ZBA grants Tacos El Jefe temporary extension at 1261 Portage, conditioned on site‑plan application

The Kalamazoo Zoning Board of Appeals on July 10 approved a time‑limited variance allowing a food trailer operated as Tacos El Jefe to continue selling food at 1261 Portage Street through Dec. 15, 2025, conditioned on the operator submitting a site‑plan review application within 45 days.

Claudio Velasquez, the food‑trailer owner, was represented at the meeting by Sergio Correa, who translated. Correa said Velasquez hoped to extend the temporary operating period to continue working with the adjacent store owner and to transition toward opening a permanent restaurant on the property.

City staff described the request as a variance from the ordinance’s 30‑day per‑calendar‑year limit on temporary commercial sales on a commercial property (appendix A, chapter 4, section 4.3(j)(7) as cited in the application). Staff said the property is commercially zoned and that the trailer’s proposed placement was out of maneuvering lanes; staff reported sufficient parking would remain for customers and employees. Because site‑plan review can take two to three months in some cases, staff recommended granting the temporary extension while requiring that the site‑plan review application be submitted within 45 days so the project enters the formal review pipeline.

The board conducted the required finding‑of‑fact procedures, recorded that 63 notices were mailed with zero written responses, and heard no public testimony. On a roll call, members present voted to approve the time‑limited variance with the 45‑day site‑plan application condition. The motion carried; staff will monitor submission of the site‑plan materials and advise the applicant of any outstanding checklist items.

Approved action details: ZBA 25‑07‑12 approved a temporary sales variance (food trailer) to operate from 07/11/2025 to 12/15/2025, conditioned on submitting a site plan review application within 45 days.