Larger demand for distinctive craft beers is opening up opportunities for smaller breweries. And the Kansas City, Missouri city council has taken action to make it easier to open a "nanobrewery."
Ordinance sponsor Scott Taylor says he became involved because a family in the Brookside-Waldo area wanted to open a 1,000 square-foot nanobrewery catering to customers in the local market rather than selling to wholesalers.
But entrepreneurial efforts were thwarted by the fact that breweries had to be located in property zoned for manufacturing. Such space, where available, was too large, too expensive and poorly situated for consumer sales.
The new ordinance changes the zoning requirement. The nanobreweries can operate in storefronts, strip malls or other retail locations.
The nanobreweries will have to be under 5,000 square feet, and at least half of their production will have to be consumed or sold on site.
The council also passed an ordinance allowing area producers of beer and liquor to sell those wares at the City Market.
