Indian Trail — The Town Council on Nov. 10 approved a conditional-zoning modification that allows Sweet Union Brewing Company to add an outdoor seating component at 5519 Indian Trail–Fairview Road, after hearing residents' concerns about parking and neighborhood safety.

Planning staff presented the modified concept plan and the revised parking calculations: after planned improvements the site would provide 41 parking spaces, staff said, which the planner read as 21 spaces required (indoor) plus 12 spaces attributable to the outdoor seating area. The property previously operated under a conditional approval (2022) when Kimberly's Place held an ABC beer-and-wine license. Brandy Deese said the proposed change only adjusts conditions and the concept plan; the underlying general business zoning remains unchanged.

Travis Cottle, manager and head brewer for Sweet Union Brewing Company, told council the operation will expand to include Sugar Creek Coffee Roasters in the mornings and transition to a taproom in the afternoon, that production activities will occur during the day, and that the business does not plan to operate beyond midnight on weekends. "We have no plans to exceed, midnight at the latest on weekends," Cottle said.

Neighbors voiced objections. Renee Hardis said she had only learned of the proposal recently and opposed outdoor alcohol service at the corner of Fairview Road, urging the council to consider public-safety research associating greater density of alcohol outlets with increased crime. "I'm really, really against it in a major, major way," Hardis said, citing recent disturbances near the site and saying the prior business's license did not make the change acceptable to nearby residents.

Staff noted Kimberly's Place previously held an ABC license for beer and wine and that the brewing company's requested licensing would be similar. Council discussed retaining the code section limiting special events (section 4-50) to 12 permits per year and affirmed that any change to event frequency would return to council.

Council voted to approve the conditional-zoning modification; the vote was clarified afterward as 3–1, with Council member Clarence Alsabrooks recorded as opposed. The planner said staff will update the conditional plan and notify the applicant about the conditions to be satisfied.

What happens next: Planning staff will record the modified plan and conditions; any future requests to expand outdoor events must come back before council per the existing code limits.