By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Planning Commission has approved a special land use and site plan for a proposed 132-seat Mexican restaurant inside the mixed-use development at 17 E. Main Ave. – the first step toward the restaurant being allowed to serve alcohol.
However, some neighbors aren’t happy with what they see as a lack of adequate parking for the restaurant.
Commissioners voted 6-0 last Thursday to approve the site plan and special land use request from Midwest Construction and Geerlings Development for the proposed El Rancho restaurant, which would be located in the east half of the building. The restaurant would take up 3,755 square feet of the 9,400-square-foot main floor of the building. The property is zoned C-2 central business district.
“The restaurant use of the parcel is a permitted use in the C-2 zone district. The use itself is permitted,” Community Development Director Tim Maday said. “City ordinance requires that before alcohol can be sold or that the (City) Council can approve a liquor license application … they must obtain special land use approval from the Planning Commission.”
The 17 E. Main site is located within the alcohol overlay district. A property must be in either a commercial-zoned district or the Washington Avenue Mixed Use district to be eligible for the special land use, Maday said.
Representatives from two nearby businesses and a church spoke in opposition to the site plan, saying that the 47 parking spaces on the 17 E. Main site are nowhere near adequate for handling the patrons that will eat at the restaurant.
“Allowing 17 East Main to develop a 132-seat restaurant including alcohol sales will undoubtedly amplify the likelihood of their customers seeking to use our private parking lot (at 25 N. State St.), a further burden to us in having to police the surreptitious use of our parking lot,” local dentist Dr. Kevin Rebhan wrote in a letter to the Planning Commission.
In his letter, Rebhan said he had made calls to Midwest Construction “regarding a takeover of the entire south row of our parking spaces during our business hours,” and called Zeeland Police at least twice when vehicles weren’t moved.
A representative from J&H Family Stores, which owns the West Side Mobil gas station and convenience store at 5 W. Main, shared similar concerns that their parking lot may be used by the restaurant.
Ed Zylstra from North Street Christian Reformed Church, which has an agreement to allow city employees to park in their lot, is concerned restaurant patrons will attempt to use the church’s lot to park.
“I think if the restaurant is there, people are just going to migrate to our lot. It’s a real problem,” Zylstra said, noting that he did not oppose the restaurant itself or the sale of alcohol there.
Maday pointed out that without the request to serve alcohol, the restaurant could set up shop without having to go through any Planning Commission hearings. He said that the developer pays a special assessment for parking, and that the lot on the 17 E. Main site is available for public parking. He added that because of the special assessment, restaurant patrons can use any of the city-owned parking lots.
Developer Scott Geerlings of Midwest Construction and Geerlings Development, offered to work with his neighbors to resolve the parking conflict.
“We want to be good neighbors. We understand their concerns. We’re going to work with our people. The employees are not going to be able to park in that lot,” Geerlings said.
The 17 E. Main project also includes 22 one-bedroom units on the upper two floors. Tenants have already begun moving into some of the apartments, Geerlings said.
Geerlings is hopeful that the restaurant will open before the end of the year.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Planning Commission has approved a special land use and site plan for a proposed 132-seat Mexican restaurant inside the mixed-use development at 17 E. Main Ave. – the first step toward the restaurant being allowed to serve alcohol.
However, some neighbors aren’t happy with what they see as a lack of adequate parking for the restaurant.
Commissioners voted 6-0 last Thursday to approve the site plan and special land use request from Midwest Construction and Geerlings Development for the proposed El Rancho restaurant, which would be located in the east half of the building. The restaurant would take up 3,755 square feet of the 9,400-square-foot main floor of the building. The property is zoned C-2 central business district.
“The restaurant use of the parcel is a permitted use in the C-2 zone district. The use itself is permitted,” Community Development Director Tim Maday said. “City ordinance requires that before alcohol can be sold or that the (City) Council can approve a liquor license application … they must obtain special land use approval from the Planning Commission.”
The 17 E. Main site is located within the alcohol overlay district. A property must be in either a commercial-zoned district or the Washington Avenue Mixed Use district to be eligible for the special land use, Maday said.
Representatives from two nearby businesses and a church spoke in opposition to the site plan, saying that the 47 parking spaces on the 17 E. Main site are nowhere near adequate for handling the patrons that will eat at the restaurant.
“Allowing 17 East Main to develop a 132-seat restaurant including alcohol sales will undoubtedly amplify the likelihood of their customers seeking to use our private parking lot (at 25 N. State St.), a further burden to us in having to police the surreptitious use of our parking lot,” local dentist Dr. Kevin Rebhan wrote in a letter to the Planning Commission.
In his letter, Rebhan said he had made calls to Midwest Construction “regarding a takeover of the entire south row of our parking spaces during our business hours,” and called Zeeland Police at least twice when vehicles weren’t moved.
A representative from J&H Family Stores, which owns the West Side Mobil gas station and convenience store at 5 W. Main, shared similar concerns that their parking lot may be used by the restaurant.
Ed Zylstra from North Street Christian Reformed Church, which has an agreement to allow city employees to park in their lot, is concerned restaurant patrons will attempt to use the church’s lot to park.
“I think if the restaurant is there, people are just going to migrate to our lot. It’s a real problem,” Zylstra said, noting that he did not oppose the restaurant itself or the sale of alcohol there.
Maday pointed out that without the request to serve alcohol, the restaurant could set up shop without having to go through any Planning Commission hearings. He said that the developer pays a special assessment for parking, and that the lot on the 17 E. Main site is available for public parking. He added that because of the special assessment, restaurant patrons can use any of the city-owned parking lots.
Developer Scott Geerlings of Midwest Construction and Geerlings Development, offered to work with his neighbors to resolve the parking conflict.
“We want to be good neighbors. We understand their concerns. We’re going to work with our people. The employees are not going to be able to park in that lot,” Geerlings said.
The 17 E. Main project also includes 22 one-bedroom units on the upper two floors. Tenants have already begun moving into some of the apartments, Geerlings said.
Geerlings is hopeful that the restaurant will open before the end of the year.
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