Zoning changes could bring more breweries, distilleries and barrel warehouses to Oldham County

OLDHAM COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) -- Breweries and distilleries can now think of Oldham County as a place that's open for their business.

The Fiscal Court passed a new ordinance and zoning changes this week that would make way for more of breweries, brewpubs, distilleries and barrel warehouses.

"It's a big deal," said David Bizianes, president of the Oldham Chamber and Economic Development. "It's a great time in Oldham County ... There's just been a great push to try to accommodate business growth in the community."

3rd Turn's Oldham Gardens and Kentucky Artisan Distillery is seeing success in Crestwood. But in order to keep up with the bourbon boom the rest of the state is seeing and make way for new tourism opportunities, the county had to pass new regulations.

"Those tourism projects actually bring bodies in to actually support the businesses as we continue to grow our population, which takes time," Bizianes said.

A new zoning classification called an AG-2 business district will allow for breweries, distilleries and barrel warehouses in rural areas of the county. Some magistrates had concerns about how storage warehouses would impact quality of life in those areas.

Three magistrates voted against the ordinance and the zoning changes. The judge-executive was the tie-breaker vote to pass the changes.

"I didn't mind having brewpubs, breweries and distilleries," District 4 Magistrate Steve Greenwell said. "I did not want the barrel warehouses, which I've never seen an attractive one yet."

The regulations say the warehouses can't be more than 60 feet in height and must be set back at least 500 feet. Greenwell said these restrictions were intentional. But even still, those critical of the changes are concerned standalone warehouses won't benefit tourism or the neighbors nearby.

"The way the ordinance was written, we now can just have a warehouse and not the distillery, and I just don't want to be a storage facility for some distillery somewhere else," Greenwell said.

The cities of Crestwood, Pewee Valley and La Grange will still have to vote on and approve the ordinances and zoning changes.