Proposed brew house talks continue tonight in Yardley

James Cain is fascinated with the art of beer brewing.

It’s interesting to him how four basic ingredients — grain,
hops, yeast and water — can be formularized to make variations of
beer.

How it’s all made — that’s what he wants to share with the
public.

But some don’t want anything to do with Cain’s concept if it
costs them their quality of life. They are expected to attend
tonight’s zoning hearing board at 7 p.m. in Yardley to further
consider the proposed Overgaard Brew House for the borough.

Cain is trying to convince them that setting up a brewpub at 37
S. Delaware Ave. along the Delaware River near the business
district won’t be a disturbance to their quaint town. He points to
the fact that both he and his wife, Anna, have lived in Yardley for
two years. If anything, the brew house will bring more foot traffic
to the borough’s slumbering business district.

Cain is requesting several variances that would allow the
property to have a restaurant with parking, signage and trash
removal.

He’s proposing to operate a restaurant with “tapas style” food.
Because restaurant use is not permitted in the current R-1 low
density residential zone district, Cain needs a commercial zoning
variance from the zoning board.

Commercial zoning in Yardley requires 83 off-street parking
spaces, 16 more than the 67 being proposed by Overgaard Brew House
— 19 spaces on-site and 48 spaces from a next-door neighbor.

Cain, a Doylestown native, understands the residents’ concerns
in a family-oriented community. He comes from a family of nine
children ranging from 31 to 4 years old. The youngest, Sarah, is a
Chinese girl adopted by his parents, who now live in Australia.

During a recent interview at a Yardley coffee shop, Cain was
adamant that his family’s proposed brew house will be upscale with
premium prices and won’t lure rowdy drinkers. No hard liquor will
be served; the restaurant will serve craft beer and Pennsylvania
wine only.

To residents of Bell Avenue, parking congestion, possible
drunken driving, and noise are at the forefront of their concerns.
There’s also the brew smell they believe will emanate from the
building and spread throughout the neighborhood.

But Cain explained that any odor would be eliminated by using
vapor condenser equipment. Essentially the vapor condenser converts
the gaseous odor to a liquid and is disposed of. This would prevent
any odor from being expelled into the air.

Before spending thousands on plans and legal fees, Cain, his
brother John and his father, Jim, discussed all the details of the
business. And because they want to set up shop in a community that
welcomes them, they have introduced themselves to surrounding
property owners to explain their business proposal. They had also
encouraged them to attend an earlier zoning hearing board meeting
on the plan in late October.

But before they got the opportunity to approach everyone, Cain
said, assumptions about the proposal spread throughout Yardley. He
hopes to answer all final questions and concerns at Monday’s
hearing, during which the board is expected to take a vote.

Since the October hearing, he’s been hitting the pavement,
meeting local business owners and residents.

The business proposal has support from some residents, he said,
but unfortunately it’s those who are against it who show up at the
meetings. Those who support it don’t show up because they don’t
have a problem with it. But he’s hoping that will change
Monday.

In order for the community to have a better understanding of his
business proposal and his vision for the building, he’s organized a
small gathering before the meeting at 5:45 p.m. at the proposed
site of the brew house. Cain plans to offer a beer tasting and
light appetizers provided by Continental Tavern.

Why locate the brew house in Yardley?

The building on Delaware Avenue has all the characteristics he
and his family envisioned. The idea came during a visit to
Mornington Peninsula Brewery in Australia with his brother and
father. The Cains were inspired by the brewery’s owner Matt Bebe,
who left the pharmaceutical industry to follow his passion for beer
making and set up his brewery.

To bring a homey and family feeling of good memories to the
name, he thought back to his childhood when at one point his family
lived in Arizona. There they had a vacation home in Overgaard.

Gema Maria Duarte: 215-949-4195;

email: gduarte@phillyBurbs.com;

Twitter: @deadlineduarte

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