"an all-day operation, opening in the morning to serve coffee and the brewery serving beer later"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Owners of Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company outlined their proposed coffee roasting operation to city councilors this week, and expressed excitement about bringing their concept to the city. 

J.P. and Melynda Gallagher – who have already received approval to open a brewery at the former Speakers nightclub on Weed Street – are seeking a special permit to operate a coffee roaster at the same location. 

A zoning amendment approved by city councilors this fall permitted coffee roasters to operate in the Marlborough Village district downtown, business, industrial and limited industrial zones. Coffee roasting – a manufacturing operation – was previously not allowed in those areas. 

Prospective roasters are required to apply for a special permit, in part, due to odors that emanate during the operation. Requiring roasters to go through the special permit process provides a layer of security for the city if an odor problem arises."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181222/marlborough-lost-shoe-brewing-seeks-permit-for-roaster

Marlboro business opens brewing coffee and beer

Related post from January 2018

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/in-news-students-sent-kindness-letters.html

More info on Lost Shoe at their web page  https://lostshoebrews.com/

FM #155 - Economic Development Committee - Dec 12, 2018 (audio)

FM #155

This internet radio show or podcast is number 155 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting held before the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.

The discussion covered the two scheduled agenda items. The first up heard additional research on whether to modify the existing brewing distillery bylaw to remove the kitchen requirement. Do tap rooms, tasting rooms, really need to have a kitchen?

You can listen to the discussion as it developed. Ultimately, the motion moved to the Town Council by a 4-0 vote to remove kitchens from the tasting bylaw.

The second item was a discussion on the proposed Mixed Business Innovation Zoning District to help control and enable appropriate reuse of the Clark, Cutler, McDermott property.

After discussion on various aspects of the pros, cons, what was really being attempted, the motion moved to the Town Council by a 3-1 vote (Kelly = no). 

The official meeting minutes are also included in the show notes that accompany this podcast.

Agenda 

Discussion:
1. Brewery, Winery, Distillery Bylaw Issues - food requirement
2. Clark, Cutler, McDermott rezoning

Future Meetings:
3. 2013 Master Plan Update
4. Housing - Generally
a. Over 55 Housing Overlay
a. Inclusionary Zoning Discussion
b. Multi-Family Housing in Residential V and Commercial 1
c. R7
d. Downtown extension/C1/Village District Discussion
e. Affordable Housing Plan

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/economic-development-subcommittee

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/edc_meeting_agenda_12-12-2018.pdf

The total meeting recording runs just about 58 minutes. Without further ado, here is the audio recording.




-------------


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

In particular, if you have an interest in real estate, zoning, or construction, I would like someone to follow the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and/ or Conservation Commission meetings. I’ll provide the guidance on note taking and sharing. You need to bring an inquisitive, open mind, and willingness to learn and share.

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"


Meeting Minutes for the Economic Development Committee

Members present: Matthew Kelly, Glenn Jones, Melanie Hamblen, Eamon McCarthy Earls.

Also in attendance: Deborah Pellegri, Anthony Padula, Joseph Halligan, Deputy Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Planning Director Bryan Taberner, Building Inspector - Gus Brown, Planner - Amy Love and Steve Sherlock. Also participating was an unidentified potential brewing establishment owner.

Matt Kelly called the meeting to order at 5:45 PM, and read a statement into the record regarding attendance of Town Councilors not on the Economic Development Subcommittee.

Brewery, Winery, Distillery Bylaw Issues - food requirement. Jamie Hellen provided a summary of the issue before the Committee. The discussion was to determine if the Town should continue to require food for the new farmer series facilities (Brewery, Winery or Distillery with taproom) as the current by-law reads. There was discussion about Breweries starting off as only serving beer, and expanding in the future into serving food. 

There was discussion about the breweries being a gathering spot and customers expecting food to be served. Mr. Taberner said they can order food from local residents to be delivered to the brewery. Mr. Hellen said they researched with many local breweries and even breweries from out of state, that none of them are required to serve food. There was further discussion on the hours of operation and how much they are allowed to pour per customer.

Motion to move to Town Council, Mr. Earls, second by Mrs. Hamblen, voted (4-0).

