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Planning commission recommends wine café at 810 West Station Street to city council with health, building and parking conditions
Summary
The Kankakee Planning Commission voted to recommend a conditional use permit for a wine café at 810 West Station Street by Lee McKnight, subject to health, building, fire, business and liquor licensing and minimum off‑street parking and ADA space requirements.
The Kankakee City Planning Commission voted to recommend approval to city council of a conditional use permit for a wine café at 810 West Station Street proposed by Lee McKnight.
The commission’s recommendation is conditional on the applicant meeting City of Kankakee building and fire department requirements, complying with the health department’s plumbing and restroom rules, obtaining a City of Kankakee business license and a liquor license, and striping the parking lot to provide at least 10 off‑street spaces, including one ADA‑compliant stall.
Applicant Lee McKnight described the proposal as a small wine café and tasting room he and his wife plan to operate Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., offering light plates, wine tasting and occasional karaoke. “We wanna open up a wine cafe at 810 West Station in Kankakee,” McKnight said. He told commissioners the space is about 900 square feet, contains a kitchen and a single‑user restroom and that he has access to about 10 parking spaces on the lot and on‑street parking nearby.
During public comment and staff questioning, a city building/plumbing official explained Illinois plumbing code requirements for businesses that serve the public. The official said the code allows single‑user (unisex) restrooms but still requires separate provisions to “satisfy the needs of men and the bathroom to satisfy the needs of women,” and that the minimums effectively require two individual bathrooms unless other code provisions apply.
Commissioners pressed the applicant on parking and on whether the health and building departments had been consulted. McKnight said he had met with building staff and would contact the health department as recommended.
The motion to recommend the conditional use permit, including the conditions listed above, was made by Chip Roarme and seconded by Jose Arturo Barajas. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from the commission; Deb Terrell noted reservations about parking but voted yes. The commission’s recommendation will go to the next City Council meeting in August.
