Residents voiced their concerns on several potential rezoning proposals during Tuesday’s committee of the whole planning meeting.
Met with a mostly positive response, however, was Ferox owner Fabian Reis’ plan to use the former Harvest Barn property as a microbrewery in the future.
During a presentation requesting a zoning bylaw amendment for this project, town staff outlined the amendment that would allow for farm distillery and microbrewery use.
The Harvest Barn building, renamed Alitura in 2021, would be used as the microbrewery, with the grey barn functioning as a farm distillery.
Secondary uses would include hospitality areas, a commercial kitchen, an event tent and special events.
The property is currently zoned with estate winery permissions.
Mario Ervalho lives across the street from the Alitura location and said he welcomes the money and new jobs for the community the location would bring.
“Our biggest concern is probably traffic, hopefully, there won’t be another entrance on that side,” he said during the meeting.
Ervalho mentioned the possibility of adding changes to the light system nearby, potentially adding in a left turn signal.
Ervalho’s wife Luisa shared her support as well.
“We live in a wine community — we welcome any additional winery or brewery into the community,” she said.
Reis himself spoke about the business’ intentions of retaining the property as much as possible.
“We’re retaining the lands the way they are, they’re dear to our heart and we’re pro-agriculture,” Reis said.
He mentioned a pond on the property that he intends to keep after the potential rezoning.
“The pond is staying, we want to see bees, we want to see frogs, we want to see Niagara-on-the-Lake be Niagara-on-the-Lake,” Reis said.
Reis added there are no plans to change traffic or add new entrances and pathways to the site.
Councillors will make a final decision on the land at a later planning meeting.
