Council approves zone change to allow nursery at 196 Bear River Drive

Ordinance 25-01, which would rezone 196 Bear River Drive from a public zone to highway business so AGN LLC d/b/a Aspen Grove Nursery can operate a retail business there, was approved by the Evanston City Council on second reading Tuesday.

The measure affects the parcel formerly known as Sunset R V Park, adjacent to Hamblin Park and the county fairgrounds. Mark Jacobson, city staff, told the council the property had been rezoned from highway business to public in about 2003 in anticipation of fairground expansion and that a retail use is not permitted under the current public zoning. “This is the property up on the screen that’s proposed for the zone change,” Jacobson said, and he described the requested change as returning the property to a district compatible with surrounding highway business zoning on Bear River Drive.

Council members emphasized reuse of long-vacant land. Council Member Linn moved to approve Ordinance 25-01 on second reading; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote without recorded opposition.

Council discussion clarified terms of the proposed occupancy. Jacobson and the clerk confirmed the city’s deal with the prospective tenant is a lease with an option to purchase. The lease term is five years with multiple renewal options; the option to purchase is exercisable at five-year intervals during the lease/renewal periods. The council also noted the parcel was identified as having historical associations in roughly 2004–2005, but there is no record in the meeting transcript of a state or federal historic designation or protections for the site. Jacobson said he would research and provide any additional historic-designation information requested by council members.

The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the application and recommended approval unanimously at its Jan. 6 meeting, Jacobson said. No amendments to the ordinance were made at second reading and the council approved the rezoning.

The ordinance returns the site to a commercial zoning category intended to allow retail uses and enables AGN LLC to proceed under the lease/option terms already described by staff. Further details about site plan, building permits, or business licensing will be handled in subsequent staff processes.