By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Jan. 13, the Village of Cazenovia Planning Board reviewed the site plan for the proposed brewery at 33 Rippleton Rd., Cazenovia — the former home of Empire Farm Brewery.
DeWitt-based Feldmeier Equipment and its holding company Rocale LLC purchased the facility at a bankruptcy auction last fall for $3.44 million.
The brewery — which is temporarily closed for modifications and improvements — is expected to open in the spring as an entirely new and independent operation.
According to a Jan. 6 letter from Keplinger Freeman Associates, the applicant’s landscape architects, to Planning Board Chairman Rich Huftalen, the redevelopment of the former Empire facility will consist of:
-Parking area renovations and improvements to increase facility parking
-Landscaping improvements
-Main entrance canopy renovations and improvements
-Replacement of the entrance sign to increase visibility
-Interior renovations, including the removal of a portion of the second floor to provide for a two-story interior restaurant space
-Glass replacement between the restaurant and brewery to enhance the visibility of the brewing equipment
-A three-season patio room addition within the footprint of the existing covered patio. An expanded patio area with fire pits would be associated with the addition.
During the Jan. 13 meeting, the planning board received an overview of the project and heard the applicant’s responses to a list of issues/conditions raised by the village engineer.
The conditions in question were part of the original Empire Farm Brewery New York State Environmental Quality Review zone change and site plan approval.
The topics addressed related to traffic/parking, aesthetics, signage, facility use, noise, odors, water usage, stormwater, lighting, setbacks, building height, site coverage, operating hours, special events, and other approvals/reviews.
The facility use, beer production and waste treatment is to remain the same as was previously approved for the site.
The redeveloped facility is anticipated to generate no significant changes in traffic.
According to the applicant, the proposed expanded parking is in line with requirements for similar uses within other local towns.
All proposed exterior renovations are not to have additional visibility from either Route 13 or Lorenzo State Historic Site.
The applicant has proposed occasional acoustic music performances for the three-season/patio area.
The operating hours and frequency of special events are to be similar to the previously approved facility.
According to the applicant, there will be a decrease in water usage and discharge for the proposed facility.
The wastewater treatment system is now in compliance with the Town of Cazenovia’s wastewater discharge permit limits and conditions. Feldmeier personnel will monitor the wastewater management.
The applicant plans to include the following as part of its site plan submission package:
-Details of the new sign, along with a variance, if necessary
-An updated Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) that will address all proposed impervious surfaces. Additionally, a Stormwater SPDES (State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit will be acquired prior to any soil disturbance
-Updated lighting and photometric plans
-Updated information on setbacks, building height and site coverage
-Other necessary approvals/reviews such as fire department, Madison County Planning, New York State Department of Transportation, Cazenovia Advisory Conservation Commission and the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation.
The board will hold a public hearing on the proposed site plan on Feb. 10.
“There are a number of changes that they are proposing, so we want to give the public the opportunity to share their opinions at our next meeting,” Huftalen said.
The February meeting will also feature a public hearing on the Landing at Burke Meadows site plan.
For more information on the proposed plan, contact the village clerk’s office at 315-655-3041.
The village planning board meets on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Village Municipal Building. For more information, visit villageofcazenovia.com.
