HADLEY — A founder of a natural wine importing business is looking at Hadley properties that could be suitable for bottling wine from both in-state and out-of-state organic producers, as well as where locally-made wine could someday be produced and a tasting room would be open to the public.
But for members of the Planning Board, there is uncertainty around the business and whether state and local regulations would require it to operate from property in an industrially zoned district.
“Our goal is to create a winery, retail space,” Holly Berrigan, founder of MYSA Natural Wine, told the Planning Board Tuesday.
Berrigan said her hope is to get a farm winery license from the state and initially import bladders of wine, about 60% from out-of-state producers, and then bottle the wine from the Hadley location. Berrigan said she has a contract with a retailer to sell the bottled wine.
Then, over time, Berrigan would produce her own wine and launch a tasting room.
Planners, though, questioned what qualifies for a local wine license, and whether this would be exempt from local zoning, with Chairman James Maksimoski expressing concern that if the majority of wine is not made in Massachusetts, “then you would need to qualify as an industrial producer, or bottler, and you would need to be in an industrial zone,” Maksimoski said.
This leads to questions about whether planners would be able to provide the business an exemption from zoning.
Berrigan said she is looking at a River Drive site and other properties to serve as the headquarters. She said her understanding is the percentage of wine manufactured in state and out of state wouldn’t exclude her from getting a farm winery license from the state.
Her business has been a natural wine ecommerce platform and natural wine club, sourcing wines from across the globe. Previously, she operated from Barcelona, Spain, before returning to the United States during the pandemic to be closer to family.
Planning Board Clerk William Dwyer suggested that planners will need to know more before giving Berrigan direction. “If you want to educate us a little bit more on the regulatory requirements, we’d be happy to work with you,” Dwyer said.
In other business, the Planning Board approved expansion plans for Liquors 44, 458 Russell St., which will be taking over the neighboring space in the Campus Plaza most recently used by H&R Block.
“Our goal is to expand our sales floor by approximately 34 more wine racks and another 30 gondolas, or shelving units, just to expand our selection in the store there,” said Liquors 44 owner Andrew Morrison.
The project also allows the business to move its bottle and can redemption center, giving that its own entrance and reducing some of the mess caused by people bringing back returnables.
The approval is for a new internally illuminated sign. Charles Bomely of Plan B Retailers said the changes will also include an automatic door being installed.
Planners also OK’d externally illuminated signs for Balise Subaru’s temporary, year-long relocation to vacant buildings at 299 Russell St. The dealership will be at that site as redevelopment of Balise’s 315 Russell St. headquarters, the former Steve Lewis Subaru, takes place.
Mary Campbell of Mount Warner Road was informed that a hearing for her home business application, in which she will offer horse riding lessons, will likely be set for Oct. 15.
Campbell is getting a stable license and will eventually be offering a farm experience at the location. She said there wouldn’t be more than 10 people on site at a time.
Dwyer told her that so long as customer parking is available, no issues should arise.
“Once you start putting parked cars for your business on the highway, that tends to get people riled up pretty quickly,” Dwyer said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
