Panel discusses Bottled Blond design plans

Dec. 28—The public will get the chance next year to weigh in on the design of an establishment in the Heritage District with offerings such as pizza, sandwiches and local craft alongside skimpily clad waitresses at night.

Gilbert Redevelopment Commission members gave their input on Bottled Blonde's site plans and elevations last week during study session. The public hearing on the project may come as soon as February, according to planner Kristen Devine.

"I do think it's a great looking building," Commissioner Boe Bigelow said, adding its location next to Prep and Pastry restaurant "is a great spot."

"It'll be a great addition to the district," Bigelow added. "Yeah, I do like it."

Bottled Blonde will be built on the 0.19-acre site that previously housed Bergie's Coffee Shop, which closed after 14 years when the landowner sold to Wags Capital.

Bottle Blonde will be two-stories and 11,130 square feet with the top floor housing a patio with a retractable roof. The 79 required parking spaces will be provided through the garages, surface lots and on-street.

Because it's a full-service restaurant and bar, the use is permitted by right for the Heritage District, Devine noted.

When Wags Capital first announced plans to open in Gilbert's downtown, hundreds of residents protested — citing concerns with noise, crime and that it was not family friendly.

A petition trying to stop the business from garnered 4,472 signatures. A Bottled Blonde location in Scottsdale opened in 2014 and there are others in Texas.

Devine told commissioners that residents at a September neighborhood meeting raised concerns, including the loss of the existing building on site and that the activities inside of the building would be too visible from the street. Bergie's Coffee had occupied a 103-year-old building that will be razed.

Some business owners at the meeting also voiced fears of an increase in public urination and vomiting that currently occurs with drunken patrons of the existing bars downtown.

To help address concerns, the developer has pushed the building back 10 feet to allow for a queuing area onsite and off the sidewalk and also raised the ground-floor windows to booth level in order to lessen visibility into the establishment.

According to attorney Lindsay Schube, a zoning and land-use attorney, the developer is exploring options and ideas with other downtown business owners about possibly hiring a crew to help clean the area after busier nights.

Commissioner Adam Baugh focused on possible noise mitigations.

He asked if there is anything in the zoning code to regulate the times that Bottle Blonde's windows can be opened.

"I love the building opening those windows out when there's great weather and create more of a pedestrian experience and engage the street," Baugh said.

"I just wonder if there's something to be said about those windows closing at certain times of the evenings when noise can travel and there's probably greater sensitivities in the latter hours than during other times of the day."

Baugh said that same train of thought also applied to the retractable roof, adding that putting a patio on top was the right way to use that space.

He asked what kind of material will be used for the retractable rooftop, explaining, "I'm kind of interested in how that contributes to noise baffling and ensuring long-term compatibility."

The architect is still working on different materials for the retractable roof, Schube said.

"We have heard concerns about noise and so any type of noise buffering is exceptionally important to us," Schube said. "We are very cognizant."

Devine added that Bottled Blonde must follow the town's noise ordinance, which is complaint-based but can be pro-active.

Vice Chairwoman Cassandra Updike followed up by asking if there was any sort of acoustic requirement within the Heritage District standards.

Devine said none exists but that staff has requested speaker and security plans from the developer.

Updike pointed out that the trees on an adjacent property will help dampen the noise that may emanate from Bottle Blonde.

A couple of the commissioners worried about the building's bi-fold style windows facing the lot where Joe's Real BBQ sits.

"If Joe Johnston decides he does want to sell or build there and he goes on the lot line and goes vertical is that going to cause an issue at all with the windows?" Bigelow asked.

Devine responded that the issue has been raised with the developer.

Commissioner TJ Claassen said he agreed with Bigelow.

"I would have concerns over those windows for just a long-term future of this project," Claassen said. "Windows going out to nowhere — I think that's my big concern for now."

Chairman Casey Kendel said that he, too, has "concerns over the windows that face the south and whatever the future holds for the property next door.

"Obviously at this point, it's not going anywhere. Nor have I heard of any plans of it changing but I think it's always a consideration," Kendel said.