A planned ice cream and sandwich shop that would breathe new life into the former Greencastle VFW got the green light by the Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday evening.
Petitioner Doug Hansel, who owns The Freeze in Brazil, approached the BZA about expanding his restaurant to Greencastle by filling the former Greencastle VFW, 819 S. Jackson St., Greencastle. With the green light from the BZA, Hansel confirmed after the meeting he plans to open by mid-summer.
"It will be an ice cream and sandwich shop. We will bring the name and menu to Greencastle," Hansel said.
Hansel, who lives in Greencastle, asked the BZA for a variance of use to allow a restaurant/ice cream shop in a traditional neighborhood district and a variance of development standards to allow general business signage in a traditional neighborhood district. He received both by the BZA.
BZA member John Phillips asked how many handicapped spots would be at the facility, noting he saw two.
Hansel replied there would be five handicap spots at the building with another eight or nine adjacent to the building.
"We do also plan to do a fenced in area in the front on the pavement to make it like a patio type area and protect it from vehicles at the front of the building," Hansel said.
Hansel said he would like to use the sign that is already on site but noted he would put his logo on the sign. In addition, Hansel said the sign would not be on when his business is closed, noting they close by 9 p.m. nightly.
"We are not planning anything on the front of the building or anything like that. We will respect the fact that when we are closed -- we normally don't stay open past 9 -- that sign goes off. That tells everybody you aren't opened anyway when that sign goes off. That's our practice down in Brazil," Hansel told the BZA.
In addition, the BZA approved a special exception to allow development of a duplex in a single family dwelling district at 91 Martinsville St., Greencastle. Also, the BZA approved a variance of development standards to reduce required front yard setback on a local street from 20 feet to 12 feet in a single family dwelling district at 91 Martinsville St., Greencastle.
