Zoning change irks Catholic bookstore owner

From today's Kenosha News:

http://www.kenoshanews.com/article_comments/view_comments.php?articleNum=2668614

Pleasant Prairie move narrows future options for property

By Denise Lockwood PLEASANT PRAIRIE - The owner of a Catholic bookstore is upset because village officials want to change the zoning for his property. Wesley Ricchio, owner of Holy Family Catholic Bookstore, 9249 Old Green Bay Road, bought his property in 2002 in an area zoned to attract a variety of businesses. But in a 5-2 vote Monday, the Pleasant Prairie Plan Commission approved a proposal that would change Ricchio's zoning from one that allows a variety of businesses (B-2) to an institutional land use (I-1), which had recently been changed to also include religious book stores, medical clinics, banks, as well as institutional uses. John Braig and Donald L. Hackbarth cast the dissenting vote. If the Village Board approves the ordinance, it would bring the future use of the property in line with the village's comprehensive land use plan, which, per state law, has to be in place by 2010 and it would keep out any potential adult book stores.

But it would also restrict the types of businesses that could potentially move in if Ricchio were to sell. Even someone wanting to sell children's books need to get permission from the village to operate there. "The zoning change will have a negative impact on my property," he said. "The B-2 zoning offers more potential uses because it allows for more potential buyers." Some Plan Commission members had troubles with the decision, saying they "didn't feel right" about making the change, but staff lobbied for the change because the area would not be consistently zoned. Jan (sic) Werbie, the community development director for the village, said the property should have been included in an areawide rezoning, but it was an oversight that needed to be corrected. "We wanted to make sure that we were developing a certain type of character for this particular area of the community with respect to the other uses," she said. Werbie referred to the heavy residential area that surrounds the area, which did not want to see an adult bookstore going in, which would be an allowed use under the current zoning. She also told the Plan Commission that the land use plan changed because the village didn't want several large tracts of land serving as business districts that would be competing with one another. And that concerns Ricchio because the comprehensive land use plan in 2002 called for the area to be a business use." I understand their motive ... but my concern is that these land use plans keep changing," Ricchio said. "If they are so changeable, then what's to stop them from changing it nine years from now? "Ricchio lobbied to have the B-2 zoning when he purchased the property and even sunk $200,000 into the property between the land acquisition costs and updating the property at the request of village and state officials. Hackbarth asked if a business could move in that didn't fit the institutional use, if the zoning could be changed back to a business use. Werbie said staff would not recommend a zoning change. However, if a business similar to the Catholic bookstore would come forward, officials could evaluate that.

Your Comments

This proves it ... another GOOD reason for not living in PP.
hollydrMarch 11 - 02:04:01

Another example of Village is always right and you're wrong even when the Village changes their mind. Nobody has a backbone anymore and is willing to step out of their protective shell. Why not let him have his B2 with restrictions? Jean (not Jan) Werbie herself said that she can overrule and consider something else so why bother changing? I don't buy their reasoning. No exceptions? Anyone hear of a variance? The Village constantly allows variances from the procedures. This person followed the rules and then the Village changed them. This was the Village's mistake but they want a law abiding citizen who followed their rules to pay for it. Sound familiar? I'm sure this is a future lawsuit and you'll be seeing a lot more against the Village real soon.sov