It's often a bit of a gamble negotiating the busy parking lot at the Kroger store in Pekin.
Now it appears there will be actual gambling inside the store.
The Pekin City Council on Monday approved a zoning change from B-1 Local Business to B-3 General Business requested by Kroger for the store at 1607 Broadway St.
The rezoning will allow Kroger to install up to six video gaming terminals inside the store.
"The only reason Kroger asked for the rezoning is for the terminals," said Nic Maquet, Pekin's chief building official.
The terminals won't be located in Kroger's produce section or with the dairy products. They'll be tucked away in an area near the liquor department that will partitioned off and have age-restriction signage.
Shoppers must be at least age 21 to enter the video gaming area, which will have food available and other amenities.
Kroger officials said in their rezoning request that store personnel and cameras will provide security in the video gaming area.
In addition to the gaming terminals, there will be a redemption terminal and possibly an ATM.
No store services will be impacted by the video gaming area and no changes will be made to the store's exterior, according to Kroger officials.
Property owners within 150 feet of the store were sent a letter notifying them of Kroger's rezoning request and giving them an opportunity to speak at a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.
Maquet said one member of the public spoke at the ZBA meeting and was critical of the number of video gaming terminals in the city, not the rezoning request.
"No other negative feedback from the public has been received," Maquet said.
The ZBA unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning.
The council's vote for the rezoning was 6-1, with Rick Hilst dissenting.
Adding video gaming to stores is a statewide Kroger initiative.
Pekin Mayor Mary Burress, who visited a Kroger location with video gaming in the Chicago area with council member Karen Hohimer, said she was impressed with the setup.
Maquet said other Pekin grocery stores are considering adding a video gaming area.
Data centers and shooting ranges now have a place to go
In other action Monday during the 3 1/2-hour council meeting:
- Council unanimously approved zoning code changes in response to recent development opportunities. The changes make data centers a principal use in the B-3 General Business District and I-1 Light Industrial District, and allow indoor and outdoor shooting ranges in the Ag-Agricultural District as a special use, indoor shooting ranges as a special use in the B-3 District, and indoor and outdoor shooting ranges in the I-1 District. Shooting ranges must adhere to federal and state requirements regarding licensing, distances from residential areas, schools, daycares, etc.
- Council unanimously approved the sale of city-owned vacant lots at 1025 and 327 Park Ave., to William and Janice Heaver for fair market value prices of $17,537 and $8,768, respectively. After new homes are built on the lots, city staff estimates each will generate $2,000-$3,000 in annual property taxes, of which the city will get about 10%.
- Council unanimously approved a request by Mary Jo Brundrette, owner of the Lutticken property that's being purchased by the city, to name a future residential street north of the lake Brunswick Court in honor of her family.
- Council unanimously approved hiring Hanson Professional Services of Peoria as the engineering consultant for a roof replacement project at the Pekin Municipal Airport. The city expects to receive $150,000 in federal Airport Improvement Program funding for the project, with a 2.5% local share of the total cost of the project required.
- Council approved the purchase of a new 2025 47X Western Star Single Axel Dump Truck/Snow Plow from Truck Centers of Morton for $217,666 to add to the Street Department's salt truck fleet. There are 16 vehicles in the fleet with an average age of 13 years. The vote was 5-1-1, with Hilst dissenting and council member Dave Nutter abstaining because a family member works in the department.
- Council voted unanimously to table until its June 23 meeting a proposal by Arndt Municipal Support of Charleston to help the city develop a strategic plan, and organize a leadership retreat and council orientation for $18,700. Council members wanted more information about the proposal. Council member Jake Fletcher said he thought some part of the work could be done in-house.
Council members' business properties are no longer in TIF district
These TIF-related items were on the council agenda Monday:
- Business properties owned by newly elected council members Jake Fletcher and Peg Phillips were removed from the Court Street TIF District at Fletcher's and Phillips' request so they can participate in TIF votes. The council vote on Fletcher's and Phillips' request was 5-0-2, with Fletcher and Phillips abstaining.
