A rezoning request to allow for a potential microbrewery and neighborhood gathering place in Howell Township was tabled by the board Monday night.

A conditional rezoning of 4.24 acres of a larger 40 acre parcel is being sought from agricultural residential to neighborhood service. The parcel is located on the north side of Mason Road in an agricultural district but the use is a gravel pit. The surrounding area is primary residential or open space. Plans are preliminary, but as proposed, call for repurposing a vacant, decaying office building into a microbrewery. Those behind the project are seeking to have outdoor seating on a deck connected to the building, as well as an outside area with picnic tables, fire pits and small yard games such as corn hole and horseshoes. The applicant, Brad Jonckheere of Bedrock Ventures, was absent from the meeting. A memo states he is requesting the rezoning based on various conditions; once mining has been finished and reclamation is complete, and that a preliminary plan for a housing development for the remaining property has been approved.

A couple of board members indicated they had some general questions as well as others about hours of operation and the proposed site plan. Others questioned if there had been any review by the Livingston County Road Commission, as there were past issues with a separate project that did not come to fruition related to sight distance. The planning commission liaison commented that there has been no formal site plan submitted, and only the rezoning of the approximately four acres was being sought at this time.

The matter was ultimately tabled to the next regular board meeting, scheduled November 13th. (JM)