East Dundee commission recommends special-use permit for amplified live music at East Side Cafe

On July 10, 2025, the East Dundee Planning, Zoning and Historic Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Village Board approve a special-use permit allowing amplified live performances at the East Side Cafe, 311A Barrington Avenue.

Franco, a staff member who presented the application in the applicant’s absence, said the owner (identified in the record as Kate) is seeking permission to host a guitarist using an amplified electric guitar — a change that triggers the village’s live-entertainment special-use requirement. "The applicant, Kate, is the operator and owner of East Side Cafe, and she is requesting a special use permit to host a guitarist with an amplified guitar instead of an acoustic guitar," Franco said.

The commission discussed the proposed schedule, which staff said would be limited in practice (staff relayed the applicant’s plan as, for example, "once a month on Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 2 to 5, and only once a month on Friday evenings from 6 to 9"). Commissioners compared that schedule with the village noise ordinance and existing local practice; several members noted that nearby businesses already host live music.

Commissioners reviewed the village noise regulation aloud during the meeting. As read into the record: "In all zoning districts, the operation of any radio, phonograph, microphone, musical instrument, television, loudspeaker, sound amplifier ... between the hours of 10:30 P.M. and 7 A.M., Sunday through Thursday, and between the hours of 11 P.M. and 7 A.M., Friday and Saturday" is not permitted. The commission’s discussion centered on whether to keep the packet’s more conservative time restriction or to rely on section 93.11 of the code as the enforceable limit.

A commissioner moved to amend the recommendation by removing the packet’s Section 5 time restriction to allow the special-use recommendation to rely on the village noise ordinance; the amendment was seconded and approved. The commission then voted to recommend Village Board approval of the special-use permit with that amendment. The recorded votes during the meeting were: Commissioner Krueger — yes; Commissioner Feck — yes; Commissioner Stenek — yes; Commissioner Reyes Brauger — yes; Commissioner Myers — yes; Chair Brunner — yes.

The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Village Board for final action. Because the applicant was not present, the commission recorded conditions in the packet and a conservative set of restrictions that it said could be modified by the Board if necessary.