Maplewood P&Z, city council on the same page?

Following the Maplewood Planning and Zoning’s approval of Christ Church UCC’s request to be a food truck commissary, commission member Dan Noonan asked why: “We unanimously approve (Craft Beer Cellar) and they’re gonna almost unanimously reject it. We’re operating not on the same thing…”

Maplewood City Council rejected Craft Beer Cellar’s request for a conditional use permit at its July 12 meeting. Council member Barry Greenberg cast the only yes vote.

• Maplewood council nixes craft beer, OKs cat cafe
• Some Maplewood council members on the Craft Beer Cellar vote

Commission member Sheri Phillips said planning and zoning received a lot of information about the business before they voted, and asked it the council got the same. Assistant City Manager Anthony Traxler said they did.

Traxler said it’s “very rare” that city council votes opposite planning and zoning, and told Noonan not to worry about it.

“Is it silly for me to think maybe the council needs to provide us a little guidance in the future, as t0 — are we rejecting chains?” Noonan said. “I think a chain or franchise hasn’t been an impediment,” he said. “Vom Fass was a chain. What I’m saying is, maybe we need to be more in tune; we’re an advisory board.”

Traxler repeated, “Again, I wouldn’t read too much into it. They just approved Raising Cane’s, which is a franchise.”

Noonan said if the issue of being a franchise (raised by council members Shawn Faulkingham and David Cerven about Craft Beer Cellar) is going to be an acid test, then maybe they need more direction.

“I just felt kind of strongly, personally, that the shop fit well, and complimented what’s going on in the CB1,” Noonan said.