Commission approves covered deck for Buggy Works; owner says deck will use five parking stalls

The Monroe Plan Commission approved a conditional-use permit allowing Buggy Works to construct a covered outdoor deck that will provide direct access from the restaurant's dining floor.

Property owner Rex Ewald told commissioners the deck would measure about 51 feet, 3 inches by 16.5 feet and would occupy five angled parking stalls. He said the Monroe Professional Center owns additional parking across 18th Avenue with 21 stalls, and that he did not expect the project to create a net parking shortage: “The deck... would occupy 5 stalls,” Ewald said, noting typical occupancy of the site is well under capacity.

Commissioners asked about deliveries and emergency access. The applicant said deliveries use the alley to the west and that semis are not authorized to pull through his private parking; he had not separately consulted the fire department about the deck. Staff said fire-department review is typically part of the building-permit stage rather than the conditional-use review. The Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the project earlier in the day and approved it pending planning commission action.

A motion to approve the conditional-use permit was made and seconded; the clerk recorded a roll-call vote and the motion passed unanimously. The approval is subject to the conditions set out in the planning packet and routine building-permit review, which will include any fire-department or engineering requirements.