Two Rivers’ Plan Commission sent two items to the City Council: a re-issued drive‑through permit for Starbucks tied to a new property owner, and a rewritten fence setback rule meant to be clearer. Commissioners also started work on possible billboard limits and tougher, more standardized conditions for future conditional-use permits.
Key Decisions
Starbucks’ drive‑through permit at 1509 Washington St. was recommended for approval again because the property is changing owners and the old permit was tied to the prior owner. This keeps the existing site plan in place but makes clear that future changes would need another review.
Commissioners recommended a fence setback ordinance update after staff paused the earlier version to add more changes. The rewrite is aimed at making front/side/rear yard fence rules easier to understand and enforce—something that affects a lot of everyday property projects.
The commission began discussing whether to tighten billboard rules (including requiring a permit for new billboards while letting existing ones stay) and asked staff to bring back more research. This is an early signal the city may be moving toward stricter sign controls, including questions about electronic billboards.
Public Input
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
Agenda Items
Request to amend a Conditional Use Permit for Starbucks located at 1509 Washington Street, for the operation of a drive through, submitted by FrontView REIT (owner).
Passed 7-0
The commission recommended approval of an updated drive‑through permit for Starbucks because the property is changing ownership and the earlier approval was tied to a specific owner. The site plan stays the same, and the minutes emphasize that any future changes to the site or how it operates would require another permit change. This is a good example of how city approvals can be written in a way that doesn’t automatically transfer when ownership changes—creating extra steps even when nothing physical is changing.
Review of the proposed ordinance to amend Municipal Code Section 10-1-15 I (3), entitled “Height and Area Exceptions” to regulate fence setbacks in the front, side, and rear yard areas.
Passed 7-0
The commission recommended approval of a revised fence setback ordinance after staff stopped the earlier approval track to make additional changes. This version expands beyond front-yard fences to also address side and rear yards, with the stated goal of making the rules clearer for residents and enforcement. The process note matters: the city is acknowledging the earlier language still wasn’t ready, which is better than pushing confusing rules through—but it also shows how often residents end up living with shifting interpretations until the wording is nailed down.
Discussion of a possible ordinance amendment to regulate the erection of billboard signage, based on the recommendation of the City Manager and Police Chief.
Commissioners discussed whether the city should limit new billboards by requiring a conditional-use permit, while allowing existing billboards to remain. They specifically talked about differences like traditional versus electronic billboards and sign size, and there was mixed interest—some seeing value in the information billboards can carry, others wanting limits. Staff is expected to research options and bring the topic back, so residents who care about visual clutter, traffic distraction, or business advertising should watch for a draft proposal next.
Discussion of updated conditions to the conveyance of Conditional Use Permits.
The commission and staff discussed creating a more general, standardized list of conditions that can be attached to conditional-use permits going forward. The stated goal is more protection and making permits fit current needs, rather than reinventing conditions case-by-case. Staff plans to bring back a more developed list, which could quietly change how strict (or flexible) future permits are for businesses and property owners.
Discussion of a possible rezoning request to residential and land division for 3204 Lincoln Avenue (Owned by Renew Church Inc).
Commissioners discussed a potential request to rezone 3204 Lincoln Ave. to residential and split the land into lots. The minutes say the board was in favor of changing the lots to residential, but no formal action is recorded here. If this comes back as an official rezoning, residents should look for details on lot sizes, access, and how it fits with nearby uses before it moves forward.