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Beloit council approves PUD and rezoning for 1400 White Avenue to allow arts studio and cafe
Summary
The Beloit City Council unanimously approved a planned unit development master plan and rezoning for 1400 White Avenue, allowing a ground-floor arts-and-crafts studio and future café while retaining an upper-floor dwelling in a building constructed about 1917.
The Beloit City Council voted unanimously to approve a planned unit development (PUD) master land use plan and to rezone the property at 1400 White Avenue to PUD, clearing the way for a ground-floor arts-and-crafts studio with a future café and an upper-floor dwelling unit.
Julie, city staff, told council that the building was constructed around 1917 and has ground-floor commercial space with an upper-floor apartment. She said the ground-floor commercial use ended in February 2006, while the upper dwelling has continued to be rented. "What Kira is planning to do is to have an arts and crafts studio and cafe on the ground floor and then the dwelling unit will remain on the upper floor," Julie said.
The resolution before council—listed as resolution 2025006 on the meeting agenda—establishes PUD standards allowing use of an 828-square-foot lower level and a 40-square-foot open porch as a mix of neighborhood commercial and an upper-floor dwelling. Julie said the city’s updated comprehensive plan encourages reuse of small neighborhood commercial spaces rather than requiring new construction and extensive parking for such walkable uses.
Plan Commission reviewed the application on Dec. 18 and recommended approval by a 5-0 vote, subject to 12 conditions included in the PUD attachment, Julie said. The applicant, identified in the staff report as Kira Wilson, applied to convert the existing structure to combined uses permitted under the PUD.
Councilor Terrell moved approval of the PUD master land use plan; Councilor Dench seconded, and the motion passed with all councilors voting in favor. For the rezoning ordinance (ordinance No. 3859 on the agenda) council voted to suspend the rules to consider second reading the same night; the suspension motion and the final rezoning approval carried by unanimous voice vote.
Councilors and staff did not elaborate additional conditions beyond the twelve in the PUD attachment during the meeting. Plan-commission conditions and any building- or trade-permit requirements remain prerequisites to occupancy and operation.
The action restores a mixed-use function to a long-vacant ground floor in a neighborhood building and aligns with the city’s stated goal of encouraging small-scale commercial reuse in walkable areas.
