Elburn approves zoning changes to allow for additional businesses near downtown area

The owners of Elburn’s Obscurity Brewery now can officially operate additional businesses, including commercial event centers and more, on land they own just west of the brewery.

The Elburn Village Board unanimously approved a zoning change request from Obscurity co-owners Luke Goucher and Brandon Harris for the four land parcels at 217 and 225 W. North St., which had been zoned for commercial manufacturing, and two additional parcels. The approval changes the zoning to B-1, which is general business district, allowing for commercial businesses on the properties.

Goucher and Harris bought two parcels of land from Elburn Co-Op, while the other two parcels, west of the others, previously had been owned by the C&NW Railroad/Union Pacific Railroad and had never been assigned a zoning classification.

The Village Board also voted to include commercial event centers and game rooms in the list of permitted uses for B-1, which means that owners of these types of businesses do not have to come before the board for permission nor participate in a public hearing.

Village Administrator John Nevenhoven said the designation of game rooms includes games such as pinball machines, dart boards, shuffleboard and video games for amusement only.

“There won’t be any video gaming,” he said. “That’s a different animal altogether.”

After a public hearing by the Elburn Plan Commission on Aug. 1, commissioners voted to recommend the change to the Village Board.

Nevenhoven said several neighbors attended the Aug. 1 public hearing, and other than a few questions, they generally were supportive.

The building at 217 W. North St., named The Warehouse on North, has been available for several years for commercial events such as weddings and receptions, pop-ups such as the Kris Kringle Market held there in December 2022 and other special events.

Goucher said the additional land also will provide extra space for parking needed for customers.

Reflecting on the businesses the two men have been involved in creating, including Lodi Tap Room in Maple Park, Obscurity Brewery and BBQ, the Mead Hall and Cidery and The Warehouse on North in Elburn, Harris summed up their philosophy for new business generation.

“We live in these communities, so basically, we just create places that we would like to see,” Harris said. “[Our thinking is] ‘Let’s get a place where we would want to hang out.’ ”

Harris said any further development on the parcels is still just conversations.

“We don’t have a big war chest,” he said. “There are still quite a few steps to go.”