Belleville planners to amend ordinance to help small business proposal

After a lengthy discussion at its May 9 meeting, the Belleville Planning Commission decided to seek amendment of the B-1 zoning district to allow small gatherings at a photography studio.
Jessica Koweck of Van Buren Township owns and runs Mae Ann Photography at 204 E. Columbia Ave. in the Davenport Plaza that also holds the Secretary of State.
On Feb. 15, she applied to the city for permission to use her studio for small gatherings, under 50 people, for baby showers, weddings showers, birthday parties and other events where people would bring in their own food.
That was denied because banquet halls are not listed in B-1 zoning. She was told to apply for a special land use request, but that would stay with the property after she left and the planners weren’t in favor of that.
Jill Baum, the city’s planning consultant from Giffels Webster, said if the ordinance were changed it would apply to all of the B-1 zoning.
After considering its options the commission decided to amend the B-1 ordinance to apply to all banquet facilities under 2,500 feet, with conditions.
A June 13 public hearing on the amendment was set by the commission with a vote for that night. Then a recommendation to approve would be sent on to the city council for action at its June 17 meeting. It would go into effect in 30 days.
Koweck said it’s been three months since she applied. She said she wants to do baby showers and other small events.
She said she remodeled her shop and, “It’s beautiful. People can come in, bring their own food…” She said there will not be wild parties.
She said she is now PTO president at Savage Elementary School and they are getting their 501c3 nonprofit designation for fundraising. She said she can’t bring kids to the other restaurants in town because of the liquor served there.
The commission also heard a presentation by Baum on the Master Plan. After discussion, commission chairman Michael Hawkins directed everyone to review the 2006 Master Plan and proposals for changes by Baum that she submitted to them. He said they can decide which of the three proposed options to follow at the next meeting.
Assistant city manager Steve Jones, who served as planning commission chairman for many years, said the commission had some refreshes to the Master Plan over the years but didn’t change anything. They went with Clear Zoning in 2013 but everything else was done in-house.
Jones said they have three options: Decide if they want a wholesale revision, change less than 50%, or, “Hey, we like all it it” and just make minor updates.
Baum said she could update the demographics, discuss goals and objectives, and come up with any “conflicts.”
“I don’t think you need a lot changed, but maybe option #2,” she said. She suggested some public participation, such as a survey or a booth at a public event.
According to the 2020 census and estimates since then, the population is stabile, but getting older, she said, adding that is true across the country that there is an aging population. But there is a decrease of population per household and the city might need more, smaller households, she said.