At its first meeting of 2026 the Elgin Planning & Zoning Commission approved petition 29‑24, allowing Crystal Enterprises LLC—owner of Beef Villa Restaurant—to keep an existing refuse collection area in a street yard at 1055 Dundee Avenue by constructing a 6‑foot masonry enclosure and wood gates. The motion passed on a 5‑2 roll call vote.

City planning staff told the commission the triangular property is about 6,200 square feet with a roughly 900‑square‑foot, one‑story commercial building. Under the city’s zoning rules a refuse collection area ordinarily must be located in a rear yard and be enclosed by a 6‑foot masonry wall matching the building; this property has no rear yard and the existing dumpsters sit in a street yard. Staff told commissioners the owner seeks site design variations under the zoning code (staff cited sections of the code in the packet) and recommended approval, with conditions listed in the commission packet.

During the hearing staff said the dumpsters have been present for “many, many years” but were never lawfully established on the plans or by permit, and a code enforcement officer recently cited the property. Staff described the proposed enclosure as a split‑face CMU block painted light gray to match the building, with wood gates facing Liberty Street; the applicant also proposes landscaping including three 6‑foot evergreen trees and shrubs to reduce the enclosure’s visual impact.

Scott Richmond, attorney for Crystal Enterprises, said the owner, Scott Evanson, was present and described the CMU block as a compromise solution. Richmond said the fire department requested double brick on the backside because of the enclosure’s proximity to the building to reduce fire risk. “This is a less expensive alternative,” Richmond said, noting the city had issued a citation and the enclosure is the owner’s response.

Commissioner Tamir Jones (listed on the record as Commissioner Jones) pressed staff on the history and fairness of enforcement, asking why a long‑operating business was now required to conform. After the vote Jones said, “I just feel in my heart that a business that has been there for 55 years… we should be thankful and appreciative,” and voiced concern the requirement could be burdensome to a small, long‑standing local business. Staff replied that while the city had different practices in the past, current code standards require enclosed refuse areas for commercial properties and that the variance process is the mechanism to bring older sites into conformance.

On the technical points staff said, per the zoning ordinance, only a 4‑foot open‑design fence or a 3‑foot solid wall is allowed by right in a street yard; the applicant’s request for a 6‑foot masonry enclosure therefore requires a variance. Commissioners asked whether TIF funds or façade grants could be used; staff said TIF funds can be used only for public improvements and that existing facade grant programs did not extend to this location and would not apply to a refuse enclosure.

The commission’s roll call on the motion to approve read: Abowale — Yes; Olsen — Yes; Bosque — Yes; Gaska — Yes; Jones — No; Veil — Yes; Chair — No. The motion carried 5–2. After the vote the chair thanked the applicant and staff and said city staff would follow up on implementation details and conditions listed in the commission packet.

The commission also summarized pending development items: the temple project at 890 Gulf Boulevard is scheduled for city council review Jan. 14, and the next Planning & Zoning meeting will likely include a proposed elementary school at 850 North Grove and several other projects.

What happens next: because the Planning & Zoning Commission is the determining body for this variance, the approval as adopted by the commission allows the enclosure subject to the packet conditions; staff will contact the applicant to coordinate permit implementation and any required inspections.