Kathryn and Joe Brisk stand in front of Mon Bijou, the historic bed and breakfast formerly known as the Inn at Pine Terrace on Lisbon Road in Oconomowoc.
Kathryn and Joe Brisk stand in front of Mon Bijou, the historic bed and breakfast formerly known as the Inn at Pine Terrace on Lisbon Road in Oconomowoc.
OCONOMOWOC — The owners of Mon Bijou, formerly known as the Inn at Pine Terrace, want to add a cocktail lounge to the historic building, as well as new entry doors. That vision was shared during Wednesday’s Plan Commission meeting; however, there were some concerns raised by commissioners.
The commission discussed a request to change the land use designation from medium density residential to commercial, as well as a change in zoning.
City Planner Jason Gallo said the commission did not act on the Mon Bijou land use plan and rezoning applications.
“There were no concerns with the current operator, but consideration was given to the potential long-term impacts of establishing commercial zoning in a predominately residential area. The commission directed planning staff to go another route, which is to draft a zoning ordinance text amendment to allow the continuation of certain non-conforming uses, and allow those to expand upon the issuance of a conditional use permit,” he said.
Gallo said with a conditional use permit in place, the city would have control of the allowed uses on that specific property. The zoning ordinance text amendment and conditional use permit will be discussed at an upcoming meeting.
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Originally the summer home of the Schuttler family and built in 1879, the mansion at 351 E. Lisbon Road has served as a bed and breakfast for several decades. It was recently renamed Mon Bijou after being bought by Joe and Kathryn Brisk.
According to city documents, the owners want to open the front of the inn back to the way it was from the early 1920s until the late 1980s. Guests will now enter the main room (Chandelier Room) on the first floor of the Inn. They will also install ADA thresholds on the new doors to increase accessibility to the building.
The Brisks also want to add a high-end cocktail lounge for guests at the inn, as well as for the public. Mon Bijou already possesses a Class B liquor license.
“Mon Bijou is an expensive property to maintain. Adding the cocktail lounge is another step toward making the Inn more economically viable now and into the future,” according to the memo. “Mon Bijou is an important piece of Oconomowoc’s history. Back in the early 1900’s, the original owners would invite their neighbors to their home and grounds on Sundays to picnic, walk their gardens and swim at their beach. We want to continue that spirit and make Mon Bijou a neighborhood gathering place again.”
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