By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON – Canton village trustees will hold a public hearing to discuss a zoning change to allow products produced within the Industrial Park, including beer, to be sold on premises.

Deputy Mayor Michael Dalton said the issue stemmed from the St. Lawrence Brewery, which manufactures beer in the industrial park and initially only sold its beers off-site. However, the brewery later expanded to include a bar where beer is sold inside the brewery at 19 Commerce Lane.

Dalton said he is not sure that practice is illegal. But he says the existing zoning law is vague and the proposed law will clarify potential problems for the brewery as well as for future businesses that operate in the park, located on the west side of Gouverneur Street just north of the railroad overpass.

One potential impact could be at the proposed food hub and slaughterhouse United Helpers hopes to locate in the industrial park. If that project moves forward, the law would specifically allow for sales products produced within the park to be sold within the park, including meats processed at the slaughterhouse.

Dalton said there is some confusion that the public hearing scheduled for Aug. 17 is for the food hub, but he says that’s not the case.

“This law could benefit the food hub, but it actually stemmed from the brewery. I think what happened is that where they started and where they ended up has changed. We want to clarify the zoning laws to make sure they can stay. They have been very successful there and we want that to continue,” he said.

Dalton said the proposed food hub and more specifically the slaughterhouse drew concerns from residents at a recent meeting. But he said the village is not anywhere near addressing that issue just yet.

United Helpers CEO Stephen Knight said a site plan for the slaughterhouse has not been submitted yet.

Dalton said plans for the slaughterhouse will first be reviewed by the planning and zoning boards at the village level as well as by county planners before coming to the village board.

“The citizens are concerned about the concept of a slaughterhouse and the village board will listen to those concerns, but at the same time we don’t have a complete description of how this might operate,” he said.

The public hearing regarding the zoning law will be held Aug. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building.