Category Archives: Zoning

Islamic Society of Wichita rezones about five acres near mosque for development

Feb. 19, 201311:09 a.m.

UPDATED — The Islamic Society of Wichita has rezoned about five acres of land near its mosque at K-96 and Woodlawn.

The society sought general office zoning in preparation for development that could include an apartment complex, an office complex, a medical clinic and a financial institution.

“It’s not about making money,” says Muhammad Aamir Usmani, director of the society’s board of development. “It’s about supporting our existing services.”

Usmani, who manages the IT help desk at Wichita State University, says the society first started building on the almost 9-acre property in 2000.

“Initially, we had a gym,” he says.

It served as a multipurpose building. Then, the group added a mosque and a school followed by another building.

“Everything is attached to each other right now,” Usmani says.

The buildings look separate, though.

The latest building is a new school for pre-K through eighth grade. Fundraising is under way for a high school to be built on the second floor.

“Our goal is to start ninth (grade) in August,” Usmani says.

He says while there are tuition fees, the society still needs to raise money for education and outreach programs to the community.

“We need to keep doing that and possibly expand it.  . . .  There are a lot of programs that are supported by the community.”

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under East side, Real estate, Religion, Zoning | Comments Off

Slawson Cos. works to lift restriction on small part of NewMarket Square

Feb. 29, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — Slawson Cos. is working to lift a zoning restriction on a lot at its NewMarket Square development at 21st and Maize.

The restriction won’t allow a drive-through on the lot next to where Jimmy John’s is opening by Applebee’s on 21st Street just west of Maize Road.

“That really was the catalyst for getting this restriction lifted,” says April Reed, a commercial broker with Slawson.

“Jimmy’s will have a drive-through,” Reed says. “Their lot wasn’t restricted.”

She says the best use of the restricted lot would be another quick-service style restaurant with a possible drive-through.

It would expand the potential businesses that could open there.

We’ll let you know what happens.

 

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under NewMarket Square, Restaurants, West side, Zoning | Comments Off

Coulter Properties applies for rezoning where Plaid Giraffe may expand

July 7, 20104:27 p.m.

WICHITA — Coulter Properties has applied for a zoning change near the Plaid Giraffe at 302 N. Rock Road.

Jamie Coulter owns the building and the store.

Dru Coulson, who manages the property, says there is a small vacant area in the building that is zoned limited commercial but is surrounded by general office zoning.

Plaid Giraffe may like to expand into the space and add onto it.

“You can’t do retail in a general office zoning,” Coulson says.

So that’s necessitating the zoning change.

Coulson says it’s also a possibility that Eric Fisher could expand his salon into part of that space. Or, a new tenant could locate there.

“It’s nothing in stone,” Coulson says.

The Plaid Giraffe expansion is likely, though.

“You know, I think probably before the end of the year, before holiday season,” Coulson says. “That’s what we’ve kicked around.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Real estate, Retail, Zoning | Comments Off

Sailor’s World Famous Tattoos can stay at Towne West Square until at least Jan. 26

Dec. 21, 200910:14 a.m.

WICHITA — Sailor’s World Famous Tattoos has a temporary reprieve and can remain in Towne West Square until at least Jan. 26.

Raul Tanguma and Justin Haas recently learned their 3-month-old business doesn’t have the proper zoning.

“We did receive some . . . citizen complaints,” says Kurt Schroeder, superintendent of the city’s Office of Central Inspection.

The city told them they had to be gone from the mall by last week, but they’ve been granted an extension.

Schroeder says Tanguma has been given time to decide if he and the mall want to pursue zoning changes and community unit plan amendments to get to stay.

Towne West has limited commercial zoning, which doesn’t allow tattoo parlors, and also has a CUP that further restricts uses in the mall.

A few years back, the city tightened its zoning provisions for tattoo parlors and piercing establishments.

Tanguma may seek a review to change those provisions.

“It’ll be interesting,” Schroeder says.

If Tanguma pursues zoning changes, he’ll likely need an extension past Jan. 26.

“We’re going to kind of play it by ear,” Schroeder says.

Tanguma is proceeding as if he’s going to get to stay. In fact, he wants to invite people to bring old sailor pictures to his shop so he can display them.

He’d like “actual local guys, preferably.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Towne West Square, Zoning | Comments

Prairie Polo rezoning is approved by planning commission

Dec. 17, 20094:19 p.m.

WICHITA — A rezoning request Jack Shelton first sought in Summer 2008 for his Prairie Polo at 95th Street South and Broadway has now been approved and is on its way to the county commission for final approval.

