“Eatery seeks outdoor dining OK”

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Eatery seeks outdoor dining OK Posted: 11 Oct 2010 06:42 PM PDT October 11, 2010 For about 15 years, customers of the Grecian Kitchen have been asking the restaurant owners for the chance to eat their meals outside in nice weather. Owners Harry and Chris Eikosidekas are finally listening to them by applying for a special use permit for outdoor dining at their eatery at 3938 Dempster St. The Skokie Plan Commission, with two members absent, unanimously recommended granting the permit at its meeting last week. The Village Board will have the final say in a vote at an upcoming meeting. All restaurant outdoor dining requests in the village currently require a special use permit, which means that cases go before the Plan Commission and then the Village Board for final approval. Commissioner Lawrence Stasica last week suggested that cases where restaurants seek outdoor dining might be better handled "administratively" if they are routine and there is no opposition. While such a change will be considered, Community Development Director Peter Peyer said, he noted there tends to be more resident opposition with outdoor dining requests. Skokie Planner Carrie Halberstich in her report to the board said that outdoor dining requires a special use permit "due to the potential adverse impact on the immediate neighborhood and the village as whole." "It requires a greater degree of scrutiny and review of site characteristics, operation of the use and impacts to determine its suitability in a given location," she said. But no residents spoke out last week against the owners' plan for outdoor dining at the Grecian Kitchen. The owners said they are not planning on making any changes to the appearance of the building. There is no needed additional parking for the few outdoor tables to be added because currently 16 parking spaces are required and the restaurant has 21, officials said. The only new conditions for outdoor dining at Grecian Kitchen include some new bicycle parking and landscaping. Village trustees recently approved amendments to the village code regarding outdoor dining after the Plan Commission this summer reviewed changes. The changes to the code include greater or more clarification on restrictions regarding outdoor dining among other things. Village planners want to balance the economic development needs of businesses and the desire of neighbors for protection from noise and lighting that often come with al fresco dining. Peyer said the village favors more outdoor dining under the right circumstances and conditions. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php Five Filters featured article: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

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