With a limited quorem of Planning Commission members present, Planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposal of Mr. Verkelien and Ms. Meredith for a conditional use permit to operate a bar at the location of the old Water and Light Building.
Mr. Verkuilen presented the proposal that the bar would have a jazz or speakeasy motif with a separate section for a sports bar orientation. All patrons would drink moderately and be handled by prudent bartenders. There will be live entertainment and who knows if an external drinking area will be requested for smokers.
The Evansville Observer will be publishing full audio of the presentation with selected video.
The fourth ward families turned out and opposed the proposed bar. Stay tuned for their presentations. The position of the Planning Commission seemed to be that business development and booze development go hand in hand. They rejected the assertion of local families that Evansville does not need more bars. Stay tuned. Audio and video will follow.
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I admit I have not commented for a while but really from what I have been reading here and these "other blogs" is a bunch of nanny, I'll protect you from yourself bullcrap.
ReplyDeleteWould you consider "The Night Owl" a business?? How about "Real Coffee"?? Is the pottery shop on Main Street someone's business?? While 2 out of 3 are places I have never frequented nor probably will I ever, this is someone's idea to make money "legally".
I would really hope but doubt that if this building was another Coffee Shop your headline would read "Is Caffeine Development Business Development??"
Remember my friends the last time I checked we live in a "Free Market" society, I know some of you would like to see that changed to more of a Socialism or dare I say Communism, now that I went Joe McCarthy on all of you think about more than yourselves, I think most of you had said that to me 50 some times a day when I used a form of my 1st amendment rights.
Slammer we don't care to deny them the right open this its location. Do you realize its YOUR tax dollars that will help to redo this building so its usable???? Plenty of places up town they could put this. I think its a neat idea, bad location. If this place does get tiff money, which it will. I am willing to bet it does not survive. Bad location, nonsmoking, snotty owners.
ReplyDeleteThat meeting was shameful. Mason espicially disapointed me with his diatribe about following what is right!!! !#@#@ WHAT? As the Janesville Gazette reported some five days ago it was going to be approved no matter what. So for Mason to sit there and act the way he did is a huge disapointment.
ReplyDeleteThe result was this, once again the fourth ward was used as the toilet for the west side of Evansville.
I can not believe that he even brought up Romano's, we were not there to discuss the NOISE and TRASH, And Lighting from Romanos this was not about Romanos or Citgo. Not only that but we have asked the city for years to make the businesses in this area to comply with ordinances and promises that were made to residents and the city just keeps sweeping those issues under the carpet.
I hope the next time the 4th ward show up for issues related to the west side that Mason keeps the same score card handy because he will need it.
I can only hope we see a for sale on the corner of Franklin and Exchange st soon.
Check more often Slammer! "Free Market Society" not here in Evansville!
ReplyDeleteSLAMMER do you or do you not live on the west side of town ??? . Yes you do. IN the last year there has been at least 4 proposed business ventured petioned for each one was shot down, why? Because the people on the council and planning commission live on that side of town . Our alderpersons spoke againest this and they still approved it. Diane Roberts is nothing more than a rubber stamp for the city. Some body in that ward please run and get her dumped off of there. With the exception of 3 people everyone else lives on the west side.PUT this bar on the west side you could use some entertainment over there. Then maybe you would have some empathy/sympathy if you had to put up with what we do. Don't judge before you live here.. You would not like picking trash up out of your yard everyday because the gas station is not doing what they said they would do and their trash ends up in your yard. Lots of issues here don't act like you know what its like you have no clue.
ReplyDeleteI had a Evansville E.M.T. tell me last night that someone will have to die in that area before the city will change anything. To bad it will take a law suit to bring change.
ReplyDeleteSlammer lives on the east side of town.
ReplyDeleteIf the issue was the type of business (bar, tavern...what have you) then that could have been avoided entirely if the alderperson from that area did not vote to approve the liquor license last week.
This is very true, the comment about the alderperson, and he admitted it was a mistake. But he also had one of the applicants making allegations, he did not like and trying to intimidate him. Thats a issue that is going to be dealt with.
