OCONTO – Elizabeth “Liddy” Hearley’s Men’s Shop received Oconto City Council’s approval to sell packaged liquor, but not serve it, while council members passed several ordinance revisions limiting the number of accessory buildings allowed on a parcel.
Hearley, who spoke before council members at the Oct. 15 meeting, said, in response to a clarifying question, she won’t serve liquor at her men’s boutique. The idea is to offer high-end packaged whiskey and bourbon starting at about $50 a bottle. The store also sells men’s wear, such as pants, belts, wallets, ties, grooming items and gifts. “The main reason I want a liquor license is I’d like to be able to handle some high-end whiskey, bourbon and maybe some brandy,” she said before the council.
As the daughter of the owner of three Oconto shops – The Shop on Main coffee shop at 821 Main St., the Candy Shop at 1029 Main St., and the Pet Store at 1034 Main St. – Hearley grew up around retail but is new to owning a shop, she said.
The decision to open a men’s shop was “a family decision,” based on what was needed in Oconto, she told a reporter in a phone interview. Hearley said she pursued the liquor license based on interest from potential customers. “I think it will be a really huge step for my store,” she said.
In a separate item, the council passed an ordinance revision upping the fee for renewal liquor license applications to $150 when the applications are late and requiring a special council meeting to approve them.
Oconto property owners considering putting their vehicles, grills, lawn mowers, bicycles and other equipment in a yard shelter should be aware of ordinance revisions limiting the number of accessory buildings on a parcel to two, and a tent counts.
Mayor Clint Martin cast a tie-breaking vote to pass the Zoning Ordinance revision to increase the number of accessory buildings allowed to two from one, with Bob LeBreck, Lori Stenstrup and Darrell Anderson opposing the revisions and Dee Donlevy, Riley Sowle and Dan Zoeller favoring them. The accessory structures are limited to 21 feet in height and permits are required.
Other ordinance revisions related to accessory structures passed with little opposition.
Some of the changes taking effect with ordinance revisions are:
Residential property owners may apply for city permits for a tent or shed to be erected in the back or to the side of the house, not the front.
Accessory structures are prohibited from taking up more than 30% of the yard, said City Administrator Brittney Burruel.
Shipping container accessory buildings are prohibited for properties zoned residential, multifamily or situated in a mobile home or recreational district.
Commercial property owners are limited to six-month tent permits, and tents must be enclosed on all four sides. Tarps aren’t allowed.
Property owners of empty lots can apply for permits to store equipment in an accessory structure of 350 square feet or less and no more than 12 feet in height.
In a public hearing held immediately before the council meeting started, council members discussed the ordinance revisions, with Lori Stenstrup asking, “What is the reason for this ordinance?”
Over 70 residents were under ordinance violations related to accessory structures, said Superintendent of Public Works Jeremy Wusterbarth said.
“Everyone was putting these multiple storm sheds up,” without getting permits, he said. Others had invested in them and wanted to be sure they would be able to keep them, he said.
“The problem was there was a lot of these aluminum framed storage tents,” said Council Member Riley Sowle. “Those storage tents are now going to count as an accessory building. Whoever has these little tarps for hiding their lawn mowers, that’s going to count as an accessory building.”
The city wants equipment to be in a structure, not scattered in the yard, Wusterbarth said. The ordinance revisions require property owners to keep the accessory structures maintained.
In other actions, the city council passed an ordinance allowing for the creation of a Tourism Commission and ironed out the sticking point that had stalled the ordinance’s passage. While the council had discussed allowing the Commission to spend up to $10,000 without council approval, this wasn’t supported at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 8 (See related story).
The council passed, by a vote of four to two, the ordinance with the $3,000 spending limit before council approval is required. Council members Bob LeBreck, Darrell Anderson, Lori Stenstrup and Dan Zoeller voted in favor and Dee Donlevy and Riley Sowle opposed this action item.
In other items receiving scant discussion, the council approved Holy Trinity Catholic Parish’s application for a Temporary Class B Retailer’s License for its annual fall auction scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9.
It also approved a parking restriction during school hours on Superior Avenue from Quincy Street to Memorial Drive, banning parking there from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The council approved an Enterprise fleet vehicle contract, the September accounts payable of $420,873 and other financial reports. It approved a pay request for the Spies Road Project to KCG Construction.
A planning meeting for Winter Wonderland was tentatively set for Oct. 24 at 6 p.m.
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