Damakant Jayshi
Residents spoke out Tuesday against a proposed outdoor dining area at a new west-side establishment in Wausau, citing concerns over parking and noise in the neighborhood.
Westsider Diner & Lounge owner Tyler Vogt is seeking a conditional use permit for outdoor commercial entertainment at the site, which is at the corner of Quaw and North Third Avenue. Vogt spoke to the Plan Commission to request the permit for Westsider, 628 North Third Ave., which lies in an urban mixed use area.
Assistant City Planner Andrew Lynch’s memo shared at the Plan Commission’s hearing on the proposal notes that outdoor commercial entertainment “often have the potential to be associated with nuisances related to noise, lighting, dust, trash, and late operating hours.”
Neighbors outlined their concerns during Tuesday’s public hearing.
“I have lived there for almost 15 years and I like it because it is quiet in our neighborhood, we have kids,” one resident, who lives on North Fourth Avenue, said. “I don’t want to be hearing live music every weekend for the rest of my life.”
She asked Plan Commission members how they would feel if outdoor entertainment was presented in their neighborhood.
Another resident raised concerns about parking, noting that North Fourth Avenue was recently narrowed.
“If there is parking on both sides (of the street), you can get only one car down the road,” she said. She also said the additional traffic and parking could present safety concerns for children riding bikes in the area, and said many residents were unaware of the proposal due to the short timeline given between public notice and hearing dates.
She requested the Plan Commission either reconstruct parking or limit the capacity of the outdoor diner.
Vogt said the dining space would not have live music. He said the application is called an “entertainment license” because that’s how it describes eating and drinking. The Westsider does not have a license for live music either indoors or out.
“The neighborhood does not need to worry that there would be live music playing outside,” Vogt told the Plan Commission. As for the parking, he said, there are between 50 and 60 parking spots within a block of the diner, excluding the parking spots in front of homes.
The diner’s hours of operation will expand beginning mid-July, beginning at 7 a.m. and closing at midnight, Vogt said in response to a question from Alder Sarah Watson. The current hours are 11 a.m. to midnight, Tuesday through Sunday. The business owner also said he is open to closing the outdoor dining area before 9 p.m., the closing time for such activities.
In May, Vogt told Wausau Pilot & Review that the space was far from perfect, yet ideal for the project he envisioned the minute he walked through the door. He recently purchased the 100-year-old building and renovated the interior and exterior before opening the new space.
The outdoor dining area could accommodate almost 40 people when in full capacity. Eight tables for four people and three tables for two have been proposed.
City Planner Brad Lenz said the current issue before the commission is outdoor dining, while parking is a separate issue. Live music entertainment would involve a separate application and process.
As required by law, the Plan Commission will hold another meeting on the proposal, on July 18, by which time a staff report will be available for commission members. If the commission approves, the proposal will head to the Wausau City Council for consideration.