ReplyDeleteSlammer really does not live on the west side. WELL there can be no way he lives in the fourth ward or he would be concerned as I know he has young kids.
Ok I am going to clarify and say I don't see how he could live in the fourth ward in the area we live in , East Main , Franklin, Union street area or I am sure we would here more from him on this issue and the safety of his children.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not some people actually consider it their own responsibility to take care of their own children.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lot of crying to me.
These same people will be crying that our taxes are too high, but then not let businesses in.
Everyone has a right to their own opinion, so I respect your right to it, even though it is flat wrong.
We can watch our children night and day and 24/7, and it won't keep the drunks/vagrants out of our neighborhood/park. We already have had issues with this without another bar and the police have been reluctant to move quickly to do something about it. Our children are as well watched as the children on the west side of town, or the far east side of town. This woman and man, ( I won't even look at them, much less mention them by name. They seem to think they are pretty special people we don't, ) could have put this bar down town , out in the commercial area by the pig, or in your back yard many options and I would not have cared. YOU don't live where we live so you have no clue. NOT againest growth just location. YOU are wrong.
ReplyDeleteWe actually do have a plan to deal with this bar, we are going to start a neighborhood watch/patrol, take down tag no. and report any suspicious acivity driving , any one who walks a little crooked, we will report to E.P.D., any one who throws trash will get reported, any loud music coming from that establishment after 10 will get reported, we plan on making it very clear to them we don't want them here, go some where else. They think they have the right to have business there, we have the right to live here, and we were here first.
ReplyDeleteThere is not one person that was opposed to having a new bar in town. NOT ONE, we respectfully requested that it's location be changed to the downtown area where there are already two or three bars in business.
ReplyDeleteThis new business will not provide one penny of property tax relief. It will cost the residents more money because now we will have to pay for a stupid fence.
It will be more work for the already thin police dept. as well.
The city has no power over where businesses want to go. Unless you wanted to nationalize all commercial entities like that dictator in Venuezuela. I am surprised a new business would even want to start here given all the people who consistently are against everything.
ReplyDeleteI actually live in my own little world. I succeded from Evansville a few years back.
ReplyDeleteAyn's comment about putting a "Lawn Mowing Place" there is not an option by the Plan Comission, even if "Lawn Mowing" is just an example there has to be busineses that want to build there. That is where my Communist comments come from. When you dictate to people what they can do and what will be put here that is the old CCCP.
Franklin Park I feel is in just a crappy place, between residence and commercial zoned areas. What if UPS wants a distribution center there all the trucks up and down the street would you oppose that?? Or if a chemical supplier wanted use of some of the buildings would that get opposition. I like the neighborhood, I think it has a lot of character to it, but at the same time you bought a house that is located next to a commerical/industrial zoned area.
Of corse safety is a major concern, but it sounds as if there is a little more than safety as your only issue, I think I heard a lot of anti-drinking comments in the responses at the meeting that then is just socialism at it's finest.
Neighborhood watch is fine, but remember the story of the Little Boy Who Cried Wolf you start call the EPD 10 times a night for "suspicous" driving, or "crooked" looking people when real "crooked" people appear remember the story!!
That's all i got now, use your first amendment rights but remember other people have them also
If you are so appalled by the way the city is being run why don't you get out from behind your computer and run for a seat on the city council.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise quit your whining.
This area is zoned commercial. Would you rather have a construction company with semi's, dump trucks etc. running through your neighborhood?
I happen to know Mason personally and he does things based on the good for the ENTIRE city not just the First or the Fourth Ward.
The Plan Commission is not a popularity contest,it's decisions are based on the findings of FACT.
The fact of the matter is your complaint is speculative at best.
Bottom line is we need more business in this City. Whether it's a tavern, a biodesiel plant, a hair salon etc. Business brings business.
Oh and what's with all of this West side envy?
OK JEFF I was going to reply to your comment but realized you posted the same thing on chasinthenews and already dealt with.
ReplyDelete