GRANBY — The Select Board approved entertainment and common victualler licenses for neighborhood winery Wine Haus in a 2-1 vote, with the chair dissenting due to ongoing discussions around noise and zoning.

Over the past month, residents have come before the Select Board to raise concerns about the volume of live music at the winery and lack of enforcement over a cease-and-desist order issued by Building Commissioner Damian Cote. The order, backed by 36 residents who signed a petition in support, states that a business operating in a residential zoning district violates Granby’s bylaws.

Wine Haus owner Jim Trompke explained to the board earlier this month that the winery is a farm that serves its product on-site. These establishments are exempt from zoning restrictions under state law, he said. Wine Haus holds a farmer-series pouring licenses for wine and beer, a state-issued alcohol license specific for farmer-breweries, farmer-wineries and farmer-distilleries.

The board renewed entertainment, common victualler and pouring licenses for all businesses in town at its Dec. 16 meeting, but the Wine Haus permits were discussed separately. Ultimately, all four licenses were approved, with Chair Crystal Dufresne opposing the entertainment and common vic licenses, as well as requesting more information for the two pouring licenses.

“I’m going to oppose at this time, until we have evidence that he (Jim Trompke) can do business in the jurisdiction,” Dufresne said of the common victualler licenses.

Dufresne requested that the entertainment license limits the Wine Haus entertainment from 12 to 6 p.m. because Trompke affirmed that the business stops all live music at 6 p.m. and closes at 8 p.m. Dufresne also requested to limit the entertainment to the tasting barn. Wine Haus’s current entertainment license allows live music from 12 to 9 p.m., but residents in the area have complained about loud music continuing late into the night.

“We have been licensed in this past year. We have not been in any violation,” Trompke said. “As a matter of fact, we’ve operated well within any of the restrictions that we were licensed to operate under.”

Trompke told the board that the issue at hand with the Wine Haus pertains to zoning, not to the business’s licensing. While the Wine Haus stops music at 6 p.m., Trompke specifically asked for the permit to allow music until 9 p.m. in case the talent is late or rain delays the event. It’s ultimately his choice, he said, to stop music at 6 p.m.

“You’re the one who sat in front of the Board and said — in front of everyone in town — that the music is done at 6 p.m.,” Dufresne said. “It is within the board’s purview; if we want to restrict it, we can restrict it.”

Trompke agreed that the board can restrict the entertainment license now, but this might change when the zoning issue is further discussed between each party’s legal team. Little of the zoning conversation is public record, but the Select Board’s attorney Adam Costa did mention “imminently threatened” litigation on the matter during the Dec. 5 meeting.

Select Board Member Glenn Sexton said while he understands the concerns of neighbors, rain delays are common during wet summer months. He’s also never seen a band play at the outside back of the property. Member David Labonte added that the licenses in front of them for renewal restricts entertainment at 9 p.m.

“If he’s only gone over once or twice, then there should be no problem to stick to 6 p.m.,” Dufresne said before she opposed the entertainment license renewal.

When discussing the Wine Haus pouring license, the board requested that Trompke add the dimensions of the buildings where alcohol is served, which the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission limited to the area between the tasting room, patio and back building.

The board approved the licenses, but pending inspections from the building commissioner and deputy fire chief. Both inspections need to be completed before the licenses can be sent to the state for approval.

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.