Belleville to review building plans for Johnny’s

A site plan for remodeling of Johnny’s on the Lake restaurant on High Street is expected to be on Feb. 12 agenda of the Belleville Planning Commission.
Interim city manager Steve Jones told the commission at its Jan. 8 meeting that Johnny’s had a fire on its ramp a couple of months ago. Owners thought they would just rebuild, but they changed their minds and now want to remodel
He said they plan multiple levels of seating. They will be building up, not out, and it will really change the look of Johnny’s from the lake, he said.
Jones said it will be a three-tiered dining space on the water and, “It should be nice. It will be a place to hold events on the lake.”
The fire reportedly had started on the dock and went up the ramp to the deck.
In other business at the 50-minute meeting on Jan. 8, the commission:
• Re-elected Jim Courage as commission chairman and Julie Kissel as vice-chairperson for 2026. Kissel is also city council representative to the commission. She chaired the Jan. 8 meeting because Courage was absent;
• Heard Kissel remind commissioners of the 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, meeting of the tri-community planning commissions in the Belleville High School Commons (cafeteria). Members of the planning commissions from Belleville, Sumpter, and Van Buren have agreed to meet together regularly to discuss mutual activities and plans. The meeting is open to the public;
• Was informed the 120-page City Master Plan, on which the planning commission has been working for months, has been approved for distribution by the city council. After review and comments for 63 days by residents, entities, nearby communities and others, it will be back on the commission agenda on March 12 for a public hearing and then recommendation to the city council for approval. Paper copies are to be available for study at the Belleville Area District Library and city hall and also will be on the city website;
• Discussed other projects to work on now that their work on the Master Plan is almost complete. Kissel presented a draft copy of text and a map that explains in detail the boundaries of the three communities, since people often don’t know where they really live with a 48111 address. It could be put in Van Buren Today magazine, the city newletter, and other place, she said;
• Heard Jones report that work on North Liberty is due to begin the week of Jan. 19 and each resident involved will be personally notified with letters put on their doors. He said Scott Jones’ property at Third and Main will be used to stage the work. They will work from Doane’s Landing toward E. Huron River Dr. and there will be directional boring. The main line will be laid and new lines put in to each house. It will take a couple of months until completion, if all goes well, Jones said. Then Al’s Asphalt will come in and mill and cap the street. Jones said then, the public will have “a new water line and a nice, fresh street”;
• Heard commissioner John Juriga ask about progress on the new water meters. Jones replied that they are down to the final 50-75 to replace and these are because there are special issues, like a broken stop box, stop boxes under cement, or can’t locate the stop box. He said there was a problem at the high school, on Owen Street, and some businesses. He said the new water meters are functioning and residents can use the ion-App to see their water use in real time and backwards and this is very, very accurate;
• Heard Kissel report that a city clerk noticed that water was continuing to run at the fire hall and a toilet was discovered running. Kissel said they put in a new toilet and this one is ADA-compliant;
• Heard commissioner Raytheon Martin ask about activity at the Bayou Grill. Jones said he doesn’t know for sure what is going on there, but on Facebook it seems they are looking for someone to operate it. Jones said the property owner hasn’t contacted the city, but is actively marketing it;
• Heard Jones report that the bank stabilization at Horizon Park will include some terracing and will start at the end of August or September, after Music in the Park is done for the season. Juriga asked if they will plant grass for Music in the Park this year. Jones said the city cut down a bad tree and it’s hard to grow grass under a big tree. He said the Downtown Development Authority’s geese mitigation program is working, so they probably will do that for another year;
• Learned the TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) federal grant has been approved by SEMCOG for the city to improve areas on Main Street for pedestrians. Jones said a SEMCOG team was in town to study the downtown when there was a farmers market and car show and then the electricity went out and the team was able to see what that was like and put that in their survey;
• Heard Jones suggest the commission look at updating the city’s sign ordinance. He said it was last updated five years ago and there is new technology to consider now. He said other cities and states use a platform in the parking lane for outdoor seating for restaurants. “We know they are popular and that they work,” Jones said;
• Learned the shopping center at the bridge now has all of its units filled. Juriga wanted to know if anyone was working to attract new businesses. Jones said anybody can do that and usually it’s the property owners. He said a new bridal shop is in place at the Masonic Temple and another bridal shop is across the street in the shopping center. He said there is a staffing company where Bruders used to be and Crafted has remodeled so there is a lot of seating and it is heavily used on weekends. He said a haircut place opened in the other unit of the former antique shop and it has access from the rear parking lot. Also, Davenport Brothers is working on a new site plan for multi-family residential property between the Co-op and the veterinarian on Sumpter Road. Davenport’s site plan was approved in 2023 and now it has lapsed. They are planning something different, Jones said;
• Heard Becky Hasen compliment the looks of the former hardware store now owned by the DDA. She especially liked the new murals and the holiday lights. She also asked about the empty CVS store and Jones said they have signs up but there is no movement. Hasen also said she does not get the city newsletter because it is sent out with the water bill she doesn’t get a water bill. Jones said they hadn’t thought of that and will put the newsletter online; and
• Heard Jones report that there was a water main valve that needed repair on Edison Street at West Columbia Avenue and you could see the water coming up. He said emergency repairs are being done that night by a DPW crew.