A local brewing company was unanimously denied a special exception Thursday night that would have permitted it to pursue a taproom and storage facility next to Memorial Park in Jim Thorpe.

Todd Stuckley, owner of Jim Thorpe Brewing Company LLC, sought to purchase property at 830 Fern St., which is currently vacant but was previously used as a construction services/manufacturing building.

Stuckley, who has had his brewer’s license for about a year and sells his product in area retail stores, has been making beer in Penn Forest Township as a home-based business.

“We would still brew the beer in Penn Forest, but we are looking to open a taproom and storage facility at the Fern Street site,” Stuckley told the Jim Thorpe Borough Zoning Hearing Board during testimony Thursday. “We would also sell some food like deli sandwiches and salads. This would be a family-friendly atmosphere. We have no intention of this being a bar.”

Despite Stuckley’s assurances, neighbors and other area residents said an establishment that serves beer located less than 50 feet from a public park would not be a good fit.

Sarah Johnson goes to Memorial Park three or four times a week with a group of other moms who home-school their children.

“We have a group called Tuesday Friends and there can be 35 kids there at one time,” she said. “I just don’t think this is the right spot for a business like this, right next to the park. I love beer and I love small business, but this is the wrong location.”

Fern Street, where the taproom would have been located, is a dead end alley. Betty Lou McBride, a 42-year Jim Thorpe resident, owns a home at the end of the road.

“Everyone turns around in our driveway,” she said. “I’ll be forced to block it off and there won’t be any other option but to back up the entire street. We moved to Jim Thorpe all those years ago because it was a zoned community. We want it to stay that way and this is not a compatible use.”

Mary Herman, another neighboring property owner, said any retail business that moved into the building Stuckley is eyeing would bring traffic with it to an area that can’t handle it.

“I think a business could work there, but not something retail that would bring in that many cars,” she said. “And I don’t think it would be great for our property values. Not many people want to buy a property next to a pub.”

Stuckley’s business has taken off since launching his brewing company, which includes products such as Coal Cracker Hazy IPA, Molly’s Revenge Double IPA and Switchback Porter. He recently held tastings at Highland Beverage in Jim Thorpe and Tanczos Beverage in Northampton, but a physical taproom location in Carbon County will have to wait.

During the hearing, Stuckley said he could provide for about 20 parking spaces at the Fern Street property. Jim Thorpe’s zoning officer said per Stuckley’s estimation of 60-70 indoor seats, any plan would require at least 18 parking spaces and possibly up to 40 depending on whether seasonal outdoor seating would be included in the calculation.

“We’re really just looking for a family-friendly operation that has good food and gives people some place to relax after work,” Stuckley said. “There won’t be any bands or anything like that.”

Many of the residents speaking in opposition of the special exception request Thursday said it had nothing to do with the quality of Stuckley’s product.

“I’ve had your beer and it’s excellent,” Katya Fitzpatrick, a borough resident, said. “We do want more establishments on the east side of town, but I don’t think it would be suited for success in this location.”

Stuckley will have an opportunity to appeal the zoning hearing board’s decision.