- Council approved the first TIF residential renovation program agreement. Dan Steinbach will receive up to $50,000 or 50% of TIF-eligible project costs for a vacant and dilapidated home at 211 Davis St., that will become Steinbach's primary residence. There are consequences if the home is sold within five years after Steinbach receives the TIF money, and the home can't be converted into rental property or a non-residential use for five years after receiving the TIF money. The vote was 6-1, with Rick Hilst dissenting.
- Council unanimously rejected a TIF funding agreement for E3 Collision at 215 N. Third St., that could have paid out as much as $824,000 over 10 years. In addition to the amount of money that could have gone to E3 Collision, council members didn't want to approve a TIF agreement for a project that has been completed. Council will consider a ban on TIF funding for completed projects at its June 23 meeting.
City takes aim at neighborhood eyesores
With $400,000 allocated in TIF and Business Development District funds for new projects this fiscal year, Economic Development Director Josh Wray wanted to get ideas Monday on how the council wanted the funds to be used, so he presented a spending plan.
Council approved the plan 5-2 after rejecting by a 5-2 vote a proposal by council member Rick Hilst to allocate $100,000 to the Derby Street fire station for renovation work and $300,000 for the next phase of the Derby Street road rehabilitation project, estimated to cost $12 million.
Council member Dave Nutter and Hilst voted against Wray's plan and for the Derby Street work.
Council member John Abel liked the $50,000 allocated for demolitions of blighted buildings.
"We've got some eyesores in neighborhoods. I'm always hearing about them," he said.
Council member Karen Hohimer advocated for the new residential renovation TIF program, which was allocated $100,000.
Winter averaging, residential ground-mounted solar array permit moratorium up for discussion
Winter averaging on residents' wastewater bills, a moratorium on permits for residential ground-mounted solar arrays, council's recent vote to discontinue its long-time tourism and marketing partnership with Discover Peoria, and the city's refuse hauler license fee were up for discussion Monday by the council.
Tweaks to the winter averaging program will be brought back to the council. An opt in/opt out option will not be included in the tweaks because of the amount of staff time that would be needed.
Wastewater bills are based on the amount of water used. With winter averaging, the average amount used at an owner-occupied property from November through April or the actual water used, whichever is lower, is used to bill the property owner during the other months.
Council will decide at a future meeting between lifting the residential ground-mounted solar array permit moratorium before its scheduled end date in October, or adding approval of a special use to get a permit. The Zoning Board of Appeals will study the two options and make a recommendation.
Council will discuss the city's funding options with Discover Peoria, and the city's $1,000 annual refuse hauler license fee (up this fiscal year from $250) at future meetings.
Mayoral appointments to boards approved
These appointments by Mayor Mary Burress were approved Monday by the council:
- Airport Advisory Commission: Steve Huey (chairperson) and Todd Thompson.
- Beautification Committee: Jacob Brisbin (chairperson), Kendra McDaniels, Tanya Swearingen, Charity Gullett, Shannon Sandoval.
- Zoning Board of Appeals: Don Hild (chairperson), Mary Lanane, Kim Joesting, Amy Wilson.
- Library Board: Gary Gillis, Larry Spialek, Maureen Naughtin.
- Tourism Committee: Lelonie Luft (chairperson), Emily Lambe, Melanie Matthews, Chris Dunn, Cindy Galyean, Amy McCoy, Shawn Powers.
- Board of Fire and Police Commissioners: Edward Mulvey.
- Liquor Commission: Lt. Robert Jones (deputy local liquor commissioner).
- Traffic Safety Committee: Carson Smith (citizen representative).
Also Monday, Burress appointed Economic Development Director Josh Wray to the board of trustees that administers the city's fire pension fund. Council approved was not required for Wray's appointment.
