Plan commission approves conditional use for Frank Price ice cream shop; sign approved subject to size adjustment

The East Troy Plan Commission voted to recommend Village Board approval of a conditional use permit for a restaurant and indoor-entertainment use at 2885 Main Street, the proposed location for Frank Price’s ice-cream and candy shop.

Commission staff described the proposed use as an ice-cream shop and candy store that would also serve as a licensed commissary for a separate food cart or previously used food-truck operation. Staff said the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection issues food-service permits and that Mr. Price had initiated that review process.

The commission approved the conditional use subject to the conditions in the draft conditional-use order included in the meeting packet.

Signage review and size condition After the conditional-use vote, the commission considered a separate application from Frank Price for wall signage at the same 2885 Main Street location. Staff explained that village code measures signage by drawing a bounding box around all sign elements; the applicant’s mock-up measured about 29 square feet under a simplified reading but could exceed the 30-square-foot allowance once the required bounding box and empty space are measured.

Mr. Price told the commission the tenant space is approximately 620 square feet and that interior seating would be minimal; he said his current mobile operation is a food cart rather than a permanently sited truck. On the sign, Mr. Price said he was willing to scale the design down to comply.

The commission voted to approve the sign application subject to Mr. Price working with the building inspector to reduce the sign size or otherwise ensure the final installed sign meets the village code. Commissioners also asked staff to determine whether a formal exception process existed if the sign could not be scaled to comply with the ordinance.

Context and next steps Staff noted that sidewalk or outdoor seating would require a separate permit and Village Board approval for sidewalk dining. If Mr. Price or the commission wants a permanent food-truck location on public property, that would require a separate licensing route; the village’s temporary-use rules apply to private-property food carts and to event-based truck licenses.

The commission’s recommendation on the conditional use and the signage will be forwarded to the Village Board for final action.