The owners of West Fork Whiskey continue to adjust plans to create a residential village on 26 acres adjacent to the distillery on 191st Street.
Representatives for West Fork Whiskey Real Estate Joint Venture, LLC returned to the Advisory Plan Commission May 20 with changes made to the planned unit development, also known as the Osborne Trails PUD. The changes were made following feedback from the APC after the project was initially presented for a public hearing April 1.
Russell Brown, an attorney with Clark, Quinn, Moses, Scott & Grahan, LLP representing West Fork Whiskey, said changes include adjustments to the road leading into the residential community, changes to elevations of proposed townhomes and more clarity on potential use and orientation for two commercial buildings on the southern portion of the PUD. Brown said changes provide context for the size of buildings/structures within the PUD, landscaping, parking, pedestrian connectivity and public spaces, including a dog park.
West Fork Whiskey is planning to add townhomes and retail development surrounding West Fork Whiskey, including up to 140 three-story townhouse units with a minimum size of 1,400 square feet. West Fork has entered into an agreement with M/I Homes, Inc. to create the community.
The design plan complements the existing West Fork building while preserving commercial units along 191st Street, and includes a pond, expanded parking, a dog park and a joint-amenities area with a small outdoor event space, as well as a rack house for aging of West Fork products.
Members of the APC discussed ingress and egress into the site, with concerns regarding an existing pipeline that extends underneath the property. Commissioners also asked if there is potential to connect the parking lot at the existing distillery into the proposed neighborhood.
During an hourlong discussion at the workshop meeting, the APC also discussed an increase in parking and whether adjustments to the PUD could impact the size of the retention pond.
West Fork Whiskey owner David McIntyre said the ultimate goal is to get it right.
“I’m not a developer, I make whiskey for a living,” McIntyre said. “I try to provide people with a good time, that’s usually my goal. But what I’ve learned is, every time I go through this (development process), we end up getting to a better product at the end of the day. So, we appreciate all the comments and all the feedback.”
West Fork Whiskey will make additional revisions to the proposal based on the latest APC recommendations prior to further consideration. The item is expected to return to the APC this month.
