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New Ulm council approves conditional use permit for indoor recreation at downtown site
Summary
The New Ulm City Council unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing Christie Luce to operate indoor commercial entertainment and recreation uses at 120 Third North Street and 318–326 North Valley Street, with seven conditions including recording the CUP and separating shared utility services within two years.
The New Ulm City Council on Nov. 4 unanimously approved a conditional use permit that will allow indoor commercial entertainment and recreation uses at two adjacent buildings downtown, clearing the way for owner‑applicant Christie Luce to offer children’s classes, play space and rentable party space.
Planning staff presented the application and the council adopted the permit with seven staff conditions. Planning staff said the combined interior space for the new use totals 17,568 square feet and will share building occupancy with existing sports groups, including the New Ulm Basketball Association and the dance group Just for Kicks. Staff estimated the site provides 54 parking stalls between the two main buildings and an additional 35 stalls on a north lot, for a total of 90 parking stalls; the city’s code requires 71 spaces.
The conditions imposed by the council require the property owner to record the CUP with the Brown County recorder’s office, confine all business activities to the existing buildings, comply with the city’s noise regulations in section 8.08 of the City Code, remove debris and garbage generated by site activities, prohibit exterior storage, ensure that permitted and conditional uses do not run simultaneously in the same interior space, and resolve a utility service issue by terminating shared water and sewer service and providing separate service to the affected parcels within two years or having the city terminate and assess the costs back to the properties.
Planning staff explained that the zoning allows certain sports and health facility activities as permitted uses and allows indoor commercial entertainment/recreation uses by conditional use permit; the city’s interpretation requires one use per individual space but allows different permitted uses to operate simultaneously in separate spaces. Council questions focused on how the building would be divided and whether activities such as a dance class could occur at the same time as a sport in a separate area; planning staff said the building will be divided into multiple activity areas to accommodate separate uses.
A council member praised the proposal as meeting a clear local need. After a motion and second, Director Jorgensen conducted a roll call; Councilors Christians, Warmka, Schmitz, Mack and President Becker voted in favor and the measure carried.
The permit approval allows the business to proceed under the seven conditions; staff noted enforcement will follow existing code procedures if conditions are violated.
