MILFORD, CT — Today, Dockside, a Milford-based waterfront craft brewery and biergarten (beer garden) proposal, announced that an official Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing date has been set for Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at 7:30 PM in Milford City Hall (110 River Street, Milford, CT 06460).

Approval from the Milford's ten-member Planning and Zoning Commission is the final hurdle that Dockside needs to clear before entering the construction phase, according to co-owners Bob Chicoine and Dan Bagley. "The overwhelming support from Milford-residents and the local craft beer and restaurant communities has been pleasantly overwhelming," said Chicoine in a prepared statement. "We hope that this job-creating, neighborhood revitalizing project will serve as a win-win for families, craft beer drinkers, and taxpayers.

"When folks cross the bridge coming in from Stratford, we want to be viewed as a welcoming Gateway to Milford. It'll be like a little slice of Nantucket on the Housatonic, but with easier access to great-tasting, locally brewed craft beer." In addition to the hearing date announcement, the co-owner duo also noted that a petition has been launched to provide proponents of the project an opportunity to voice their support to Planning and Zoning Commission members.Click here to view the petition: http://bit.ly/2s9eUc9.

"As a Milford-native and longtime local taxpayer, I've been hoping to see a waterfront destination site like this for decades, and couldn't be happier to be a part of it," said Bagley in a prepared statement. "As long as we get the approvals needed to start moving on the construction-phase of the project, our hope is that next summer folks will be able to order an on-site brewed, great-tasting local craft beer and walk out onto our waterfront biergarten while watching an active marina full of beautiful boats passing by — and while all parties involved are having a great time on the water or waterfront." The property where Dockside will be located is currently occupied by a home (50 Bridgeport Ave.) and Village Marina (40 Bridgeport Ave.). Plans for the property include demolishing the existing home—which will pave the way for 112 parking spots—and renovating the 4,000 square foot building that currently houses Village Marina to then serve as the new craft brewery.

In addition, near the waterfront, two docks will be renovated to hold boat slips and inland will be home to Milford's first biergarten. To maximize the waterfront views, there will be a wide array of waterside seating and deck space for craft brewery goers. Plans for the brewery include around 75 boat slips to allow boaters to dock at the marina.

Several agencies that have given approval for the project include Wetlands, Police, Fire, Building, City Engineer, and the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Receiving approval from Milford's Planning and Zoning Board is the last hurdle Dockside must clear to begin renovations.

If the Dockside proposal is approved, owners plan to open in 2019, joining two other breweries coming to Milford in the near future. There's currently over 65 craft breweries up-and-running across the state, and around 40 more are in the planning stages. Connecticut's craft beer boom is resulting in an over $700 million economic impact annually and the creation of more than 4,600 jobs and counting, according to the Brewer's Association. "Connecticut's craft beer industry is thriving," said Representative Kim Rose, the state legislator who represents the part of Milford in which the waterfront property occupies. "As Connecticut struggles with sluggish post-recession economic growth, I'll continue fighting for the craft beer industry, and other job-creating industries, that are helping to put residents to work while growing our state's economy."