Committee backs outdoor seating at St. Charles restaurant

ST. CHARLES A St. Charles city committee Monday gave its support for an east side restaurants proposed outdoor dining area.

The citys Planning and Development committee voted 7-1 in favor of recommending a minor change to the preliminary plan for Main Street Commons to allow a patio area at the Spotted Fox Ale House at 3615 E. Main St. Fourth Ward Alderman Jim Martin voted against the recommendation.

Spotted Fox owner Marwan Taib was at the Monday meeting. He was relieved to hear the committees vote and excited to move forward with construction, pending final approval from the St. Charles City Council.

Were going to build the best patio that this area has ever seen, Taib said after the meeting.

The outdoor dining area will have a capacity of 125 people and be built on the north side of the restaurant, Taib said. The area will be adjacent to and overlook the detention basin between the restaurant and Main Street.

Taib plans to install a water fountain in the basin, TVs on the patio and possibly an outdoor grill for the chef to use.

Since the proposed patio area is partially located over an underground utility easement, city staff recommended in its report that a section of the patio be constructed on a concrete slab with joints to allow for easy removal if necessary.

Taib hopes to have the patio open by the first week of May, weather permitting.

The Spotted Fox Ale House first opened in 2012. Taib said his business had to persevere during its first year and a half without a patio and also in the middle of Route 64 reconstruction.

This is going to be huge for us, Taib said of the patio.

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Committee backs outdoor seating at St. Charles restaurant