Nesquehoning man seeks ordinance modification for proposed winery

A Nesquehoning man is asking Jim Thorpe Borough Council for an “indefinite” ordinance modification that would allow for the continued planting of grapevines to support a proposed winery.

Jake Arner told council Thursday he has 17 acres “ready to go” on his Flagstaff Mountain property and has up to 143 acres to keep planting should his business require future expansion.

“It takes three years to get anything out of a grapevine,” Arner told council. “The idea is to keep planting so you reach a nice operation size. If I put a number of years on the modification request, say three or five years, I’ll just be back here again and again in the future.”

Borough Manager Maureen Sterner told Arner to submit his request with a specified amount of time, which could be “indefinite,” and exactly what products he intends on selling at the property.

“I’m all for the business in Jim Thorpe, and I’d really rather you be honest and request an “indefinite” modification rather than have you back over and over again,” Councilman Jay Miller said. “I really do want to work with you here.”

Council has a meeting Thursday when it could act on the request. If the process does move forward, Arner has an employee who works part time at three other wineries ready to go full-time at his operation.

The United States Department of Agriculture has given him startup money for the first acre of vines, he added.

“The plan is to plant on the south side of the mountain,” Arner said Thursday. “That is the sunny side of the mountain, and the more sun the grapes get, the higher sugar content and the wine will taste more robust. The sugar is converted into alcohol by yeast.”

Last fall, council passed a zoning ordinance amendment that added language for agritourism businesses and added it as a permitted use in the R-1, R-3 and S zoning districts.

“I don’t want to look to buy a vineyard in another area,” Arner said. “I’d like to put the money into Jim Thorpe.”