By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – Three village committees backed recommendations Thursday, April 8, to allow Anduzzi’s Sports Club at 1992 Holmgren Way to add an outdoor seating and entertainment patio on the east side of the building in an existing parking lot.
Ashwaubenon’s Site Plan Review Committee and Plan Commission recommended the project’s site plan, while the Public Works and Protection Committee favored an amendment to the site’s premises where alcohol would be allowed.
Anthony Szymanski requested the premise extension of Anduzzi’s Class B liquor license with a patio area of approximately 5,700 square feet to create an outdoor garden with the surface material consisting of self-draining artificial turf and overhead string lights used for lighting.
“The garden would serve as a safe, socially distant, outdoor option for our guests to continue to enjoy a dining experience and entertainment experience,” he said. “The hours of operation would mirror the restaurant’s hours, weather permitting.”
Community Development Director Aaron Schuette said the outdoor patio will be enclosed by planter boxes around the perimeter with shipping containers to be utilized as an outdoor bar on the south side and a stage on the north.
“Similar to a lot of businesses in the community, they’re seeing a real movement toward outdoor dining, outdoor seating, in terms of taking advantage of the nice weather when we have it, but also to promote social distance in the era of COVID,” he said.
Because a dedicated fire lane exists on the south end of the proposed patio area, Schuette said Ashwaubenon Public Safety requested moving the shipping container to be used for a bar on the south out of the lane to the north.
Though the patio would use an existing parking area to the east, he said there is adequate parking around the building as well as in an additional lot to the south.
Schuette said village code no longer requires solid fencing around outdoor premises where alcohol is served, so planters and signage stating no alcohol allowed past this point would meet ordinance requirements.
“Obviously, it’s incumbent upon the property owner to maintain proper crowd control,” he said.
Since Ashwaubenon’s code was changed to no longer require solid fencing, Village President Mary Kardoskee said establishments serving alcohol with an outdoor perimeter similar to what Anduzzi’s proposed with the planters “do a great job in maintaining the crowd control.”
“They know that the alcohol can’t go outside of that, and they’re very good about it,” she said.
The village board will consider final approval of an outdoor patio for Anduzzi’s at its April 27 meeting.