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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Purse snatch attempt injures 80-year-old woman at Medford Lowe's ... California man dies in I-5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... Purse snatch attempt injures 80-year-old woman at Medford Lowe's ... California man dies in I-5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... OUR VIEW Our View: City should get ahead of the artisanal curve Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 30, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 30, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A pair of local entrepreneurs want to launch a craft distillery in Medford, but the city's zoning ordinance as written won't allow them to operate in a commercial zone. The city should move quickly to remove that hurdle, but more importantly, adjust the rules to be ready the next time a new business wants to blend two uses into one. Joshua Courter and business partner Lisa Lowitz want to start Mythical Spirits Distillery in an existing building off South Central Avenue. They have a copper still; they just need a building. "If we could move in today, we could have product by fall," Courter told the Mail Tribune. Medford's zoning ordinance allows distilleries in industrial zones, but not in commercial zones; the property Courter and Lowitz are eyeing is zoned regional commercial. Restricting distilleries to industrial zones makes sense in the case of large-scale operations. Hood River Distillers, for instance, produces more than 1 million cases a year and distributes nationwide. That's not an operation that would fit in well on South Central Avenue. But craft distillers produce much smaller quantities — Courter and Lowitz plan 52,000 cases a year — and their products are higher-priced and not aimed at the mass market. Like other artisanal producers such as brewpubs and small creameries, craft distillers rely on tasting rooms and direct sales. That kind of operation would be lost in an industrial zone. City planning officials say changing the ordinance could be a four-month process. If it takes that long, Medford likely will lose Mythical Spirits to some other community. Courter and Lowitz say they are still looking and will jump if they find a property they can use immediately. The city should move much more quickly than that to accommodate this venture. But beyond that, this issue is bigger than one start-up company. Artisanal makers of food, spirits, beer and other products are an increasing part of the economy, and there are bound to be more conflicts like this one. The city should review and overhaul its zoning ordinance now to be ready the next time an entrepreneur comes forward with a proposal that blends industrial and commercial uses in one venture. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 30, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501