“We got a lot of slack the first time we went through it,” Shelton says.

Part of the problem was he needed approval from the city of Haysville first, which he now has.

More than a decade ago, Shelton put two polo fields on his 125 acres.

More recently, his goal was to attract people for lessons.

Shelton is former chairman of the United States Polo Association.

This year, the association approved Prairie Polo as a regional training center for the Midwest.

But Shelton ran into difficulties when he erected signs to attract potential students.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Zoning | Comments Off

Builders Inc. applies for central business district zoning on Garvey Center lot

Oct. 27, 20094:10 p.m.

WICHITA — There’s an interesting sign that’s just gone up on Wichita Street north of the Garvey Center on Douglas.

The sign shows that owner Builders Inc. has a development application on the Garvey Center’s north lot to change the zoning from limited industrial to central business district zoning.

Central business district zoning allows for residential or mixed uses and has different parking requirements than other types of zoning.

No one with the Garvey Center is talking yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , Filed under Garvey Center, Zoning | Comments

Frida’s Mexican Grill granted rezoning request

July 29, 20094:41 p.m.

WICHITA — The soap opera is over.

Last month, Frida’s Mexican Grill owner Mario Quiroz told Have You Heard?, “We can make a soap opera right now,” because of struggles to get proper zoning for a special events room.

When Quiroz first opened, he planned to use the extra space for a comedy club. When plans changed, he learned he didn’t have the right zoning for dancing.

The city now has approved the zoning, and Quiroz is simply waiting for an entertainment license so customers can have parties with dancing and his extra room can be put to better use.

“Life is smiling at me a little bit,” a happy Quiroz says.

His restaurant near Thai Binh grocery on West 21st opened in April 2008 but has suffered recently because of bridge repairs in the area and the inability to fully utilize the extra room.

“It was really hard,” Quiroz says.

But he says even the struggle led to a lot of good networking for him. For instance, next week he’ll join the Crime Stoppers board.

“It’s getting better,” Quiroz says, “step by step.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Entertainment, Restaurants, Zoning | Comments

Frida’s Mexican Grill struggles with “soap opera” rezoning situation

June 8, 20094:33 p.m.

WICHITA — Bridge repairs near 21st and Amidon aren’t all that are hurting Frida’s Mexican Grill.

The popular restaurant is struggling to get proper zoning for its special events room so customers can have parties with dancing.

“We can make a soap opera right now,” owner Mario Quiroz says of his situation.

When Quiroz, who also is an owner in La Mesa Mexican Restaurant, first opened near Thai Binh grocery on West 21st in April 2008, he planned to have a comedy club attached to his restaurant. He envisioned it as a “Loony Bin but for the Hispanic community.” He had a liquor license and a cabaret license, which was allowed in that shopping center’s community unit plan.

“I decided not to do that,” he says of the comedy, explaining that most comedians want to be paid up front. “It’s too risky.”

So Quiroz began having events in the space instead, but then he learned he needs a dance hall permit. He can’t get that without an amendment to the CUP. That’s because an establishment with a liquor license, a cabaret license and a dance hall license is considered a nightclub, and the CUP doesn’t allow a nightclub.

Quiroz has been struggling to get the amendment since September. At first, he says, it sailed through the District Advisory Board, and then the planning commission approved it.

But then a complaint from a concerned neighbor derailed his request.

“I’m not planning to have . . . a nightclub,” Quiroz says. “I want to have the choice to provide whatever my customer asks for.”

Then-city Councilwoman Sharon Fearey deferred a decision. Now, Quiroz is working with new Councilwoman Janet Miller.

“I’m asking for a decision, that’s all I want,” Quiroz says.

If the City Council votes this month to reverse its deferment decision, then it could vote on the amendment in early July. But Quiroz is not sure he’ll make it until then.

“There’s been several issues trying to make this place work,” Quiroz says. The bridge construction is the most pressing one now. He says the plan is to open at least a couple of lanes in the next couple of weeks.

“If they stay longer, I don’t know if I’ll be able to survive,” he says.

The economy, of course, is hurting as well.

“You can’t really imagine how hard it is to survive nowadays,” Quiroz says.

If the rezoning isn’t approved, he says he’ll look at moving elsewhere. Quiroz has a following that’s likely to keep dining at Frida’s wherever it moves.

“I know the restaurant concept will work if I just move east or west,” he says.

But that’s not Quiroz’s first choice.

“I don’t want to give up.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under Restaurants, Zoning | Comments