The West Allis Planning Commission on an evening vote recommended approval of a conditional use permit for a Pickler indoor pickleball facility proposed for the former Dunham's sporting goods site at 2550 South 100 Eighth Street.

The commission’s action lets the tenant proceed to subsequent city reviews but required that the applicant return with comprehensive landscaping and architectural plans. Planning staff said the project will not change the building exterior immediately and that the conditional use permit is intended to help the Pickler move through common council and other approvals.

Steve, planning staff, told commissioners the facility would contain about 10 pickleball courts, a central event space for private parties, a pro shop and locker rooms. He said the site has several maintenance deficiencies that predate the new tenant, including missing and dead landscape species, some sunken catch basins and a refuse area with damaged fencing. Staff recommended replacing the refuse enclosure with a four-sided wooden feature and bringing landscaping into conformance with the city’s 1994 landscape plan and the city’s design-review guidelines.

CJ Murray, director of investor relations for Mercur Capital and the Pickler franchisee representing the project, said Mercur Capital is the franchisee for Wisconsin and other Midwest areas and that the company is already operating locations elsewhere in the region. Landlord Nick Burkin was also present and said he expects the tenant to improve curb appeal.

Commissioner Wayne Clark pressed staff on why long-vacant retail properties like the former Dunham's fall into disrepair and whether the city enforces maintenance. Staff replied enforcement is largely complaint-driven and limited by available code-enforcement personnel and municipal budget constraints.

The commission’s recommendation was conditional: return with the required landscaping and architectural submissions and address the noted site deficiencies. The motion carried with an affirmative vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The Pickler will return to the planning process with the more detailed submittals called for by staff, at which point the commission and city reviewers will verify compliance with design-review and landscape requirements prior to final approvals.