The Effingham Plan Commission recommended to provide a special use permit for the construction of a storage facility at 2304 Hoffman Drive at their meeting Tuesday night. The property is currently owned by the Effingham Bible Church who is looking to sell it to John Beckman to construct a mini-warehouse on the site.
The site plan for the facility was approved earlier in the meeting with several conditions, namely that the property be dust free and that a buffer of some type be installed in between the facility and residences on the east side. The “dust free” condition means that the facility must have some kind of solid surface such as concrete or asphalt instead of gravel.
The petition to allow the special use permit was submitted by Effingham Bible Church President Chris Shimboff, who expressed that selling the property would be chance for both parties to prosper. Beckman also testified on Tuesday in favor of the rezoning, but objected to the dust free condition stating that it placed an “undue burden” on his operation. City Attorney Tracy Willenborg informed Mr. Beckman that he would need to resubmit his site plan, after consulting with city officials, otherwise the dust free condition would remain part of the plan. Head of Public Works Steve Miller pointed out that being dust free was not simply a recommendation, but a requirement for building in that location by city statute.
The commission also voted to approve a public petition submitted by the City of Effingham to vacate a portion of Vulcan Drive located within a fenced-in property owned by Dial & Dial. The vacation will turn the maintenance of that portion of the road over to the property owners. Plan Commission Member David Storm referred to vacation as “cleaning up” up the area.
In other action the Plan Commission approved site plans for a Medical Office Building at 900,904 West Temple, a project lowering an ally by Goeckner Brothers on Fayette, and a new ATM lane at Dieterich Bank at 300 Sur Woods Drive.