Common Council Meeting 03/05/2025 – Will Vote On Request To Approve College Avenue Lane Reconfiguration, Alcohol License Applications For Pizzeria Pub And Bar And Bunnie On The Ave

The Common Council is meeting 03/05/2025 at 7PM.

Nothing stands out to me as likely to result in a lot of discussion but there are a few items that I could see being separated out for individual votes even if they aren’t the subject of a lot of debate. Those include…

• The request to approve the College Avenue Lane Reconfiguration – The Municipal Services Committee received the final report on the lane reconfiguration on 02/24/2025. Although the decrease in number of travel lanes does not seem to have resulted in a decrease in downtown noise levels, it does seem to have resulted in a 12.7% reduction in reportable vehicle accidents. Additionally, it would cost around $75,000 to change things back, and downtown businesses seem generally fine with the new configuration.

• The alcohol license for Pizzeria Pub and Bar – The Safety and Licensing Committee voted 4-1 to recommend this license for approval. Alderperson Chad Doran (District 15) cast the dissenting vote because the owner/applicant had just received alcohol license demerit points related to violations at another establishment he owned and, earlier in the meeting, had had an amusement device license application for Pizzeria Pub and Bar denied because he had indicated he wanted to install illegal gambling machines on the premises.
• The alcohol license application for Bunnies on the Ave – The Safety and Licensing Committee voted 4-1 to recommend this license for approval. This business is taking over the space formerly occupied by the now shuttered Speakeasy Ultra Lounge. Alderperson Doran voted against granting the license because he said he saw that the applicant had been cited in 2024 for having no operator at a different establishment that he owns. [I looked over the application and I don’t see where it indicates the applicant had that conviction or received those demerit points, but maybe I’m just missing where that was written.]

View full meeting details here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1254913&GUID=C260C405-73BE-44C1-AB5D-0E14FB8294A8