The Village of Shorewood Plan Commission voted May 27 to recommend that the village board consider expanding permitted uses in the P‑1 public and semi‑public district to allow commercial kitchens, artisan manufacturing and a broader list of GX uses.

The request came from North Shore Presbyterian Church, which applied to allow commercial kitchen uses in the P‑1 district so entrepreneurs could rent and use the church’s currently underutilized kitchen. Director Bart (planning staff) told the commission that “commercial kitchens are currently allowed as artisan production, which is defined, as, uses that produce consumer goods by hand, including confections, bakeries, caterers, and custom food custom made food items amongst other uses.” The staff memo outlined three options: (1) add a food‑production category specific to the request, (2) add artisan production with limited retail, or (3) add the full set of GX uses shown in the staff report.

The commission debated whether to adopt a narrow change limited to commercial kitchens or to broaden the P‑1 district to include additional commercial and institutional uses. Commissioner Klein said he would “like to see more flexibility overall,” and Commissioner Pollock moved the motion that the commission forward a recommendation to the village board to add consumer services, limited eating and drinking places, funeral and mortuary services, lodging, artisan manufacturing and production, medical and dental clinics and offices, offices, and limited general retail sales as permitted uses in P‑1, citing the packet list. Trustee McGovern seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote, 3–2, and staff will present the change and associated options to the village board at a later hearing.

Commissioners who opposed the broadest option expressed a preference for a stepwise approach. One commissioner said they favored approving a narrow, use‑specific change now and reviewing additional applications later rather than opening the whole P‑1 district to many commercial uses at once. Director Bart noted the P‑1 district covers school properties, village facilities including the police department, village hall and public works, the North Shore Fire Department, and several houses of worship; he also said the village would hold a public hearing on June 16 before the village board would act.

No formal conditions about hours, on‑site sales, or other operational limits were added by the plan commission; staff recommended permitting the uses unless the commission preferred conditional use standards tied to hours or distribution. The commission’s recommendation is advisory: the village board will hold the public hearing and could adopt, amend or reject the suggested text changes.

Next steps: staff will prepare materials for the village board public hearing on June 16 and include the three staff options in the packet so the board can review incremental choices.