ROCHELLE — An easement agreement for a downtown business was approved at Monday night’s Rochelle City Council meeting.
Council members approved an easement agreement with MECEN, LLC, an Illinois Limited Liability Company located at the Artists’ Garden, to install a deck and stairway located in Page Park – city owned property – to the south of the building located at 407 Lincoln Highway. The deck and stairway will allow access to the Acres Café that will be opening in 2020.
The easement agreement is for a period of 30 years with an option for two 10 year extensions. MECEN, LLC will construct and maintain the deck and stairway in accordance with all applicable City Building and Fire Codes.
The deck will step out to the south of the building into Page Park.
“Page Park is 22 feet wide, they are asking for 10 feet so you’ll have 10 feet left over,” city building inspector Geoff Starr said.
“It won’t close it off?” councilman Bil Hayes asked.
“From what I see, there’s green space there now and it shouldn’t even interfere with where the walk is now,” Starr said.
“Not to look at doom and destruction but if the business was to terminate is there anything to say that gets removed?” councilman Dan McDermott asked of the proposed deck.
“This agreement goes with the property,” community development director Michelle Pease explained.

“If there’s inactivity or nonuse for a year, the letter of credit in the agreement that if there’s not use after a year...one year of inactivity, hopefully that won’t happen, but that’s why a letter of credit is going to be posted, and if so, the city can remove it without expense,” city attorney Dominick Lanzito explained.
The only concern expressed for the project was from council member John Gruben pertaining to safety.
“In the corner, as you look east, from downtown, that is a blind spot. What I mean by blind spot, I’m talking from police surveillance, if they go down the alley they won’t be able to see who is into the corner. And as you go down downtown area you’re actually looking downgrade. So that’s a blind spot,” Gruben said. “My question’s this. Does the need outweigh the change we’re going to make to the park or are there other alternatives? I do know there was an existing staircase there that is being torn down now and I thought that was fairly manageable.”
There’s a part of me that says… this is a part of Rochelle, it’s a part of who we are, who we’ve always been, and we’re putting a possible eyesore, popping it up, because it does go pretty much halfway across and I know we’ve got a light pole there that’s going to have to be moved, and I know the city drain is right there, but I’m all in favor of it. I want everyone to know that. I think it’s phenomenal. I really do. And I’m a huge supporter of that. I just don’t want what I’m saying right now to negate any of those thoughts.”
The City of Rochelle took ownership of the area now known as Page Park in the 1990s.
“That has been a part of Rochelle since 1990s is all when they made Page Park… I think there’s a lot of options that will help us facilitate this going in… if we can make this lady’s business work for her, because if hers works then maybe the next person will look at and say ‘hey, I want to jump into this too,’” councilman Tom McDermott said.
“We want to enhance the park, our whole concept is that that will be part of the environment. There will be greenery on it, it will enhance the park it will look nice there will be fantastic lighting,” business owner Teresa Petry explained. “My brother and I… all we want to do is enhance that area. The back entrance, we had our whole plan for that back entrance but it will not work since we’re restoring that. The back entrance would have gone too far out into the alley so in order to have the business in order to have it the way we want to do it, that’s our entrance. But it’s ultimately your decision.”
Petry added that the stairway will be see-through, helping with the security issue Gruben addressed as well as security on the building. She also explained that the deck space would allow for approximately seating of 8 at the most.
Council members approved the easement 7-0.
Liquor license amendment
A Class U liquor license amendment was also established Monday night.
Recently, The Artists’ Garden, located at 407 Lincoln Highway, submitted an application for a Class U liquor license in order to allow for the specific permit allowing for patrons of the business to consume beer or wine only on the premises.
“Class U licenses shall authorize a licensee of an arts and entertainment studio to permit consumption of beer and wine only, brought on the premises of an arts and entertainment studio by a patron 21 years of age or older for personal consumption or for personal consumption of other patrons who are 21 years of age or older,” city clerk Sue Messer said Monday night.
The Artists’ Garden occasionally hosts painting nights and would like to incorporate the popular themed ‘sip-n-paint’ theme, allowing for patrons to bring wine or beer to the painting class.
“The consumption of beer and wine is restricted to licensed premises. Such consumption shall be limited to members of a group assembled on the premises for the purpose of attending arts and crafts classes offered by an arts and entertainment studio,” Messer explained of the license.
The amendment to the Class U liquor license specifies no more than one 750-milliliter bottle of wine per patron or no more than 36 ounces of beer per patron (unopened) shall be permitted to be brought into the premises. The sale of beer, wine, spirits, and all other types of alcohol to patrons of the licensed premises shall be prohibited. No package sales will be permitted.
The ordinance includes a $200 license fee.