Plan Commission Recommends Golden Fields Development Amendment

Effingham City Plan Commissioners Tuesday voted to recommend the City Council approved a site plan amendment for Golden Fields Development off Charlotte Street.

The proposal is to include fewer duplexes and more single-family residences than was first planned. 

Two residents to the north, John Kingery and Steve Evans, had concerns over storm water drainage and increased traffic onto Charlotte Street as the development grows. One of the partners in the project, local realtor Jeff Speer, said provisions are being made to address such concerns.

The Commission recommended Council approval of a special use permit for Rural Med to locate their ambulance service in a former retail space at 1100 West Wabash, and recommended approval of a rezoning for property at 101 West Evergreen to limited office and retail district. Dr. April Ritz would like to locate her office in the building on the southwest corner of Evergreen and 4th. 

Commission members also recommended the Council grant a special use permit for Menard, which wants to expand to the south at their current location. To accommodate Menard's project, we at Premier Broadcasting are willing to relocate our KJ Country tower. The site considered last night for our tower is along Althoff Drive, south and east of Legacy Harley Davidson. Legacy owner Paul Gutman shared concerns over the project, but the recommendation by the Commmission to grant the special use permit was unanimous. 

The Plan Commission recommended the Council approve a plat of Green Meadows Subdivision, which would accommodate the Grunloh Construction office building and their adjacent yard and storage building. A site plan of an addition to Grunloh's warehouse was approved, as was a site plan for Ginger Ale's, a restaurant to be developed at 302 South Walnut. The facility would sell soft drinks and breakfast sandwiches and would be a drive-thru only operation.