Public Forum On Backer Brewery Project Continues In Mendham

MENDHAM, NJ — Mendham Township officials will be hosting a second open forum to continue discussions about the revisions to the Backer Farm variance plan.

The public forum is planned for Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Mendham Township Middle School, all-purpose room, 16 Washington Valley Road, Brookside.

The event will be live-streamed via the Zoom platform, but only in-person attendees will be able to make comments. Attendees will have six minutes for each issue to offer their remarks, township officials said.

Attorneys, engineers, and other professionals who desire to speak should provide written reports ahead of time. Attorneys representing parties may speak but must identify their clients ahead of time if practicable. Clients who are represented by such attorneys will be unable to answer because the attorney is speaking on their behalf.

The public session will allow for the community to discuss individual issues or the amended variance plan.

The proposed outline for each topic discussion is as follows:

• Alcoholic Beverage Serving Hours
• Parking Areas and Access Drives
• Screening
• Lighting
• Driveway Width
• Parking Space Depth
• Off-Street Loading Space
• Front Yard Setback
• Accessory Structure Height
• Sign Size

Backer Farm, a local family-run preserved farm, has been seeking permission to establish a brewery operation on their property, which currently has produce and livestock.

The project has been on the docket for the Morris County Agriculture Development Board, although the official application has not yet been heard.

The Morris County Agriculture Development Board scheduled a virtual hearing on the farm's proposal for a brewery and tasting room last August after months of waiting, but it was canceled.

According to Frank Pinto, Backer Farm's project manager and spokesperson, the cancellation was caused by the township's engineer changing his mind about whether the project qualified as a major stormwater development. Pinto said the change in opinion occurred on Aug. 10, prompting the county to cancel the public hearing.

On Oct. 23, the township council heard residents from all over Mendham come and speak at a nearly 5-hour-long council meeting, discussing various topics from noise and parking concerns to environmental and traffic impacts on the township.

Following all public comments on the matter, members of the committee unanimously agreed that it would be in the best interests of the township to heed the advice of municipal officials on stormwater and environmental impacts.

They agreed to have township engineer Denis Keenan analyze the current report and offer recommendations on what should be included in a final response for the project.