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Owner of The Grove asks Poplar Grove board for time to meet hood requirement; hearing recessed to April 22
Summary
Owner Katie Lund and representatives asked the board for more time to address a kitchen hood/makeup-air requirement. The board recessed the building-code hearing to April 22, 2026, after a contractor proposed a temporary makeup-air solution that would not meet the temperature specification.
The Poplar Grove Village Board recessed a hearing on The Grove restaurant’s appeal of a building-code requirement to April 22, 2026, after the restaurant’s owner and representatives asked for additional time to comply.
Karen Hobbs, representing the owners, told the board that "health department plans without a hood system have already been approved." She said the owner, Katie, has made substantial structural repairs and sought time to complete the remaining work to meet code. Owner Katie Lund emphasized her ties to the community and asked the board for an opportunity to finish repairs and reopen the restaurant as a local gathering place.
Cindi Lengiak Bemis, the incoming manager, described the restaurant’s local economic role and asked for an opportunity to generate revenue before incurring the full cost of a makeup-air installation. Contractor Mark Buckner of Rockford Heating and Air proposed "a temporary unheated makeup air system to mechanically balance pressure, addressing primary safety concerns, though it would not meet the temperature requirement." The board did not adopt a provisional compliance plan at the meeting.
Trustee David Allgood moved to recess the hearing until April 22, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.; Admin Chairman Owen Costanza seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote and the meeting recessed at 7:22 p.m. The board will resume the appeal at the April 22 meeting, when parties may present updated plans or documentation.
