By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
A group of concerned Whitewater citizens are not planning to welcome a local restaurateur into the neighborhood.
City officials are in the process of reviewing a rezoning request from applicant Tyler Salisbery, who is seeking approval to convert a parcel at 319 W. James St. from multi-family residence to central business district use.
If given permission to do so, Salisbery – operator of the downtown eatery known as The Black Sheep – plans to use the property to open a second restaurant, Casual Joe’s 2. Salisbery already operates a restaurant known as Casual Joe’s in Wausau.
“We like the idea of (Casual Joe’s 2) being in a neighborhood because we want it to be a quaint place,” Salisbery said earlier this month as he came before the city Plan and Architectural Review Commission with his proposal.
But commissioners had a bevy of concerns associated with Salisbery’s proposal, and nearby residents had similar sentiments. No action was taken at the most recent meeting as city staff were directed to look into some of the neighbors’ concerns.
Further updates are anticipated at the next Plan and Architectural Review Commission meeting in November.
Don Wescott lives along West Ann Street, near the parcel, with his family and implored commissioners to deliberate carefully as a final decision is sought.
“One of the reasons we bought our house is because it’s so darn quiet,” Wescott said. “But (the proposed restaurant) is too darn close to me. It’s going to change the nature of the neighborhood.”
Wescott, who recently held a family function at The Black Sheep, had words of praise for Salisbery.
“Tyler is as nice a guy as anyone you’ll find in this community,” Wescott said. “But I can’t go along with this. I’m sorry.”
Not all of the speakers were opposed to Salisbery’s plans. Kathleen Fleming, president of the Whitewater Tourism Council, said she believed Salisbery’s plans would be a positive to the local economy.
“I think this would be a great addition,” said Fleming, who operates the nearby Hamilton House Bed and Breakfast in Whitewater. “I think this is something that could be a great asset to the community and add to the tourism.”
During their reviews of Salisbery’s proposed operations plan, commissioners raked him over the coals on a number of issues, including proposed hours that would extend to 2 a.m. weeknights and 2:30 a.m. on the weekends.
No formal action was taken, but several commissioners had reservations about the closing hours. Council member Lynn Binnie, who serves on the commission, went so far as to say, “I can’t support it.”
The closing time was an issue raised by several residents as well. In response, Salisbery said, “I didn’t want for this to be a point of contention. I was just trying to use what I learned in business school.”
Salisbery is positioning Casual Joe’s 2 as a compliment to The Black Sheep. While the latter is one of the city’s more upscale restaurants, Salisbery said Casual Joe’s 2 is designed to provide a more relaxed atmosphere with a variety of sandwiches, salads and lighter fare.
Early this year, Salisbery and several of his teammates toured a large section of the country and learned about different barbecue techniques. Some of the principles learned have been incorporated into Casual Joe’s in Wausau and would be replicated in Whitewater if plans move forward.
