James City County will see a new brewery and coffee shop fusion set up shop following the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote to approve the project at its Tuesday night meeting.
The Frothy Moon Brewhouse, a proposed 5,000-square-foot building to sit on roughly 3.5 acres at 1826 Jamestown Road and 258 Sandy Bay Road, will take the place of the former Cook’s Greenhouse and Garden Center, which has been vacant since 2018.
The proposed site will see the lot revitalized with three consolidated entrances. It will feature a micro-brewery, taproom and coffee shop provided by Aroma’s, outdoor seating and third-party food vendors.
Vernon Geddy, a legal representative for the brewery’s owner Conor Halfpenny, came before the planning commission in August to request the site be rezoned from general business and limited business to just general business with proffers.
Following the planning commission’s 4-1 vote to recommend approval, with one member abstaining citing a previous conflict with Aroma’s Cafe, the Board of Supervisors heard from representatives and citizens alike on the project which falls in line with the county’s 2035 and 2045 comprehensive plans.
While the county’s Senior Planner Tori Haynes said that the project’s master plan is in compliance with the county ordinances, several folks came forward to voice their concerns regarding noise, parking and safety.
With plans to host live music, several worried that it would cause a disruption to neighboring households.
Haynes said there are numerous buffers in place and all of the resident homes near the project are located 250 feet to 1,400 feet from it. The county has a noise ordinance that states there can be no noise audible to 100 feet beginning at 9 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m.
Additionally, Geddy said the owners have included a proffer in its plan that will include all music face away from Sandy Bay Road.
For Supervisors Ruth Larson and Michael Hipple, parking was a concern. In order to ensure folks’ safety, Hipple said he does not want people parking along the road and if the brewery were to grow, they might see overflow parking.
Geddy assured the board that if that were to occur, the brewhouse crew would come before the board to address the problem. Additionally, Geddy said the owners are willing to post any signage relaying where people can and cannot park.
Despite concerns, the board approved the proposed rezoning and the business is set to begin its next phase. To date, there is no proposed opening date.
“I think this a very good use of this property. I think it’s going to work very well,” Hipple said. “I’m glad they chose James City County to conduct their business. We’re always looking for good, strong businesses to come to our community.”
For more information, visit jamescitycountyva.gov.
The Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at 101 Mounts Bay Road.
Em Holter, emily.holter@virginiamedia.com, 757-256-6657, @EmHolterNews.
