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BMZA tentatively approves retail goods conditional use at 1531 Locust Street
Summary
The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals voted to adopt Planning Department findings and tentatively approved a conditional use to operate a neighborhood retail goods establishment at 1531 Locust Street; the applicant said the store will not sell alcohol or tobacco and will operate roughly 8 a.m.–6–7 p.m.
The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals voted on June 16 to adopt the Department of Planning’s findings and tentatively approve a conditional use to operate a neighborhood commercial retail goods establishment at 1531 Locust Street.
Planning staff told the board the two‑story structure has a documented history of nonresidential use, with city records showing prior permits for a laundromat and a shoe store. Planning recommended approval, and the chair proposed adopting those findings at the hearing.
Attorney Jason D'Amore presented the application for the petitioner and said the family that owns the property rebuilt the structure after immigrating to the United States and has kept it vacant in recent years. He said the proposed retail use does not include alcohol or tobacco sales and that exhibit records submitted with the application document prior commercial permits.
A witness who was sworn and provided his name in the record as Andrew Hudema said the intended hours of operation would be roughly 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., possibly until 7:00 p.m., that there is no kitchen on site and no prepared‑food service, and that the interior will be leased as a “vanilla box.” Board members asked operational questions and confirmed no kitchen, and the applicant confirmed prior demolition and a demo permit for removal of an old kitchen fixture.
The chair and board members indicated unanimous support at the hearing. The board noted that the vote at the hearing is preliminary: by law the board must issue a written resolution with findings that will be drafted and emailed to the applicant and those who signed in.
The board’s action follows planning’s recommendation and hinges on documentation of prior nonresidential use and the applicant’s representation that the use will comply with neighborhood commercial limitations on alcohol and tobacco sales.
