Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
September 8, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 36 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Village looks to open up to micro-alcohol By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
FALL FOR THE ARTS
The fall season brings various art exhibits and events to the area. Find out what’s happening in our Fall for the Arts section. For more, see page 11.
First positive West Nile virus case in Westchester Westchester County has learned of its first human case of West Nile virus this year, which was confirmed in a 63-year-old Briarcliff Manor resident who had been hospitalized, and is now recovering at home. The Westchester County Department of Health found signs
of mosquito breeding activity around the resident’s home and removed them. “This first case of West Nile virus should serve as a reminder to residents to take precautions against mosquito bites by removing standing water from their property after it rains and using
repellents when they spend time outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn, when mosquitoes are most active,” said Westchester County Health Comissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler,. The health department prepared for the mosquito season by educating the public through
news releases and Keep Healthy and Bug Off messages distributed through flyers, social media, and on our website, by giving fathead minnows to residents with ponds to reduce the mosquito population and by evaluating and treating as needed with larvicide all VIRUS continued on page 7
A proposed local law defining micro-alcohol establishments in the village code will likely allow their introduction into some of Mamaroneck’s commercial zoning districts with more stringent limits on production, . According to Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat, the village Board of Trustees is leaning toward allowing nanobreweries—which are the smallest of all brewing operations—into C-1districts, but with tightened limits on the amount of alcohol they can produce. Right now, Potok said, the Board of Trustees will mull allowing those establishments brew a maximum of 3,000 per year. This change would mark a win for Mamaroneck’s beer mecca Half Time Beverage, which proposed the addition of a tasting room and small-scale brewing operation to its Hoyt Avenue location earlier this year. Full-size microbreweries — establishments of a much larger scale—are being eyed for M-1 zoning districts like the village’s industrial area where they would be allowed to produce a maximum of 15,000 gallons per year. According to Potok, the public hearing for the proposed zoning changes will open at an upcoming Sept. 11 Board of Trustees meeting and where final discussions will begin. Also included in the proposed
local law are definitions for breweries, microbreweries, cideries, distilleries and micro distilleries, none of which are currently outlined in local zoning code. The village embarked on its plan to open its doors to micro-alcohol establishments after Half Time’s request to add its brewpub. However, according to Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat, the village has also received interest from other businesses interested in pursuing similar requests. By allowing micro-alcohol establishments into the village, Mamaroneck would open itself up to a growing wave of craft breweries—brewers that produce under a certain threshold of distribution— across the country. According to the Brewers Association, a nonprofit trade organization which consists of 3,500 brewers from throughout the U.S., the number of regional craft breweries rose from 97 to 178, a nearly 32 percent increase, between 2012 to 2015 alone. Further, breweries overall saw an uptick of 15 percent nationwide over the same time period. Already, residents saw the introduction of Good Shepherd distillery—run by Vincent and Carly Miata, a local husband and wife team—last year which offers a selection of small-batch brandy, vodka, and soon, whiskey. “We welcome all other micro-alcohol business. It’s a ALCOHOL continued on page 8