A popular brewery in Safety Harbor is facing a possible closure over a small clerical error.
- Small clerical error could end popular Safety Harbor brewery
- Mayor said there should have been two public notices
- Re-advertising and one more public meeting can fix issue
The Crooked Thumb Brewery opened in Safety Harbor in 2015 and has become a popular spot for those who love beer on tap.
“We opened just one day a week and this town was drinking us out of beer in one day,” said co-owner, Kip Kelly.
Kelly said the steady flow of customers is a dream come true, but due to a recent discovery of a small error during the zoning process, the brewery’s future isn’t so clear.
Safety Harbor Mayor Joe Ayoub said there were two public meetings with regards to the zoning change for the microbrewery. The city staff should have done two public notices and advertised publicly twice. However, they only did it once, so it’s a clerical error, said the mayor.
Ayoub said it can be fixed by re-advertising and holding at least one more public hearing, giving people another chance to voice their concerns.
The brewery said they expect some complaints, including the issue of parking in the neighborhood next-door.
However, the owners said they are already working on that issue. They have put up a sign explaining to customers where they can and can’t park.
People that can’t fit in the lot in front of Crooked Thumb are directed to public parking a couple of blocks away.
Kelly said they also put up a fence around the back patio to muffle the sounds of music during events.
“It doesn’t do us any good to be a nuisance to the town. We feel what’s good for Safety Harbor is good for the brewery. What’s good for the brewery is good for Safety Harbor,” he said.
Kelly hopes it’s enough to make the zoning process re-do just as easy as the first time.
City officials said the process to correct the zoning error will begin in May and will likely go before commissioners again in June.