Frisco approves zoning to allow breweries, distilleries and wineries in the city

A city committee made up of staff from the Planning, Building Inspections, Health and Food Safety, and Fire departments toured breweries in Allen and McKinney late last year to help prepare the ordinance amendment. That committee reviewed operations, safety standards, building design, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and building permitting standards as well as parking requirements.

Frisco Planning Manager Anthony Satarino told council the conditional standards are similar to what the city did for brewpubs, with the same distance requirements from churches and schools. That is also consistent with TABC requirements.

Applicants looking to open a brewery, distillery or winery would be required to obtain a specific use permit to operate in the OTC District or Highway District but not in industrial zoned areas of the city. That led council to ask whether zoning standards would still apply in the city’s industrial areas as some of these businesses could operate out of a warehouse solely for manufacturing.

“All of the zoning ordinance standards for design and setbacks and everything like that—all those would apply just as they would to any business operating under the zoning ordinance,” Satarino said.