The Planning Commission has approved a special use permit for the Eddy Project, a proposed container park/beer garden on the vacant lot on Sierra and Island Avenue/Riverwalk, located next to Riverside Artist Lofts. The vote was 6-to-1 in favor, after a loooooong discussion.
Though there was fierce public opposition from neighboring businesses and residents, both from the Montage and Riverside Artist Lofts, centering around noise and odors...the planning commission attached just two conditions/amendments to the approval. One reduces the hours of operation to 10 pm on Thursdays instead of midnight, and the other involves changing proposed 6-foot wood fencing along Sierra Street to wrought iron fencing and something more decorative, while also coming to compromises on how the project opens up to the Riverwalk area. These included adding windows to the containers that face the Riverwalk, so people can see through them into the commons area, and also altering part of the design so fencing swings open and opens up the corner of Sierra and the Riverwalk.
The Planning Commission's decisions were limited to discussing the square footage of the project compared to the actual suggested use of the land, and the other being if the project actually fits in the plan of the neighborhood. That's why their conditions/amendment were regarding operations and aesthetics.
This essentially clears the way for them to begin construction.
Glad it's actually going through. It's a shame that Wild River Grille is afraid of competition. The more people downtown, the more money being pumped into the area and the surrounding restaurants, too. Hopefully construction begins soon and we can enjoy this at some point this summer.