Davenport zoning board approves O Brothers' wholesale expansion at 3885 Elmore Avenue

Davenport — The Davenport Zoning Board of Adjustment on April 23 approved Special Use SU 26-03, permitting O Brothers LLC to expand its wholesale operation at 3885 Elmore Avenue, the chair said.

Staff presented the item, saying a March change to the zoning code now requires wholesale uses in the C3 district to undergo special-use review. Scott Koops of the Department of Neighborhood Services told the board that the site has operated as wholesale prior to 2019 and that the applicant proposes an addition while continuing the existing wholesale operation. Koops said staff found the proposal meets special-use criteria, is compatible with adjacent land uses and is in accordance with approval standards, and recommended approval subject to four conditions.

Attorney Tom Pastrnak, representing the petitioner, told the board the business has long operated at the site and seeks to expand now that wholesale was reintroduced in the C3 district. "We obviously meet those criteria," Pastrnak said, adding the addition will be connected to the existing building and maintain the same design and use.

Owner Jeff Ryan confirmed product types will not change and described the expansion as an increase in footprint rather than a change in operations. "We have about 50 employees now, and there won't be much increase," Ryan said. He also said parking exceeds requirements.

Koops outlined the staff-recommended conditions: (1) the submitted site plan is binding; (2) the extent and type of wholesale items sold at the property be limited to those consistent with North American Industry Classification System code NAICS 4236 (household appliances and related merchants wholesale) to avoid hazardous or incompatible wholesale types; (3) a full site plan review must be approved through the city's e-plan system before construction, allowing engineering and other divisions to review detailed plans; and (4) if complaints arise for noncompliance, a hearing will be held under the zoning code. Staff noted it sent notices within 200 feet of the property and received no comments or emails.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the change in code. Koops said wholesale had been removed from the C3 district in a 2019 code update and reinstated in March, which is why the special-use review was required following the proposed addition. The applicant and staff agreed the proposed expansion would continue the existing wholesale use.

A board member moved to approve SU 26-03 with the four conditions; another member seconded. Roll call votes were recorded as: Carlson — yes; Crawford — yes; Gallagher — yes; Klefstad — yes; Darling — yes; and the chair recorded a yes vote as well. The motion passed.

The board congratulated the applicants and adjourned the meeting.

Notes on numeric details: during the hearing the applicant and staff described the proposed addition both as "220 by 240" feet and elsewhere the transcript contains the figure "852,800 sq ft." The product of 220 by 240 feet is 52,800 square feet; the transcript's two different size figures are inconsistent and are noted here as reported in the record.