St. Charles planning commissioners approve special-use amendment to allow restaurant and tavern at Motorcycle Museum

The Saint Charles Planning Commission on Oct. 7 recommended approval of an amendment to the special-use permit for the St. Charles Motorcycle Museum, 1317 East Main Street, to add a restaurant and a tavern/bar and to allow on-site food service and outdoor entertainment. The commission approved the amendment with conditions requiring a trash enclosure meeting city standards, reconfigured on-site circulation to avoid conflict points, and site lighting that meets current municipal standards.

Planning staff said both a bar and a restaurant “require special use approval in this zoning district,” and described the application as an amendment to a 2024 special-use that originally allowed the museum as a cultural facility. Attorney Peter Bezos, representing applicant Fox Valley Capital LLC, told commissioners the proposed restaurant and tavern are enumerated special uses in the city’s BL (business local) zoning and said the applicant believes the additions will bolster Main Street commerce. “This museum is absolutely beautiful inside,” Bezos said during his presentation.

Owner Andrew Koczwara (spelled aloud in the record) described high visitor demand since the museum’s March 2024 opening and said patrons frequently ask for food. “Adding a kitchen will bring even more customers,” he said, and said the museum hosts out-of-state and international visitors and plans events such as a vintage-bike weekend. Koczwara said he intends eventually to operate a full kitchen and to continue offering events and occasional food trucks; he told commissioners he expected to apply for the required building and health permits when the time comes.

Commissioners and staff focused questions on site access, parking and how outdoor events would be handled. The applicant’s conceptual site plan shows 38 parking spaces and identifies a potential outdoor entertainment pad in the southeast corner; staff noted the site currently meets the city’s parking requirement of 31 spaces but said larger special events would require separate event or tent permits and may require additional parking arrangements. One commissioner urged the applicant to redraw the conceptual plan to resolve a short two-way/one-way conflict and to identify a location for a trash enclosure and grease trap; the applicant said the grease trap and some trash storage are in the basement and that any kitchen would be built to required standards.

Staff also said accessory outdoor entertainment or outdoor dining could be accommodated on a regular basis if shown on the approved site plan, but that larger events — such as multi-day festivals — would require separate permitting, which could include temporary closure of parking spaces and demonstration of parking alternatives. The commission discussed adding a condition to require the applicant to address lighting; staff said existing lots ordinarily do not trigger new lighting requirements but lighting could be required as a condition of approval.

After discussion the commission moved to recommend approval of the special-use amendment with the addenda requiring the trash enclosure, reconfigured circulation, and site lighting to meet current standards. In the roll call on the motion, Commissioners Jeff Funk, Gary Gruber, Dave Rosenberg, Rita Palai and Chair Colleen Visa voted yes; the motion carried.

The amendment allows the museum to seek building, health and sign permits necessary to construct a kitchen, install lighting and place signage, and to operate a tavern/bar and restaurant as allowed by the BL zoning district. Staff advised that any larger special events or temporary changes that would reduce parking below required levels would need separate review and permitting.

The commission closed the public hearing before taking its recommendation. The final ordinance amendment and any required permit approvals will proceed through the Planning & Development Committee and city permit processes.