Adele’s house could be moved to another location after Planning Commission approves special use permit for service station

The gas station expanding into the Cafe at Adele’s property agreed to make the 155 year-old restaurant building available at no cost to anyone interested in moving it to another location.

The Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a special use permit to expand the ExtraMile convenience store and Chevron gas station on the corner of Carson and William streets into Adele’s property.

An initial application for a major project review indicated the gas station would be adding fuel pumps for RVs, but the application for the special use permit did not include pumps.

Instead, the station wants to expand to provide better circulation for the existing station, and to add parking, a Dumpster, and a bench and art monument at the corner of Carson and John streets.

Hope Sullivan, planning manager, told the commission that the building’s fate was not before the commission, the only decision was whether to approve the special use permit. The decision to allow demolition of the building was an administrative decision already made in October by the Community Development director after reviewing documentation showing the owners, Karen and Charlie Abowd, could not feasibly restore it.

During discussion, Frank Lepori, owner, Frank Lepori Construction Inc., who applied for the permit as the construction contractor, said he was willing to work with anyone who would move the building as long as the property owner had no liability and it was removed from the property by March 1. The house would be made available for no cost.

Five people spoke during public comment, all in support of saving the building.

“It’s more than 100 years old. We can’t replace anything like that,” said Gene Munnings.

The commission approved the SUP with the added condition that the building could be moved. Other conditions recommended by staff included that lighting must be approved by the Community Development director and the Dumpster exterior must use the same stone exterior used on the existing building.

The property is zoned downtown mixed-use, which comes with its own stringent development standards. It is not in the historic district so the project did not go before the Historic Resources Commission for review.