Last of the Elderberries

 

Planning Commission Meeting.  The people that wanted to open up a bar in their garage were back w/ a conditional land use permit.  According to the state statutes I couldn't understand how they got this far w/ their request.  However, they had gone to County Zoning who had said no rezoning was necessary for a garage bar.  (Yikes!)  Just needed the OK from the Town Board to continue w/ the process.  Our meeting was to make a recommendation to the Town Board on their request for a conditional land permit.  It was described now as a 'wine bar'.  That I could understand.  They have started a vineyard there.  (However later in the meeting he said they were going for a license for selling wine/liquor/beer).   I asked about how much space was available for parking.  Town statutes call for 200 sq ft. parking for every 5 patrons.   The property owner was at the meeting and had an overhead Google Maps shot to show a field near the house where he intended to have parking enough for over 20 cars.   I asked about the soil in the parking area (didn't want a remake of this year's Burning Man festival).  He said it was clay overlaid with grass.  I asked about the width of the driveway.  The property owner said the insurance company had checked out the whole drive to make sure fire trucks/ambulance/etc. could make it in and out. I didn't ask about the neighbors.  Brother Phil and I had checked out the site earlier and I hadn't seen any close neighbors.   I was out of reasons we could reject the permit.  It passed the committee.  There are still  more agencies that the owners need to get permits from before they get a liquor license.  I'm OK w/ bar establishments in town and rural businesses that also sell booze (like the ski hill or supper clubs) but I have a bad feeling about 'rogue bars' being set up in the hills.