Belleville council approves Casey’s liquor license, residents warn of traffic and privacy impacts

Belleville — The City Council on Feb. 2 approved a special use permit allowing Casey’s Retail Company to operate a convenience store with a Class C liquor license at 1801 Lebanon Avenue and 2430 Old Collinsville Road, a commercial corner in Ward 1 that neighbors say is unsafe for additional traffic.

Members voted to grant the liquor-license use after the zoning board of appeals recommended approval 6–0. The roll call on the council motion recorded 12 ayes and 3 nos, and the motion carried.

Why it matters: Several nearby residents told the council they fear the proposal will lower property values, worsen an already dangerous intersection and erode neighborhood privacy. Patrick Gall said the new business would “measurably” reduce his property value, raise privacy concerns and increase traffic that could lead to injuries. Naomi Brunner, who lives across from the site, said the intersection is “already a very dangerous intersection,” noting times when students from Belleville East pass through and worrying about an additional driveway and security lighting.

Alderperson Elmore, speaking in opposition, cited a high number of crashes at the intersection over the past year, railroad tracks that impede multiple legs of the intersection and neighborhood requests for a taller privacy fence; Elmore said neighbors had asked for “two more feet on the privacy fence” beyond the six feet in the approved plan and urged the council to “do what’s best for residents.”

City staff and council members responded that the project had been through site-plan review and planning commission scrutiny and that the zoning code allows a six-foot fence by right. City planning staff told the council that a condition requiring an eight-foot fence would effectively be a variance because the code limits fences to six feet; they also noted that the liquor-license decision is a separate permitting step that traditionally does not include fence-height variances. Alderperson Whitaker and other members said the property is zoned C-2 commercial and could host other high-traffic uses by right if the special use were denied.

What passed: The council approved the special use permit and liquor-license request as presented. The roll call showed recorded no votes from Alderperson Bridal, Alderperson O’Brien and Alderperson Elmore; remaining members voted aye and the motion carried.

Next steps: With the council’s approval, Casey’s may proceed to obtain final permits and building approvals required by the city. Any change to fence height would require a separate variance or site-plan amendment under the city’s zoning code.

Sources: Public comments from Patrick Gall and Naomi Brunner; remarks from Alderperson Elmore and Alderperson Whitaker; city planning staff explanation of fence-height limits and the zoning board of appeals recommendation (all recorded in the council transcript).