NORFOLK, Va. — In a 6-1 vote, Norfolk City Council has approved three conditional use permits (CUPs) for the controversial Armed Forces Brewing Company (AFBC) Tuesday night.
Dozens of speakers went up in front of City Council at the meeting Tuesday night, sharing divided views over the fate of AFBC.
"It's about creating an environment where the values of integrity, courage and dedication to our nation will be honored," a proponent for AFBC said.
"It is an honor to operate a business in Norfolk, and any organization that cannot show our cities or our communities respect does not deserve the privilege," said Andrew Coplon with Craft Beer Professionals.
The controversy surrounding AFBC comes after shareholder and veteran Robert O’Neill shared anti-LGBTQ rhetoric online, including calling members of the LGBTQ community "pedophiles."
O'Neill, a former U.S. Navy Seal Team 6 member, is widely known after claiming he killed Osama bin Laden.
He has also stated, "China is going to destroy us," because the U.S. Navy featured a servicemember and drag queen in a recruitment video.
Although no longer a forward-facing component of the company, O'Neill still owns a small part of it.
"There's plenty of good drinks here that don't involve hate," one speaker said.
"I can't stress enough the concern for the safety of my LGBTQ+ community," another speaker stated.
"I cast this [yea] vote due to this being a land-use issue and knowing that I took an oath to uphold the right to free speech despite the fact I disagree with the speech," said Norfolk city councilwoman Courtney Doyle.
During the council meeting, AFBC CEO Alan Beal touted diversity in the company's ownership, which he said included members of the LGBTQ+ community and same-sex couples.
Tuesday evening's decision comes after an attorney representing Armed Forces Brewing warned the city of a potential lawsuit after the Norfolk Planning Commission voted not to recommend approving the controversial brewery’s request for CUPs.
The permits allow for live entertainment, operation of a banquet hall and production of craft beverages.
In a letter sent to City Attorney Bernard Pishko, the brewery’s attorney, Tim Anderson, said if City Council voted against Armed Forces Brewing Company, "the city should expect my office to initiate a suit."
"I think fundamentally when we're talking about land use, whether we should be able to operate, there’s really no difference between O’Connor's and Armed Forces Brewery with what they’re gonna do other than the name and the theme, and fundamentally it’s gonna be hard to legally say no to that, despite the politics that happened," he said after the Norfolk Planning Commission meeting.
"I can't support a conditional use permit for an applicant who has stop work orders issued for multiple violations at their property," Norfolk city councilwoman Andria McClellan said in part.
"They've been making some improvements on the property. Contractors have been doing the work. There were some permit issues the contractors have to fix. Those are getting resolved this week and they're moving on. So, those issues are between the contractors who are doing the work and the city, not Armed Forces," Anderson said in response.
Since the announcement that AFBC planned to open their headquarters in the Railroad District of Norfolk, several different groups have openly opposed them.
Two different civic leagues voted to ask the Norfolk Planning Commission to deny recommending their permits, and they did so in a 4-2 vote in November.
Numerous people have spoken both for and against the business, with many organizing against them online.
RELATED: Norfolk Planning Commission recommends against issuing permits for Armed Forces Brewing Company
The brewery was brewing beer under a grandfathered permit, but that expired on November 23. Everything paused leading up to Tuesday's vote.
AFBC has promised that 70% of its workforce will be made up of military veterans
"We're excited to get open. We're excited to be part of the community. We're excited to get our beer out there and have people come in the brewery," Beal told reporters following the vote. “Everyone is welcome at Armed Forces Brewing Company, everyone.”
Beal said the company currently employs 12 people nationwide and eight people at the Park Place location. Now, managers will sift through a pile of more than 200 applications.
Plans are to open in January, the CEO added.