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Neighbors press planning commission to preserve grocery at Nineteenth Avenue corner as commissioners defer decision
Summary
A conditional‑use request to convert a longtime convenience/grocery on 201 Nineteenth Avenue to a restaurant prompted dozens of speakers; seniors and church parishioners urged denial to protect neighborhood grocery access while some residents supported change; the commission voted to continue the matter to Dec. 13 with an intent‑to‑deny motion carried 4‑2.
A contentious hearing over a conditional‑use application to convert a neighborhood grocery at 201 Nineteenth Avenue into a restaurant drew more than 40 public speakers, with the Planning Commission announcing an intent to deny and continuing the item for further work.
Planner David Weisglass explained the applicant sought authorization to change an LCU grocery store to a restaurant in an RM‑1 district; staff received multiple emails, a petition of opposition and letters citing concerns about traffic, odors, rodents and loss of grocery access. The project had also gone through the community business priority processing program.
Local residents, parishioners of the adjacent Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church, seniors and families testified that the corner market provides essential services — groceries, dairy and late‑hour access — especially for older and less mobile neighbors. “This store is a major benefit to our local community,” said Charlie Thompson, who lives two doors down. Multiple speakers emphasized that other nearby markets are farther away and that a restaurant would not serve the same daily household needs.
The applicant’s architect argued that the existing storefront was in disrepair and that the proposed restaurant operator intended to renovate the property and better activate the corner. Supporters said the current operator sometimes lacks resources to upgrade the building and that a restaurant could improve the storefront character.
Commissioners split along competing priorities: several expressed concern about approving a change that would displace a community grocery and set a precedent on corridors with shrinking retail; others cited the high vacancy rate in some nearby corridors and the difficulty of finding tenants. After deliberation the commission adopted a motion of intent to deny and continued the item to Dec. 13 to give staff and the applicant time to respond to objections; the motion passed 4‑2 (Commissioners Fong and Coppell opposed).
