Trouble brewing for pubs in Salt Lake

Excuse Salt Lake City's microbreweries if they are feeling picked on.

First the city developed a plan to let smaller downtown brew pubs compete with them. Now the city is pondering an ordinance that would let houses of worship move in next to them — a move that could put the microbreweries in danger of violating state law.

"It seems like this is turning into a one-way street, and I would like to be clear that our ability to do business in the future would not be hindered by any place of worship coming within 600 feet of our brewery," Steve Kuftinec, a partner with Uinta Brewing Company, told the City Council Tuesday.

After a public hearing on the ordinance Tuesday, Salt Lake City Council members, because they had unanswered questions, tabled the ordinance until Thursday.

The new ordinance, requested by Mayor Rocky Anderson, would allow churches to open in research parks, business parks, potentially Salt Lake City International Airport, and make churches conditional uses in manufacturing and neighborhood commercial zones.

Anderson initiated the petition after the Salt Lake City Church of the Nazarene sought to open a house of worship in a manufacturing zone near 1700 South and 2500 West.

Members of the church told the council they could not afford other locations in Salt Lake City that are large enough to accommodate their church. If they can't move to a manufacturing zone they will have to move to the suburbs.

"If you're a church and you want to buy property in Salt Lake City proper you're basically shut out," said real-estate broker Robert Aubrey.

The issue goes beyond the Church of the Nazarene, however. The changes are needed to bring the city into compliance with federal law that requires cities to allow places of worship in districts where the impacts of a church would be similar to other uses in that zone.

The Salt Lake Planning Commission has approved the new ordinance to the consternation of some of the city's microbreweries and other liquor establishments.

Under state law, establishments that serve alcohol can't locate within 600 feet of churches. If a church moves in next to a place that serves alcohol, that establishment would be restricted from expanding its operations or, if it wanted to sell, the buyer of the establishment could be in violation of state law if it continued to serve alcohol.