Prospective new owner proposes coffee and drive-through as Plan Commission recommends rezoning of Melrose site

The Oak Creek Plan Commission on May 13 recommended the Common Council approve rezoning 6840 South 20th Street (the Melrose restaurant site) from B-2 Community Business District to B-4 General Business District to allow a possible drive-through and other highway-oriented uses.

Todd, planning staff, said the site is a developed property on 20th Street and that the applicant is pursuing the B-4 zoning because it allows a conditional use for a drive-through, which the B-2 district does not. The applicant, who identified himself as Ali Hamid, said he is "gonna be the new owner" pending a sale and that he plans to replace the bar and liquor license with a specialty coffee operation. Hamid said he expects new hours of roughly "maybe 7 to midnight" and that the coffee operation would include an internal service area in addition to the potential drive-through.

Commissioners raised circulation and parking concerns for the rear/east facade drive-through location and noted potential conflicts with adjacent uses such as the Menards driveway. Hamid said he has discussed cleanup and coordination with neighboring managers and indicated no objection from commissioners to the rezoning itself.

Burke moved to recommend approval of the rezoning to the Common Council; a roll call vote approved the motion. The rezoning recommendation does not approve any site or drive‑through design; any drive-through would require a separate conditional-use and site-plan review that will evaluate circulation, pedestrian safety and other site-specific factors.