Council remands Bellevue Ballroom conditional use back to Board of Adjustment after petitioner missed hearing

The Sioux City Council voted to remand a conditional‑use petition for the Bellevue Ballroom back to the Board of Adjustment after the petitioner, Brandon Von Gilbert, said he missed the Board of Adjustment hearing and asked for another opportunity to address neighbors.

Why it matters: the Board of Adjustment had voted against allowing alcohol sales tied to increased events at the venue, citing neighborhood character, parking and public-safety concerns. Remanding lets the petitioner and the neighborhood re‑engage the board without requiring a full one‑year wait to reapply (the usual rule if not remanded).

Brandon Von Gilbert told council, "We're doing this actually to clean up those things, those issues that we have," and said the property owners planned controls such as limited hours, local staff and service limits intended to reduce nuisance effects. Board of Adjustment chair Andrew Gleiser said neighbors told the board the neighborhood was not designed to hold more events and that alcohol sales could encourage more events and exacerbate parking and security problems.

Council members debated procedure: some said the board acted appropriately on the record, while others said the petitioner had a scheduling error and deserved another chance to present. Council clarified that a remand does not compel the board to rehear the petition, but the remand message would ask the board to give the petitioner and neighbors another opportunity. The motion to remand passed on a recorded vote with one council member opposed.