City of Pontiac Planning & Zoning Board met Nov. 29.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
The City of Pontiac Planning and Zoning Board held a meeting on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers to consider the following:
To hold and conduct a public hearing to review the Pontiac Zoning Ordinance provisions applicable to businesses engaged in the sale of alcoholic beverages, including those having video gaming operations licensed by the State of Illinois, and to make recommendations to the City Council with respect to any amendments to the Pontiac Zoning Ordinance the Zoning Board determines are appropriate after its review.
The following members were present: Rick Baier, Bill Cole, Paul Giordano, Tim Lewis and Pat Martin. Bill Abraham and Matt Stock were absent. Also present were Dave Lopeman from the Building Office, Mayor Bob Russell, City Administrator Bob Karls and City Attorney Alan Schrock. With a quorum being present, the meeting began at 4:30 p.m.
Tim Lewis made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 22, 2018 meeting and with a second by Bill Cole and a unanimous yes vote, the minutes were approved.
Mayor Bob Russell told the members that a conflict of terms is in the Zoning Code. In the Use Table, a “bar, tavern or lounge” is listed as a Special Use in the B-1, B-2 and B-3 zoning districts. In the definition section of the Code, “Indoor Recreation and Entertainment” states examples of this term would be “tavern, bar, lounge.” and is a special use in the B-1 district but permitted use in the B-2 and B-3 districts. Therefore, the Board needs to determine whether or not they want “bar, tavern or lounge” to be a Special Use or Permitted Use in the Business districts. The Mayor also discussed the number of “video gaming” parlors that are in the City and if there should be a cap put on the number or if other restrictions should be applied. When video gaming first started in town, the thought was that “supply and demand” would eventually level off the number of requests for more video gaming, but that has not occurred. The City has continuously received requests to open more video gaming parlors. The Mayor stated that the Council had discussed perhaps putting a moratorium on video gaming in the Central Business District and also to restrict any from being within 500 feet of another bar. The Mayor said to clean up the Code, he feels that bars should be a Special Use permit in the Business districts. City Attorney Alan Schrock suggested removing the language of “Tavern, Bar, Lounge” from the definition of “Indoor Recreation and Entertainment” so there would be no conflict with the Code.
The members discussed the video gaming parlors and the difference between restaurants with gaming and bars with gaming. The amount of revenue from the video gaming is significant. They discussed the Ladd and Howard Street corridor and the restriction in the Zoning Code that no bar, tavern or lounge can be located within 200 feet of any residential district. There was discussion on some of the problems the Mayor has encountered as the Liquor Commissioner and also the unique requests he has received in order to place a video gaming parlor in the City.
Since the Zoning Code has a separate section of conditions for a bar, tavern or lounge, City Administrator Bob Karls stated that he felt the intent of the Code was to have bar, tavern or lounge as a Special Use. If all bars are a Special Use, it will allow the Board and the Council to hear specifics about the proposed establishment and conditions can by placed on the business, if necessary.
There was continued discussion that was productive in determining what the Board felt was the intent of the Code. Bill Cole made a motion to recommend to the City Council the following:
- Amend Section 2.02 “Definitions” to remove the wording of “Bar, tavern, lounge” from the definition of “Indoor Recreation and Entertainment”
-Amend Table 4.04.1 to have “bar, tavern, lounge” be a Special Use in B-1 and B-3 districts but not allowed at all in the B-2 district
-Amend Section 4.06-6(f)(2) to state that “Such use shall not be in excess of 4000 square feet.” instead of the 2500 square feet now in the Code
-Delete Section 4.06-6(f)(5) which requires a public telephone listing
- Amend the Code to state that where bar, tavern, lounge is permitted to state that another bar, tavern or lounge can not be located within 500 feet
Pat Martin seconded the motion and the motion passed with an unanimous yes vote.
Paul Giordano made a motion to adjourn the meeting and with a second by Tim Lewis and a unanimous yes vote, the meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.
https://www.pontiac.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11292018-612
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