TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
title
Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit to Allow a Resale Boutique Within an Existing Tenant Space, Located at 124 N. Ottawa Street (ZBA 2026-30)
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BACKGROUND:
The applicant, Savanna Wilhelmi, is requesting a Special Use Permit to allow a resale boutique within an existing tenant space located at 124 N. Ottawa Street. The City requires a Special Use Permit for businesses where the majority of the merchandise is second-hand.
The four-story brick building sits at the southeast corner of Ottawa and Clinton Streets on a ¼ acre lot. The circa 1909 mixed use building was built for Hobbs’ family who ran the Hobbs Hotel for many years, after which it became known as the Hotel Plaza. The proposed business will occupy one ground floor tenant space in this building at 124 N. Ottawa Street, which is at the southeast corner of Ottawa and Clinton Streets. This property as well as all properties in the general vicinity are zoned B-2 (Central Business District). This is a mixed-use building that is surrounded by a mix of uses that include retail, office, food and beverage service, banking and residential. The store space is approximately 650 square feet in size.
The applicant seeks to open a resale boutique, to be known as Maison Maryanna, that would feature secondhand merchandise including: apparel, bridal wear, tuxedo rental, special occasion wear, accessories, jewelry, home accents, and giftable keepsakes. The store’s primary focus would be secondhand bridal selection, which the applicant believes fills a gap in Joliet’s retail market. Hours of operation would be Monday-Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and the applicant has expressed interest in staying open while Downtown events occur during nighttime and weekend hours.
The business would be situated within an existing mixed-use building that has hosted comparable retail businesses over the years. Staff have no reason to believe the proposed business will produce negative public health, safety, or welfare issues or would impede normal and orderly development of surrounding properties in any way.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING:
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on this petition at its July 16, 2026, meeting. Savanna Wilhelmi, the applicant, was in attendance to provide additional details regarding her proposed business. There were no comments or questions from the Zoning Board of Appeals and no comments from the public have been received on this petition.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS:
recommendation
Debbie Radakovich moved that the Zoning Board of Appeals recommend approval of the Special Use Permit to allow a resale boutique within an existing tenant space, located at 124 N. Ottawa Street, subject to the following conditions:
1. That the Special Use granted shall herein terminate and lapse unless a building permit or certificate of occupancy is obtained not later than 180 days of the effective date of this ordinance and the erection or alteration of a building is started or the use is commenced within such period. The Board may grant an extension of this period, valid for no more than one hundred and eighty (180) additional days, upon written application and good cause shown without notice or hearing. Whether or not there is an intention to abandon the Special Use, if any special use is discontinued for a continuous period of one year, or if an intent to abandon the Special Use is evident in a shorter period of time, the Special Use for such use shall become void, and such use shall not thereafter be reestablished unless a new Special Use Permit is obtained; and
2. Should the property be declared a public nuisance, it shall be subject to a rehearing and a possible revocation of the Special Use Permit.
Bob Nachtrieb seconded the motion, which passed with five aye votes. Voting aye were Board members Bias, Leon, McGrath Schmig, Nachtrieb, and Radakovich. Voting nay were: none. Commissioner Stiff was absent.
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RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION:
recommendation
Staff concur with the recommendation of the Zoning Board of Appeals and recommends that the Mayor and City Council adopt the following, subject to the same conditions approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals above:
1. Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit to Allow a Resale Boutique Within an Existing Tenant Space, Located at 124 N. Ottawa Street (ZBA 2026-30)