pub owners.
In fact, said Andrea McIntosh of Tinhouse, microbrews want to work with pubs to ensure their product is on tap. As well, she said, microbrews offer a different experience than pubs and serve to a different clientele that includes families.
Most tasting lounges have limited entertainment and are required to serve some food under provincial regulations, she said.
Laura Lee Richard, PoCo’s development services director, also told council entertainment falls outside city jurisdiction.
A cask festival organizer said PoCo has lost potential economic development because of the 25-seat cap on microbrews. And “if the pubs were really worried [about increased lounge seating] they need to change their model. Times are changing,” he said.
Northpaw co-founder Courtney Brown said the public is calling for more lounge seats at his business, and he welcomed the opportunity to meet with pub owners. “We never, never, ever intend to compete or be a pub,” he said.
Meanwhile, microbreweries and distilleries wanting to double lounge seating will still require the OK from provincial authorities to change their licence. Owners will also need to determine if they have enough parking spaces: PoCo requires one parking space for every five lounge seats as well as spaces for manufacturing.
Still, microbrews that are short of parking spots can apply to the city for a variance.