Mixed Business Innovation Zoning District — Mr. Hellen provided an overview of the proposed new zoning district and also provided a map that included what lots the zoning is proposed to be applied. Mr. Taberner further explained the uses that would be allowed in this district, if the property were to be re-zoned. 

In addition, the Use Table would add 3 more uses catered to the zone. Mr. Taberner said he has spoken with some of the property owners who agree this would be good for property uses. Mr. Kelley asked about adding a residential portion to this zone. Mr. Kelley said he thought this would be a tear down and residential should be allowed on the upper floors. 

There was discussion of the current industrial uses and potential for future of the buildings. Mr. Padula asked if the Town was trying to control what goes there. Mr. Hellen said they are trying to make the property more marketable and attract more businesses there. Mr. Jones said they are trying to re-purpose the property. 

Mr. Eamon said with the single story mill, there are not much option currently with the zoning. The MBI zoning would better help sell the building. Mr. Taberner explained that currently the only use is heavy manufacturing and explained the definition of heavy manufacturing.

Motion to move to Town Council, Mr.Jones, second by Mr. Earls, voted (3-'1). 

Next EDC meeting TBD.

Meeting Adjourned at 6:45 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/economic-development-subcommittee/minutes/edc-meeting-minutes-3

FM #154 - Economic Development meeting - Nov 28, 2018 (audio)

FM #154

This internet radio show or podcast is number 154 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting held before the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, November 28, 2018.

The discussion only covered the first agenda item. The key question is whether to modify the existing brewing distillery bylaw to remove the kitchen requirement. Do tap rooms, tasting rooms, really need to have a kitchen. Comparison with other breweries where the food requirement is not as restrictive.

After some discussion on what it would include or not, it was determined to need additional research from the Administration staff to bring back to the EDC for a better discussion.

Discussion:

1. Brewery, Winery, Distillery Bylaw Issues - food requirement

Future Meetings:

2. Clark, Cutler McDermott Rezoning
3. Housing - Generally

a. R7a. Over 55 Housing Overlayb. Inclusionary Zoning Discussionc. Multi-Family Housing in Residential V and Commercial 1d. Downtown extension/C1/Village District Discussione. Affordable Housing Plan

The next meeting was scheduled for Dec 12, at 5:45 PM (also before the Town Council meeting).

The total meeting recording runs just about 20 minutes. Without further ado, here is the audio recording.





-------------


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can use your help.

How can you help?

In particular, if you have an interest in real estate, zoning or construction, I would like someone to follow the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Conservation Commission meetings. I’ll provide the guidance on note taking and sharing. You need to bring an inquisitive and open mind and willingness to learn and share.

Overall;

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

In the News: hurricane season comes to an end; Marriott reveals massive data breach; Resilience IPA to help CA fire relief

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The 2018 hurricane season began like a lazy river, a handful of circles spinning in an atmosphere still sleepy from spring. 

Only Subtropical Storm Alberto made contact with the U.S., splashing into Laguna Beach, Fla., at the end of May before the calendar even noted the official June 1 start date of storm season. Through August, it was called the “season of slop,” seemingly confirming forecasts for below average cyclonic activity. 

But then September came, the Atlantic basin caught fire, and two coasts would face the terrifying power of wind and water. 

By the last day of the 2018 hurricane season on Friday, the cyclone scoreboard included 15 named storms, including eight hurricanes and two major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher. A normal season typically has 12 named storms, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20181130/2018-hurricane-season-ends-how-accurate-were-forecasters

Visit NOAA directly to read their summary
https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/destructive-2018-atlantic-hurricane-season-draws-to-end

Hurricane season 2018 ends

"Hackers stole information on as many as 500 million guests of the Marriott hotel empire over four years, obtaining credit card and passport numbers and other personal data, the company said Friday as it acknowledged one of the largest security breaches in history. 

The full scope of the failure was not immediately clear. Marriott was trying to determine if the records included duplicates, such as a single person staying multiple times. 

The affected hotel brands were operated by Starwood before it was acquired by Marriott in 2016. They include W Hotels, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, Element, Aloft, The Luxury Collection, Le Méridien and Four Points. Starwood-branded timeshare properties were also affected. None of the Marriott-branded chains were threatened. 

