The Effingham Plan Commission voted to vacate a portion of East Section Avenue Tuesday night as part of the ongoing process of building the new police station. As part of the vacation, East Section Avenue between 3rd and 2nd Street would be closed to through traffic to make room for more parking for both city employees and the new police station. However, property owners to the south would maintain entrance and exit rights after the vacation, and in turn, would the allow public use of said entrances to access police station parking. City Engineer Jeremy Heuerman said the City’s goal is to have as much parking at new station as possible.
The site plan for the 26,457 square foot station was also approved at Tuesday’s meeting. The new facility will build just a few feet south of where the current station stands. The Effingham Police Department has temporarily moved into Effingham City Hall for the duration of the demolition of the old station and construction of the new one.
The Plan Commission also approved the site plan for the new Koerner distribution center which is set to be constructed in the Effingham Industrial Park on the corner of S. Raney Street and Pike Avenue. The new 183,250 square foot distribution center and office space will have 16 loading docks. The area is already zoned for industrial development.
Also approved at Tuesday’s meeting was a petition to rezone a property at 404 Oak Street. The property is currently zoned for single family residences, but with the Plan Commission’s recommendation, it will be rezoned for multi-family use. The property owner, Scott Conant, said that he plans to install apartment buildings on the property. The property immediately to the south already has an apartment building owned by Conant. An additional petition that was also approved at the meeting that vacates the small alley that separates the two properties. Conant said the goal is build three apartment buildings that each house six units on the property. The site plan for the apartment complex was also approved subject to a variance that would allow for a smaller rear setback from the adjacent property. The proposed buildings would only have 16 feet of clearance when 25 feet is specified in city code.