Residents express concerns over proposed Cutchogue brewery
A proposal for a new brewery in Cutchogue has some residents concerned about traffic and they also fear the establishment will become open to the public despite a commitment from the owner to keep it as a production facility.
Threes Brewing, a Brooklyn-based brewery owned in part by Mattituck native Greg Doroski, is looking to lease a steel building being proposed for producing beer in the industrial park on Cox Lane near Oregon Road in Cutchogue.
Jim Miller of F&S LLC has said the brewery is the second of five buildings planned for the property. The existing structure currently houses other purveyors such as North Fork Potato Chips, Taste North Fork and Backyard Brine.
With Threes Brewing quickly growing out of its 1,000-square-foot production space in Brooklyn, Mr. Doroski said he and his partners — Justin Israelson and Josh Stylman — are looking to Cutchogue as an opportunity to increase their production space for barreling and bottling.
The Southold Town Planning Board held a public hearing Monday to discuss that plan and some residents said they’re concerned the business will negatively affect their quality of life.
Joanne Maguire of Oregon Road said she’s concerned truck deliveries will ruin the rural character of the neighborhood.
“I don’t want to see Oregon Road turn into Route 48 or Main Road,” she said. “The last thing we’d want to see is big, gigantic beer trucks.”
During the public hearing, Mr. Doroski said his business will only have weekly truck deliveries and he’s willing to sit down with community members to discuss their concerns.
While Mr. Doroski has said retail and tasting room operations aren’t in his plans, one neighbor said she’s still concerned that he’ll change his mind.
“There had been an application for a retail business by Threes Brewing and it had been withdrawn,” said Lora Schiavetta of Oregon Road. “I’m concerned that it will be, at one point in the future, addressed again.
“We’re a very rural road,” she continued, “and don’t want another Vineyard 48.”
Ms. Schiavetta was referring to frequent complaints stemming from the nearby vineyard, which the town has taken to court over public nuisance issues and other violations in recent years.
Mr. Doroski stressed the project doesn’t have any room for retail space and said he also doesn’t want another unruly business to move into the neighborhood disturbing the community.
“There’s no reason to talk about what ifs when we have a very clear plan,” he said. “I grew up in this town — I don’t want to see it turned into a bunch of Vineyard 48s.”
The Planning Board closed the public hearing and is expected to conduct a review of the proposal and public comments.
Photo caption: Oregon Road resident Joanne Maguire addressing the Southold Town Board on Monday about Threes Brewing. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)