The crisis quickly emerged as one of the biggest data breaches on record."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20181130/marriott-security-breach-exposed-data-of-up-to-500m-guests/1

"Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman sent letters to brewers across the country to invite them to participate in a collaborative brew day on Tuesday to brew the beer. They worked with malt and hop suppliers to provide ingredient donations so participating brewers could donate 100 percent of the sales of the beer to relief efforts. 

“We know that the rebuilding process will take time, but we’re in this for the long haul,” Grossman wrote in the announcement. “Our hope is to get Resilience IPA in taprooms all over the country to create a solid start for our community’s future.” 

In Massachusetts, at least 11 breweries have signed up to brew the Resilience IPA. 

For Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, it was an easy decision, brewmaster Ben Roesch said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181130/local-breweries-brew-beer-for-california-wildfire-relief

For more about Resilience IPA visit Sierra Nevada's page
https://sierranevada.com/resilience-butte-county-proud-ipa

For more about Resilience IPA visit Sierra Nevada's page

"Breweries are being well-recognized for being an economic catalyst"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"For the second year in a row, a MetroWest brewery has been honored as Manufacturer of the Year. 

On Tuesday, during a ceremony at the Statehouse, the House Manufacturing Caucus named Medusa Brewing Company one of 59 Manufacturers of the Year. 

State Rep. Kate Hogan, a Democrat from Stow whose district includes Hudson, nominated Medusa for the award. 

“It was a complete honor – a total surprise,” said Medusa co-founder Keith Sullivan. “Kate was very proud of us being a brewery on Main Street. We’re doing a lot of good work helping the ground grow and reinvesting in it.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181031/hudsons-medusa-brewing-tapped-for-manufacturer-of-year

Medusa Brewing Company

US Census: "Microbrewery Business is Hopping"

"According to the County Business Patterns program, between 2012 and 2016 (the most recent available data), the total number of breweries skyrocketed from 880 to 2,802. Of that total, 2,605 had 49 or less employees. 

These small businesses employed over 55,000 workers with a total annual payroll of $2.6 billion. 

Keep in mind that these data only include businesses classified as “breweries.” Businesses that brew their own beer (restaurants and brew pubs) but are classified in other industries which are excluded from these statistics. If these other businesses had been included, the number and growth over the last five years would be even greater."

Continue reading about America's love affair with Craft Breweries
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2018/10/americas-love-affair-with-craft-beer.html?eml=gd&utm_campaign=20181004msacos2ccstors&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

An interactive map shows the growth in breweries state by state since 2012. MA data shows:

the growth in breweries in MA since 2012

To use the interactive map yourself:
http://visual.it.census.gov/views/BeerV10_5_10-3-2018/StateDashboard?iframeSizedToWindow=true&:embed=y&:display_spinner=no&:showAppBanner=false&:embed_code_version=3&:loadOrderID=0&:tabs=no&:display_count=no&:showVizHome=no

In the News: brewing growth in Marlborough; MA election security improvements after November

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The brewing industry’s rapid growth in MetroWest over the past few years has reflected the overall growth of the industry. 

But for awhile, one of the larger MetroWest communities – Marlborough – went without a brewery as they continued to open in smaller surrounding communities such as Hudson and Westborough. 

But now that’s changing. By the end of this year, it’s expected there will be three breweries operating taprooms in the city, with a fourth planning to open in the spring of 2019. Marlborough is about to become a destination for craft beer fans throughout the state.

That is intentional, said Meredith Harris, executive director of the Marlborough Economic Development Corp. Last year, the corporation took out advertisements in beer magazines, offering incentives in the form of small business loans and help with permitting, to try to attract a brewery or two to downtown."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180908/beer-entrepreneurs-take-liking-to-marlborough

"Massachusetts has received millions of dollars in federal funding to bolster election security, but most of it will not be spent until after the November election. 

The Bay State has received $7.9 million from the federal government, which election officials plan to spend on voting equipment, voter registration systems and cybersecurity, according to documents shared with Wicked Local. About 81 percent of the money, however, will be spent after the upcoming midterm election. 

State officials, nonetheless, say the federal dollars -- while helpful -- are not vital to running a safe and accurate election. 

