by Emma Ballingall

A brewery and cellar door has been approved at Narracan after operating hours were reduced to appease local residents.

Baw Baw Shire councillors were split on the issue, voting five-four to issue a notice of decision to grant a planning permit at 117 Narracan Connection Rd.
Operating hours were reduced from four days to three and closing hours from 11pm to 8pm.
Cr Brendan Kingwill said the Narracan community had come out strongly against what was a bar, labelling it "a recipe for disaster."
However, Cr Adam Sheehan strongly supported the venture, arguing "it wasn't council's role to put restrictions on a business."
Ultimately, Cr Paul Pratt proposed an amendment to "give the guys a crack", which proved successful.
Many Durkin, who lives 100m from the proposed site, spoke passionately against noise and anti-social behaviour that a brewery may bring, noting undesirables already in the area.
"To get a police presence at Narracan is very difficult," Ms Durkin said. "I feel often unsafe in my own home on the weekends."
Darren Wallace said breweries, bottle shops and nightclubs with live music belonged in towns. "Surely you're having a lend of the Narracan community here," Mr Wallace said. "The only association with on-farm is a small hops garden to flavour the potable water that will all need to be trucked into site. Reject it, it's inappropriate in a farm zone."
Having worked in hospitality for 40 years, Leonie Ryan labelled operating hours as "out of control."
Ms Ryan said the venture would rely on pulling spring water, potentially causing a devastating effects on the rest of those relying on the water source.
Anthony Durling said he wasn't principally opposed but believed a bar would generate "excessive and unacceptable noise."
"I don't want to be the one that loses so others can gain," Mr Durling said, calling for compromise to "make it work for all parties, not just one side."
Sean Byrne, a director of applicant MAD Hopper Brewing, said "a tap-house is the ultimate goal for us" and "our primary goal isn't a live music venue."
Mr Byrne said nothing was set in stone for operating hours. "We're happy to work with council and the neighbours to reach a compromise."
Officers recommended a permit be granted for use and development of a brewery and cellar door within the farm zone following a site visit in mid-November.
An officer report said the permit application had attracted one supporting letter and 13 objections, with noise/rowdiness, increased traffic, operating hours and wastewater generation amongst concerns raised.
No public transport to cater for inebriated people and vehicle collisions were other common concerns.
The site is 48.12 hectares and currently has a dwelling and outbuildings as well as being used for crops and grazing animal production.
The proposal included building a toilet block and carparking area for 20 vehicles as well as transforming an existing shed into a brewing shed and cellar door.
According to the application, 126 kilolitres of beer would be produced in the first year, increasing to 422 kilolitres in the third year.
It proposed the cellar door would accommodate up to 50 patrons at any time, requiring three to 10 staff on-site. Initial hours of operation proposed were 3pm to 12am on Thursdays and Fridays and 11am to 12am on Saturday and Sunday, but the applicant later amended the application to an 11pm closing.
Cr Kingwill said the application looked great at first glance but "the more I looked at it, the more it started to worry me."
"Licensed for 50 people in a remote area with live music, no local police, this is a recipe for disaster," Cr Kingwill said.
"It will have a direct impact on the local and normal farming activities. I encourage people to see it for what it is. And that is a bar."
Cr Tricia Jones agreed, noting she was first excited by the prospect of attracting more tourists to the area.
"But, having heard some of the presenters this afternoon as well as the things that Cr Kingwill has just mentioned, I too will be voting for refusal."
However, Cr Pratt said council should be supporting small business in Baw Baw.
"I think there can be some compromise around trading hours," Cr Pratt said. "I don't support an 11pm trading time, I don't think that's appropriate."
In proposing reduced trading hours, Cr Pratt said "it would give the guys a crack to what they want to do within reason".
Cr Sheehan said the permit was only for land use and it wasn't council's role to put restrictions on a business.
He said the liquor licence application would come later and was "a heavily legislated industry."
"We should be supporting any small business and opportunities they will create in remote areas of our shire," Cr Sheehan said.
Cr Danny Goss said the bottom line was the business would utilise items produced on-site and was allowed within the farming zone.
He voted against reducing operating hours, stating councillors should uphold the planning scheme.
Cr Ben Lucas said he was all for a compromise and supported having somewhere people could visit on the way to Narracan Falls.
"I absolutely hope that it doesn't turn into the doomsday that residents expected, and I don't think it will," Cr Lucas said.
An alternative recommendation to issue a notice of refusal was lost in a three-six vote.
Cr Goss called her a division. Crs Jones, Kingwill and Jess Hamilton voted for and Crs Pratt, Lucas, Goss, Sheehan, Suzanne Allen and Kate Wilson voted against.
The recommendation to issue a notice of decision with reduced operating hours was carried five-four.
Cr Goss again called for a division. Crs Wilson, Pratt, Lucas, Kingwill and Hamilton voted for and Crs Allen, Goss, Jones and Sheehan voted against.