Plan commission defers conditional-use review for Beta Credit Union bank after design concerns

The Kenosha City Plan Commission on Thursday deferred a conditional-use review for a proposed 2,600-square-foot Beta Credit Union building with a drive-through at 471870 Fifth Street, citing substantial concerns about the building—s design and compatibility with adjacent development.

City planning staff characterized the item as a standard conditional-use review with the commission—s role to establish conditions of approval and then return the item for final action after publication and a follow-up hearing. The architect for the project told the commission staff comments prompted several elevation changes and said the rear of the building referred to as a "24 hour drive out" is in fact a night depository; the architect described proposed façade changes, additional windows and brick accents as revisions made in response to staff feedback.

Several commissioners and the mayor expressed strong reservations about the proposal. Commissioners said the rear and side facades looked plain and compared the appearance to a storage or "pole barn" structure rather than a commercial bank. Multiple members recommended additional masonry and articulation, suggested substituting the pitched roof with a more commercial roofline and asked the applicant to add visual interest, such as real or faux windows and wrapped brick, to the sides and rear.

Commissioners noted the site will be part of a series of buildings along a frontage drive and said a pitched roof would be out of character with the adjoining properties; one commissioner said that "everything literally hinges from the roof" and encouraged the applicant to rethink the roof form to achieve a unified business center appearance.

Staff advised that the commission could either establish conditions tonight for the applicant to satisfy on return, or defer the item so the applicant can produce revised plans for the next hearing. Given the number and substance of design concerns, the commission voted to defer the item for roughly 30 days to allow the applicant and staff to revise the design and return with updated plans. The motion to defer passed by voice vote with the chair voting aye.

Staff said a future hearing will present updated elevations and that the commission can add specific return conditions if it prefers to establish them before the final vote. The record shows no formal approval or denial; the matter was continued for further design revisions.