Applebee's

 In case you missed it the Carbondale Applebee's abruptly closed last Thursday, without even giving a number of employees advance notice. According to several, they found when they showed up for work. From what I understand, the local Applebee's and IHOP will form what the company calls a "dual branded" restaurant, with Applebee's moving in next to the IHOP

Homecoming

 Quite a few people in town for Homecoming. I noticed lines a block long in either direction waiting to get into the Indigo Lounge on Saturday night. Not sure how busy the other bars were that night but town square parking was full both days.

Planning Commission Meeting

 Here is the agenda for next Wednesday's Planning Commission meeting

The main things of interest are the plans to shrink Wall Street from Main Street south to East Park, reducing the street from 4 lanes to 3, plus bike lanes. This plan was announced last year for implementation in 2024 but now  looks like 2025.

There is also a new business going into the old Yellow Cab location, which closed about 15 years ago. Going to be a combination motorcycle sales and gym/training facility. Certainly nice to see a new business opening in downtown.

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

2. Approval of Minutes: August 7th

, 2024 minutes

3. Citizen Comments and Questions

4. Report of Officers, Committees, Communications

Announcement from Staff: Public Input Meeting

There will be a public input meeting, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 17th

,

2024, at Carbondale Fire Station 1, 600 East College Street, in Carbondale, Illinois, to

present and receive comments on the following project:

The City of Carbondale plans on rehabilitating Wall Street from Main Street to East Park

Street. The project will be a ‘Road Diet’ (four traffic lanes reduced to three lanes with the

addition of bike lanes), resurfacing and ADA improvements.

5. Public Hearings/Plan Review

PC 25-04: Daniel Presley, owner of Southern Illinois Syndicate, LLC, is requesting a

Special Use Permit for Motorcycle Sales, in the BPR, Primary Business District, for

property located at 215 South Illinois Avenue.

PC 25-05: Applicant ECA Solar has submitted an application requesting a Special Use

Permit to develop a 5MW solar project on parcels 15-33-251-030 and 15-33-251-031,

south of Arnold Lane, which are zoned General Agriculture (AG).

6. Old Business

a. Update on City Council Business

b. Comprehensive Plan Update – staff

Turning Point Event

 Last's nights Turning Point event featuring Kaitlynn Wheeler attracted more protestors than it did event attendees.  From what I saw the ad hoc event counterprogramed at the Civic Center attracted far more people.

Street Closure Reminder

 Just a reminder that S. Illinois will be closed from College to Elm tomorrow from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to noon from Cherry to the SIUC Student Center on Saturday

Please note Illinois Avenue, from College to Elm, will be closed from 11 AM on October 11 until 2 AM on October 12, and then again at 9 AM, Oct. 12, extending from W. Cherry all the way down to the SIU student center, for the SIU Homecoming Parade, which starts at 10 AM, and will last roughly until 11:30 AM. Starting at 7 AM on Oct. 12, E. Mill will be closed from S. Wall St. To Illinois Avenue and S. Washington from E. Grand through E. Mill Street will all be shut down for parade lineup. 

Alchemist's Brew

 Formerly 9 3/4 Expresso , Alchemist's Brew has opened (reopened?) in its old location in the E. Clair Salon Building at the corner of University and Walnut. The original business shuttered back in April 2023

Tom's Place

 The building that housed Tom's Place from the 1920s until 2023 and Big Nate's BBQ for a few months after that has been demolished. tom's Place started as a roadhouse designed so patrons could enter and dine without be observed by other customers and for the last 20 years was considered the finest place to dine in southern Illinois. I never ate there or even went inside but certainly sorry to see it razed.