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Council tables railcar-repair permit after applicant loses customer; approves mill lot variances and several local licenses
Summary
After the railcar-repair applicant said its customer pulled out, the council tabled the interim-use permit and directed staff to close or revisit the matter; the council approved variances for a mill lot split and granted two local liquor licenses.
The New Prague City Council on April 7 tabled an interim-use permit request for railcar repair by Cypress Rail and New Preg Mill LLC after the applicant said it no longer had a customer and would not move forward.
Planning staff briefed the council on the land-use history and the planning commission’s recommendation to approve the interim use permit with a two-phase, time-limited approach (a first phase with landscaping, fencing and removal of outbuildings, and a second phase addressing paving). Planning staff said they had recommended denial because the proposed uses do not fit the newly adopted downtown-flex future land-use designation and because of likely noise and nuisance issues. Applicant Bill Gibson told the council that, because of delays and conditions discussed at the planning commission, his customer located elsewhere and the business will not locate in New Prague; Gibson asked council to close the matter. The council voted to table the interim-use-permit item to allow staff and the city attorney to administratively close or otherwise resolve the application.
Separately, the council approved variances requested by New Preg Mill LLC to allow a lot split of the mill building that requires 0 lot-line setbacks on the north property line, a reduced minimum lot width (requested 76 feet), and a higher building coverage for the newly created lot (63% vs. typical 40% in the I‑1 district). Planning staff and the planning commission had recommended approval to allow the lot split needed to separate the newer warehouse/loading-dock portion of the building.
Council also opened and closed two public hearings and approved an on-sale intoxicating and Sunday liquor license for the BRAZ event venue at 212 W. Main St. and a consumption-and-display license for Lafitte Royale (408 W. Main St.). No public commenters addressed these liquor-license items during the hearings.
What’s next: Staff will consult with the city attorney and applicant to properly withdraw or table the railcar-repair permit and will return any necessary paperwork to planning commission or council; engineered conditions attached to the mill variances will be enforced through zoning conditions and any associated permits.
