CITY
BY ALEX REECE
Breweries to help Frisco tap into new revenue opportunities
alcohol-centric businesses was made when Frisco City Council amended the city’s zoning ordinance to allow brewpubs to operate in nonresidential zoning districts in August 2018. “Food and beverage are becoming entertainment,” then-Council Mem- ber Will Sowell said at the August 2018 meeting. “In today’s society, the ability to provide locations like this tend to amount to providing entertainment. And we’ve seen that just across the street in some of our neighboring cities.” Unlike a brewery or a growler bar, there are some restrictions on the amount of alcohol, malt liquor or ale manufactured and distributed at a brewpub, according to a presentation at the 2018 meeting. “I think it’s fantastic that we’re starting to allow innovation and enter- tainment just like this,” Sowell said. Approximately one year after allowing brewpubs, o cials released data from a three-year study that concluded one of the main reasons residents travel outside the city was to go to the breweries not found in Frisco. Taking the study into account, separate ordinances to allow brew- eries, wineries and distilleries in the Original Town Commercial District, the Highway District and Industrial District were approved by council members in 2020. “The brewpub was one of the top things on the [Visit Frisco study] list that was identi ed as people [were] going to McKinney and surrounding cities looking for this type of expe- rience,” Cheney said at the 2020 meeting. “Those types [of businesses] were not allowed before this ordinance was crafted. So this will allow us to go out and recruit those types of things.”
Breweries are beginning to pop up around Frisco as business owners take advantage of the changes in city ordinances. The most recent Frisco-based brewery plans were announced in March when council members approved plans for Three Empires Brewing Co. to open
the Frisco Station region, which is adjacent to The Star, to line up with the same ordinances passed in 2018 and 2020. Council agreed and updated the ordinances at an April 4 meeting. Until the updates, Frisco Station had been following a 2015 ordinance that restricted any alcohol sales, which hurt incoming
“FOOD AND BEVERAGE ARE BECOMING ENTERTAINMENT. IN TODAY’S SOCIETY, THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE LOCATIONS LIKE THIS TEND TO AMOUNT TO PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT. AND WE’VE SEEN THAT JUST ACROSS THE STREET IN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.” THEN COUNCIL MEMBER WILL SOWELL SAID AT AN AUGUST 2018 MEETING.
in the downtown Ford Building this summer. Until 2018, businesses such as brewpubs, brew- eries, wineries and distilleries were not allowed to operate within Frisco city limits due to city ordinances restrict- ing alcohol sales. In the years since, those businesses
businesses in the area, o cials said. Despite the more relaxed alcohol zoning laws, alcohol-only sales in Frisco are not found everywhere. An attempt by soccer complex Performance Indoor Training to begin selling alcohol at an on-site private club instead of allowing guests and players to bring their own was turned down by
Three Empires Brewing Co. is expected to open later this summer.
COURTESY THREE EMPIRES BREWING CO.
CHEERS! Frisco o cials have taken many steps over the years to ensure some alcohol-based businesses have a place in the city.
2018 Brewpub ordinances passed by city council
2019 Visit Frisco study information released
have begun to make an appearance with three breweries slated to open in 2023 and 2024, o cials said. In 2021, Frisco City Council approved an agreement with Roll- ertown Beerworks, a Celina, Texas brewery, restaurant and music venue expected to open near the historic grain silos in 2024 and bring in new money to the downtown area. Frisco Brewing Co. is another brewery and entertainment mix planned for Frisco expected to open this summer. Commission members also recom- mended council approve rezoning
2020 Brewery, winery, distillery ordinances passed by city council
Frisco Planning and Zoning Commis- sion members at an April 11 meeting due to its proximity to churches, residential areas and schools. Commission members at the meeting stated allowing alcohol sales at the facility did not “ t” the area. Frisco o cials have also stressed at meetings that while updated ordinances allow businesses such as breweries to open, they still need to follow Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission regulations. The rst major step toward allowing
2023 Frisco Station gets rezoned for alcohol sales
2023 Three Empires Brewing Co., Frisco Brewing Company expected to open
2023-24 Rollertown Beerworks expected to open
SOURCES: CITY OF FRISCO, VISIT FRISCO COMMUNITY IMPACT
OUR FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS IS LOCAL TO FRISCO WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
Your Local electric Bike shop
retail • assembly • repairs • tune-ups
Does your roof need a check-up? Have your roof inspected by a licensed insurance adjuster!
5160 Collin McKinney Pkwy, Ste. 500, McKinney, TX 75070 WWW.LOCOMOTIONEBIKES.COM
MDROOFINGPROS.COM • CALL US FOR A FREE ROOF ASSESSMENT AT 972-834-3009
17
FRISCO EDITION • MAY 2023
Powered by FlippingBook