Blue Heron Brewing Company got a double dose of love April 22 from the Española City Council. The Embudo-based company had two licenses the Council needed to approve for the company to go ahead with opening their new location in the old Rio Grande Café.
While Mayor Pro Tem Pedro Valdez explained his lone “no” vote with, “I’m against alcohol,” the rest of the Council and crowd were in full support.
Greater Española Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kelly Duran spoke in support of the brewery license, which came before the Council first.
“This (brew pub) will bring life to downtown and allow a place to socialize in a responsible manner,” Duran said.
City Councilor Eric Radosevich said he was a longtime customer of the Blue Heron.
“This means I won’t have to drive to Embudo now,” he said.
City Councilor Peggy Martinez asked if Blue Heron’s new location would be too close to St. Stephen’s Church on Bond Street. That issue was settled prior to Blue Heron starting on the remodel late last year, according to Planning and Zoning Commission minutes. St. Stephen’s is more than 400-feet from Blue Heron’s Old Los Alamos Highway location.
The off-site brewing license passed on a 7-1 vote, with Valdez voting no.
Blue Heron Brewing Company’s off-site wine growers license was heard next in a public hearing. It was brief and succinct.
Pat Alonzo, of the Regional Development Corporation, spoke in favor of the license.
“I fully support this,” he said. “I’ve been working with these good folks and I support their efforts.”
The off-site wine grower license was approved again on a 7-1 vote, with Valdez voting no once again.
The last liquor license hearing was for Murphy Oil’s license used at its gas station on North Riverside Drive, next to Wal-Mart.
City Clerk Tessa Jo Mascareñas said it was simply a formality and the only reason the council was approving the license again was because Murphy Oil’s Board changed composition and the new Board required the license be reissued.
It passed 7-1, with Valdez voting no.