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Shabbona board denies main-floor hotel rooms at 104 West Comanche, approves basement rooms with safety conditions
Summary
After public testimony and a staff reading of fire-code concerns, the board voted not to recommend converting a storefront into a main-floor hotel room but approved adding basement sleeping rooms contingent on reopening a second staircase and meeting international building and fire codes.
The Shabbona Zoning Board voted March 5 not to recommend a variance to add hotel rooms on the main floor at 104 West Comanche but voted to recommend basement hotel rooms with conditions tied to life-safety requirements.
Applicant Kellen Welsh told the board the hotel has been successful and requested permission to convert a front-room on the main floor into a bedroom immediately and to pursue basement rooms later: "The hotel has been a success... I would like the ability to add more rooms." Welsh also said he plans to provide some parking on his property.
Board members raised repeated concerns about limited downtown parking and the loss of street-facing commercial storefronts if the main floor were converted to lodging. Staff read a submitted comment that summarized code requirements: plan review will address occupancy classification, emergency escape and rescue openings for basement sleeping rooms, sprinkler and alarm systems, and other International Building Code/International Fire Code items.
On the formal recommendations, the board conducted roll-call votes. The board voted not to recommend the main-floor variance; later, by a 4–2 roll-call vote, the board recommended adding basement rooms provided the second (blocked) staircase is reopened and all applicable building and fire codes are met during plan review.
The board recorded findings of fact, discussed whether hardship was unique to the property, and noted parking as a significant neighborhood concern. Staff emphasized that ADA and full plan-review issues would be resolved during permitting and fire-department review.