“We were already spending money and resources from our existing budget on cybersecurity, so we were not dependent on the federal funding for 2018,” wrote Debra O’Malley, spokeswoman for Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office. “This additional funding will be used to add to our existing preparations and for future elections.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180908/state-to-spend-millions-on-election-security---after-november

MA election security improvements scheduled for after November

In the News: Strange Brew planning to open brewery; Gaspee Days this weekend in RI

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"For more than two decades, Brian Powers has been helping to teach people to brew beer at home. 

Now, the longtime owner of Strange Brew homebrew shop, plans on opening the Strange Brew brewery and taproom, and he hopes to educate consumers about the art or brewing. 

“I’ve been teaching people for 20-plus years and I still want to do that,” said Powers, 46, of Holden. “I’ll be running the taproom myself, I’ll be able to talk about the beers, the process, what went into it. I want to help people appreciate the beer.” 

The brewery and taproom will share space with the homebrew shop at its 416 Boston Post Road East location. The space, home of the former Laser Zone, is more than 16,000 square feet and has more than enough space for both businesses, Powers said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180607/strange-brew-to-open-brewery-in-marlborough-homebrew-shop

Strange Brew brewery and taproom

"Rhode Islanders feel slighted that Bostonians get all the glory for helping spark the American Revolution with the Boston Tea Party. After all, more than a year before any tea was tossed, Rhode Island colonists burned a British ship. 

Saturday is the 246th anniversary of the day a local ship captain lured the British schooner HMS Gaspee into shallow waters a few miles south of Providence, where it ran aground. A smaller model of a ship will be burned Sunday to commemorate the forgotten act of rebellion. 

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse often recounts the story of how colonists waited till night fell, rowed out to the stranded Gaspee, shot the ship’s captain and burned the boat. It’s a cool story about an extraordinary act, said the Rhode Island Democrat. By comparison, he said, Massachusetts patriots mustered the courage to push tea off the deck of a British boat more than a year later. 

“It’s going to be a long, slow process to try to correct 240 years of the Massachusetts megaphone, but I think it is important to stick up for historic deeds that were done by Rhode Islanders,” said Whitehouse, who spoke about the Gaspee Affair Monday on the Senate floor."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180607/tempest-in-tea-party-rhode-island-seeks-revolution-credit

http://www.gaspee.com/

"Several factors led to the growth in the industry locally"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"When the Hendler brothers opened Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham six years ago, they started small, selling growlers to go and quickly added bottled beer .

Two years later, however, the business exploded when the state legalized taprooms, allowing Jack’s Abby to pour beers for their customers. 

That spurred a huge increase to Jack’s Abby’s customer base and bottom line. The Hendlers have since moved from Morton Street and opened a large beer hall and restaurant, as well as the Springdale Barrel Room, on Clinton Street. With the expansion, the company went from less than 10 employees to more than 100. 

Local breweries are a growing industry in MetroWest and the Milford region, which is now home to 10 breweries and brewpubs with two more on the way. And many local brewers say beer fans can expect more breweries in the coming years."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170820/metrowest-beer-explosion

Massachusetts Craft Brewers Passport

From the Mass Great Outdoors Blog I find this:

Craft beer tourism is exploding across the country and in Massachusetts. There is a growing consumer interest in distinct, fresh and natural craft beers, and now there are more premium, high-quality craft beers to choose from. The Buy Local movement in Massachusetts has grown from local produce to craft beer, which supports both top notch products and a local connection. 

The Massachusetts Craft Brewers Passport features a map of the Commonwealth, with the locations of local breweries split into five regions. Breweries that use Massachusetts-grown ingredients are indicated with a small tractor icon. At each brewery, you can get your passport stamped and when a region in completed, receive a free T-shirt! Downloadable passports and information for both brewers and growers is available at www.mass.gov/massgrown and http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/culinary_tourism/brewery_tours.htm

MA Brewers Guild

Try this link to the Brewery Tours if the one above doesn't work
http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/culinary_tourism/brewery_tours.htm


Note:  When using the interactive Mass Grown Map, I do find that the listing of CSA Farms is missing the three farms in Franklin. Hoffman Farm, Akin-Bak Farm and Grateful Farm all offer CSA shares and are not currently listed.