Plan commission recommends rezoning and a conditional‑use permit for Blue Mound Road property with limits on hours and event size

The Plan Commission recommended the Common Council approve a master‑plan amendment, rezoning and a conditional‑use permit to allow use of a vacant parcel on the east side of Blue Mound Road as a private outdoor gathering venue for applicants Doug and Kim Kaiser and Tom and Karen Krummenacher.

Nick, city planning staff, summarized that the item had been tabled previously and staff met with the applicants to address three major concerns: open burning, large events and hours of operation. Staff amended the burning condition to allow propane or natural‑gas fuel in a confined fire pit after the fire chief reviewed it, and proposed an event‑size regime aligned with the city's special‑event process: events of 100 people or fewer may proceed under the CUP; events larger than 100 would require a special‑event permit, notification and review. Staff recommended the commission keep the maximum on‑site capacity at 100 to avoid off‑site parking and unsafe pedestrian crossings on Blue Mound Road.

At the public hearing neighbors raised concerns about traffic, parking and emergency access. The applicants asked the commission to extend operating hours, proposing start times as early as 7:30 a.m.; staff recommended 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday–Saturday. After discussion the commission adopted a motion recommending approval of staff’s 16 conditions with these changes: hours 7:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 7:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m. Friday–Saturday; removal of an alternative condition A (which would have allowed larger events); and keeping the site capacity limit at 100 persons. The motion included the comprehensive master plan amendment and rezoning actions tied to the CUP.

One commissioner noted the county would require additional entrance/improvement work if events exceed 100 attendees; applicants confirmed they were willing to accept the 100‑person limit and to pave the entrance while leaving parking unpaved until thresholds were met. The commission recorded the motion, and the recommendation to the Common Council passed on a recorded voice vote.

The action is a recommendation to the Common Council; final approvals for rezoning, plan amendments and the CUP remain subject to council review and any required permits or inspections (for example, driveway improvements required by the county before events above the threshold).