http://www.dunkindonuts.com

The City Plan Commission met earlier this afternoon, and one of the agenda items was the conditional use permit for a 1,920 s.f. restaurant with a drive-thru lane to be located at 4028 – 75th Street.  This is the old Payless Shoe store building.  The plan is to raze that building and construct a new building which will house the franchise store.

Mark Schneider and John Clark, representatives from Dunkin Donuts, appeared before the commission and brought samples of the siding and stone material that will be used.  There was some discussion about the use of the hardboard backing, and not the styrofoam backing for the stone material.  Dunkin Donuts also expressed their desire to only take the stone material up to the windows, but the ordinance reads that the stone material needs to go above the windows.  Anita Faraone, Art Landry, and Jessica Olson expressed their desire to have Dunkin Donuts follow the city’s ordinances, and not the typical “cookie cutter” Dunkin Donuts design.  Alderperson Anthony Kennedy asked the representatives to bring the mock-up’s and cost estimates to the next Common Council meeting to assist the council members in making their decision.

Other concerns expressed by the commission were the right turn only coming out of the driveway onto 75th Street, the width of the drive-thru lane, the parking lot configuration, and the outdoor freezer/cooler.  The Dunkin Donuts representatives expressed their intent to fully comply with the city’s ordinances.

The commission also approved the following items:

• The conditional use permit for an auto body shop to be located at 5725 – 5th Avenue (Streamline Auto Body).  Justin Gilliam and Keith Maddis spoke at the meeting.  Maddis is the current owner and operator of the Kenosha Auto Body Collision, and he has been renting Gilliam half of his shop for restoration work.  Maddis said that he believed this work would very nicely complement the downtown renovation study.
• The repeal and recreation of a section of the Zoning Ordinance for the city of Kenosha entitled “Accessory Building Exemptions for Residential Property,” sponsored by Alderperson Eric Haugaard.  “This was merely to correct the ordinance passed several months ago.  There was an error in drafting the ordinance.  The special exceptions conflicted with other areas of the ordinance,” commented Haugaard.
• The first amendment to the developers agreement and memorandum of full satisfaction between the city of Kenosha, Kenosha Water Utility, First Industrial Investments II, LLC, and Affiliated Foods Midwest Cooperative, Inc. (Affiliated Foods).
• The bicycle and pedestrian easement agreement by and between Affiliated Foods Midwest Cooperative, Inc., and the city of Kenosha for property at 8100 – 6th Street (Affiliated Foods).
• The request for a special exception to the setback requirements of the zoning ordinance for a communication tower at 4411 Sheridan Road (Kenosha Plumbing) was referred back to this body from the Common Council meeting this past Monday.  (Click here to read the information on this issue:  Common Council Report.)  Nathan Ward, SBA representative, and John Toomey, owner of Kenosha Plumbing, spoke on this exception request.  Toomey assured the commission that he verified with the property owners immediately around the site that they were in agreement with the installation of the 100-foot-tall flag pole/stealth cell phone tower.  A couple who lives across the street from the plumbing shop spoke about their opposition to having a power pole installed in her front yard.  Ward expressed his intention to work with the utility company in the placement of the power pole. The commission then approved the request unanimously.

The request for a special exception to the spacing requirements under a section of the Zoning Ordinance for a Class “A” beer and a “Class A” liquor license at 7944 Sheridan Road (Cellar Door Wine, Beer & Liquor) was also on the agenda.  The buyer’s representative from Prudential Realty explained that the intent was to build out a 6,000 square foot space to sell wine, beer and spirits.  Faraone’s comments were that the ordinance was passed for a specific purpose.  “This is the third meeting in a row where we’ve had requests for exceptions.”  (The other two were Aldi’s and the gas station on 22nd Avenue.)  Olson agreed with her.

Alderperson Anthony Kennedy stated that there was some economic development going on in that area, plus some non-profit activity.  “Would this help that?”  He stated that he felt the answer was no.  He stated that he could not support the request there at this time because of having the Club Breakaway population so close nearby.

The vote was split 4 to 4 to deny the request.  It will, therefore, be sent to the Common Council with no recommendation.

Even though the above request was not approved, the proposed resolution by the mayor to approve a certified survey map for the property at 7944 Sheridan Road (7944 Sheridan Retail Center) was approved.  Lewis Bird from Panhandle Capital, LLC, who owns the property, stated that even if the liquor license was not approved for the store, having the property separated into three parcels would make it easier to market.  Therefore, the commission approved it unanimously.

Jeff LaBahn, interim director of the community development and inspections department, thanked everyone for their participation in the downtown plan.  He encouraged those who had not completed their surveys to do so.  Within thirty days, Phase I of the plan will be completed.  LaBahn also mentioned that a request for a certified survey map which was on the agenda for the last meeting was not on tonight’s agenda because the parties were still working out the details.  They will not be advancing the item to the commission until the issues are resolved.