When the warm weather returns, visitors to downtown Oxford will have yet another place to dine and drink al fresco.
Last week, Oxford Village planning commissioners voted 4-0 to grant special land use approval, with conditions, to allow the yet-to-open HomeGrown Brewing Company at 28 N. Washington St. to have a 1,381-square-foot outdoor seating area. It will be located behind the building, facing the northeast parking lot.
Plans for the fenced-in space show seating for 54 patrons, two propane fire pits and a hops garden. Seating will include six tables with six chairs each and 18 seats situated around the fire pits.
Commissioners did impose some conditions such as the fence must include a gate with a panic bar for emergencies; the fire pits must be fueled by propane, not wood; the furniture’s style and materials must be shown to the village; and there must be signage telling customers that food and beverages are prohibited outside the fence.
‘It’s going to be a huge benefit for us,? said Addison Township resident John Powers, who’s going to co-own and operate the new microbrewery/restaurant with his wife Marie. ‘I think it will draw a lot of people.?
HomeGrown Brewing will be located in the former Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center, which Oxford Township sold to Dave Parker for $450,000 back in August. The two-story, 5,318-square-foot building, which housed Oxford’s public library in the 1920s and 1930s, had been owned by the township since 1980.
Powers is hoping the outdoor area will offer customers the inviting atmosphere and festive feel of a German beer garden.
A unique feature will be the hops garden. It will be used for both decorative and educational purposes, given hops are one of beer’s four primary ingredients.
‘It’s a neat tool,? said Powers, who’s been a homebrewer for more than 10 years. ‘A lot of people don’t know what hops are, what they look like or how they grow. They’re an impressive plant. I’ve got 60-some plants that I’m growing at home.?
The Oxford Downtown Development Authority is ‘in full support? of the outdoor cafe and believes it ‘will enhance the character? of the downtown, according to DDA Executive Director Joe Frost.
‘We think it will be a great benefit to the community,? he said.
HomeGrown Brewing is planning to open sometime in May or June next year.
Some commissioners were glad to see the business didn’t wait until the last minute to request approval for its outdoor cafe.
‘I’d like to commend you for being so proactive and doing this way up front,? said Commissioner Tom Kennis.
‘It’s certainly nice to have a plan like this so far in advance that if there’s any changes, it’s not a burden for you,? said Commission Chairman John DuVal.
‘We want to work with you because we want to do it right the first time,? Powers said