Commission debates ground-floor use, live-work units and ATM drive-through for proposed mixed-use building at 511 West Fern Avenue

The Planning Commission held an initial review of a revised application for a proposed mixed-use building at 511 West Fern Avenue during its April 7 meeting. The applicant seeks a planned-development exemption to allow ground-floor residential in a suburban commercial district, a height exemption and lighting exemptions; the concept includes 16 residential units (predominantly studios and one-bedrooms), two live-work units, 4,200 square feet of commercial space fronting West Verona Avenue, and an ATM drive-through.

Staff (Mister Severson) said the suburban commercial zoning aims to preserve visible road corridors for commercial retail and service uses and expressed concerns that the proposed ground-floor residential and limited commercial floor area (4,200 sq ft on a lot roughly 90,000 sq ft) conflict with the comprehensive plan and zoning purpose. Staff also noted parking and circulation were not yet resolved and that the proposed live-work spaces have not historically proved adaptable in Verona, citing past live-work units that were converted to residential after failing to lease as commercial space.

Commissioners offered a range of views but many raised the same themes: several commissioners said they would prefer more traditional retail along West Verona Avenue and were skeptical that small live-work units or the proposed amount of commercial space would produce viable retail. Commissioner Wood said the proposed live-work unit sizes (600–650 sq ft) felt better suited to artist or small-studio use than active retail. Commissioner Powers and Commissioner Harrison said they would not support live-work units on the West Verona frontage but might accept residential units further back in the building; both expressed that a larger continuous storefront along the frontage would be preferable.

Multiple commissioners and Alder Posey criticized the ATM drive-through layout. Staff had earlier noted stacking met minimum thresholds but raised concerns about vehicle–pedestrian conflicts and circulation in practice; commissioners described the drive-through as incompatible with a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use frontage and voiced safety and operational objections.

Alder Posey and other commissioners said they would not support lighting exemptions that would increase light pollution. Several commissioners asked the applicant to provide more complete materials, including a final plan, parking calculations and the status of a previously discussed maintenance facility that is not shown on the current concept. The applicant (Connor Net) responded that the maintenance facility was moved underground in the current concept and that design details may evolve.

Commissioners also noted the project’s relationship to a TIF agreement mentioned in prior submittals and observed that council-level financial commitments remain unresolved and could affect any approval.

As this was an initial review, no formal vote on the merits was taken; staff asked three guiding questions for the commission: (1) whether a land-use exemption to allow ground-floor residential would be supported, (2) whether the proposed ground-floor commercial floor area is sufficient, and (3) whether live-work units would be supported in place of permitted commercial units. Commissioners generally signaled that ground-floor commercial along West Verona Avenue should be prioritized, that the proposed commercial area was likely insufficient, that live-work units on the frontage were not supported, and that the ATM drive-through was problematic. Staff will expect a fuller submittal addressing parking, circulation, lighting and final program if the applicant returns for formal review.