Antioch planning board continues review of Brock’s Backyard restaurant and outdoor patio, asks for photometric plan and parking agreement

The Antioch Planning & Zoning Board on a motion continued consideration of a special-use and site-plan request for Brock’s Backyard, a proposed barbecue restaurant, sports bar and entertainment venue at 453 Main Street Unit A, to its June 4 meeting after commissioners sought more information on parking, lighting and noise mitigation.

Staff described the proposal as a multi-tenant use in an M-1-zoned building that already contains a consumer-cannabis tenant. The applicant—Pour N Play Entertainment LLC—proposes to lease roughly 4,800 square feet for the restaurant and to add an outdoor eating and drinking patio of about 1,200 square feet on the north side of the building. Howard, the staff presenter, said the prior cannabis approval was granted in 2023 and the building was constructed in 2024.

“The patio area will be roughly 60 by 20 feet,” Howard said during his staff presentation and explained that the special-use application triggers a site-plan review because the project adds outdoor seating, alters parking and requires a new trash enclosure shared by tenants.

Commissioners focused on parking math, circulation and off-site impacts. Using the village’s off-street-parking schedule, staff calculated the restaurant would generate about 36 parking spaces and the existing dispensary about 16, putting the combined demand at roughly 52 spaces; staff said 48 spaces currently exist on the property as shown in the submitted plans. A property representative told the board there are roughly 40 additional spaces available on adjacent parcels to the south and rear that could serve as overflow parking.

Commissioners said they would need documentation if the applicant intends to rely on off-site or shared parking. The board asked that the applicant provide a notarized shared-parking agreement from the property owner if those stalls are to be counted toward the proposal’s required parking.

Lighting and noise also prompted multiple requests for additional information. Commissioners asked for an updated photometric plan showing proposed wall packs, pole or building-mounted fixtures and foot-candle levels at property lines so they could evaluate potential off-site glare and compliance with the village’s dark-sky preferences. Several members also requested patio-elevation drawings and details about barriers (bollards, fencing or gates) to protect patrons from adjacent vehicle circulation.

Madison George, who identified herself as the project manager for the restaurant, told the board that the music area would be inside the garage-door space and that doors could be closed if noise became an issue. “The music space would be inside those garage doors,” George said, adding that there would be no space for live music outside on the patio as proposed.

A nearby resident, Scott (270 Lakewood), urged the board to prioritize noise controls, telling commissioners that sound from the site currently “echoes through those woods” and that residents will hear live music late into the night if mitigation is not required.

With those concerns unresolved, a board member moved to continue both the special use and the site plan to the June 4 Planning & Zoning meeting at 7 p.m.; the board approved the continuance by roll call. The board’s continuation request listed the photometric plan, patio design and elevations, details on barriers for patron safety, and a notarized overflow-parking agreement as required follow-ups.

Next steps: The applicant is to submit the photometric layout, patio elevations (including fencing or bollards), and the written/ notarial shared-parking agreement; staff will circulate those materials to commissioners and the village’s department reviewers before the June 4 meeting.