April 7, 2025 Zoning Board Minutes

CITY OF EAST DUBUQUE
ZONING BOARD MEETING
261 Sinsinawa Avenue
East Dubuque, IL 61025
Monday
April 7, 2025
5:00 p.m.

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

    I.    Call to Order
    A.    Roll Call / City Clerk Pam McCarthy
Brad Burgmeier, Jesse Hosch, Paul Largent, Dave Lechnir, Robin Pearson, Deb Redmon and Justin Taylor
    B.    Establishment of Quorum / Chairperson Dave Lechnir
Quorum established
    II.    Procedures
    A.    Reading of the Legal Notice / Chairperson Dave Lechnir
    B.    Explanation of Hearing Procedures and Order of Business / Chairperson Dave Lechnir
    C.    Presentation from Rezoning Applicant – Clayton Degenhardt
Initial intention was to remodel the property and sell it. Was approached by an East Dubuque guy who is a professional electrician who wants to buy the property to make as his home base for his shop. This would then mean taking the house down and building a new commercial building. 
    III.    Questions & Comments
    A.    Members of the Zoning Board
What kind of structure are you talking about.    Think it is going to be a metal building similar to the ones that are already down in the flats. 
Is that going to take all the property meaning the whole lot.    Could put a bigger building up so not going to use the full lot. 
Asked to make sure that he has considered all the setbacks on the lot with his building.   He will need to be ten feet from other buildings and in the back lot and make sure there is room for sidewalks. The building application would be a separate process from the zoning. The City Manager approves the building application and makes sure that all is according to code.
It is in a residential area and there has to be someplace else this building could go.    It is in a mixed-use area. It is obvious not all residential areas down there. There are 108 homes currently down there with only three current buildings used as businesses. 
Is there anything else available in a commercial zone area that they could build instead.    Not aware. 
Will the building primarily be for storage, equipment or office.    Just looking for contractor space which would be them coming in the morning to get their stuff for the day and then at the end of the day. Not going to be like a Doller General where people are going in and out all day. Just trying to get away for renting. Sometimes not even at the place for a week or so. Storage is to have a place for your equipment and tools. Yes. 
Right now it is only one vehicle that would be stopping there. But not saying that he would not grow. But these vehicles would go directly to the job site instead of stopping at the home base and then going to the job site.
    B.    Public Comments in Favor of the Request
None  
    C.    Public Comments Opposed to the Request
Tom Thies 510 Menominee – Cannot have heavy trucks on 5th Street. I want to keep it in a neighborhood.
Maggie Fleming 464 Wyota – Talked with neighbors around the area and they do not want to have it rezoned. 
Dawn Stelpflug 538 Montgomery – There are houses being built and that people are making their areas a neighborhood. Wants property to stay residential.
Dave Joos 515 Wyota – He is against the rezoning.
Jim Obrien 495 Desoto – Do not want to look at a business from his windows and worried about traffic.
    D.    Final Comments from Zoning Board
Afraid of what will happen in the future if it is rezoned. 
There is work being done on houses down in the flats and wondering what this will do for the homes in this area.
    IV.    Staff Report & Recommendations from Zoning Administrator
    A.    Findings of Fact / City Manager Bob Seitz
City Manager Bob Seitz – Knows that when things like this happens it becomes personal. He wants to express how much he appreciates what these two gentlemen are doing in investing in East Dubuque. That everyone that came up and spoke said they supported the investing in East Dubuque.
Happy coming to a point that we don’t have any more vagrancy, theft and drug use that went on for years in that house. Happy that we are coming to a point where Clayton has made an investment regardless of what that is. This has been a threat to our children the last five to six years.
Went through code to make sure he is showing that what is happening on this property would be a good thing instead of what it was. 
Recommendation in favor of Rezoning 496 Desoto Ave to Commercial from Residential.
    B.    Discussion and Possible Action on Recommendation to City Council
    i.    Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Rezoning Application for Clayton Degenhardt at 
496 Desoto Ave in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois
Motion by Robin Pearson to Recommend to City Council for Rezoning Application for Clayton Degenhardt at 496 Desoto Ave second by Deb Redmon     ROLL CALL: Ayes – Jesse Hosch and Justin Taylor    Nays – Paul Largent, Dave Lechnir, Robin Pearson and Deb Redmon    Abstain – Brad Burgmeier   Motion not carried
    V.    Other Business
None
 
    VI.    Adjournment
End Time: 5:52 p.m.
Motion by Justin Taylor to Adjourn second by Deb Redmon     ROLL CALL: Ayes – Brad Burgmeier, Jesse Hosch, Paul Largent, Dave Lechnir, Robin Pearson, Deb Redmon and Justin Taylor    Motion carried

Pam McCarthy
City Clerk, East Dubuque