USA, MT: New brewery may open in Bozeman

An informal submittal to build a new craft brewery was turned into the Bozeman planning department recently and was scheduled to go before the Bozeman Development Review Committee on October, 26, The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported on October, 23.

Belgrade resident Patrick Kainz, who submitted the document, cautioned that plans for the brewery are in the beginning stages and nothing is set at this point.

“There’s a lot of hurdles we’re going to have to get over before we can actually get rolling on it,” Kainz said.

For one, the proposed site is in Gallatin County and must be annexed into the city and zoned before Kainz can submit a site plan application or apply for a building permit. The potential brewery site must be annexed into the city because it’s currently on a septic and well system, though Kainz plans to use well water in the brewing process, according to the document filed with the city.

The proposed annexation and zoning must be approved by public hearing before going before the City Commission for final approval.

“The good news is, they got some city staff people who want to see them succeed involved in the process at the very early stage,” said Brit Fontenot, city economic development director.

Kainz and Fontenot shied away from setting a tentative timeframe for completion of the process because it is in such an early stage. Fontenot noted in a phone interview that the aspiring brewer said he hoped to break ground on a 3,000-square-foot addition to the existing Story Mill Road structure in spring 2012.

“There’s no reason I can think of that it wouldn’t happen. It’s just a matter of finding a path,” Fontenot said. “We all want to get these guys doing what they do best… brewing beer, serving customers and creating jobs.”

26 October, 2011