Farm Wineries, Microbreweries, and Brew Pubs Now Possible in Mansfield, CT
The Mansfield Downtown Partnership, Inc. invites entrepreneurs to discover new opportunities in the Town of Mansfield following recent changes to the Town’s ordinances which now allow farm winery, brew pub/restaurant, and brewery permits.
This past summer, the Mansfield Town Council amended its ordinances to allow these uses, mirroring the prior approval of these permitted uses in the Town’s zoning regulations.
“Tourism and agriculture are economic drivers for the Town of Mansfield,” explained Cynthia van Zelm, Executive Director of the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, which coordinates economic development for the Town of Mansfield. “These changes create new business opportunities, such as craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries while also expanding the options for value-added products for local farms and supporting ancillary businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and gas stations.”
Ms. van Zelm continued, saying “For many years, we have heard from interested businesses and entrepreneurs who have expressed a desire to open a brewery or brew pub in Mansfield, but were unable to do so due to outdated regulations. With the new amended ordinance in place, we are excited to be able to welcome these types of businesses to town.”
The Mansfield Economic Development Commission (EDC) has long supported the addition of brew pubs and breweries, requesting the Town Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission to change the Town’s regulations and ordinances in 2015. At that time, local leaders learned that state statutes made such changes nearly impossible. The EDC then supported Mansfield’s state legislators in their efforts to change the state statutes to allow for local legislative bodies to directly make changes to alcohol permits.
Interested brewers, winemakers, craft distillers, and entrepreneurs are invited to contact Ms. van Zelm at 860.429.2740 or mdp@mansfieldct.org to learn more about opening, moving, or operating a business in Mansfield.