NILES — The city’s safety committee heard arguments for and against a proposed zone change that would bring additional parking to a bar.

Those against the zoning change believe the additional parking will mean more business and subsequently more poor behavior from the patrons at Tommy Doggs, 631 Vienna Ave. Those in favor said they simply want to add more parking in the rear of the building to keep people from parking on the street.

The plan outlined by the bar owner, Tonya Cross, is to tear down the home at 608 Cedar Ave., which is owned by Tonya Cross’ mother-in-law, Kitty, and create the additional spots.

An opponent, Christine Soriano who lives nearby, said the nightly noises from the bar’s patrons are a nuisance and she believes the proposed additional parking behind the building will only increase the noises.

“I don’t have it as bad as my neighbors do, but I do hear it every night. It is not an option to move my 98-year-old mother out of that home,” she said.

Increased traffic is a concern of Christina Signor, another neighbor. She said the increased traffic from the business poses a safety concern and inhibits the family’s ability to use its front yard and a portion of its home.

“The house they want to take down is not on (state Route) 46, it’s a residential property facing a residential neighborhood. You’re talking more lights, you’re talking more vehicles coming and going. If you put that parking out back and extend that, that’s even more that we are going to hear,” Signor said.

But resident Rick King said Cedar Avenue is already a busy road and the bar has little effect on any increased flow.

“I would not buy a house across from a railroad station and complain about the train noise … You’re 50 yards away from 46, which is one of the busiest roads in Niles,” King said. “It’s always been a busy street … you’re 15 feet off the road, of course you’re going to hear car traffic; you’re going to hear motorcycles; you’re going to hear all the noise that goes up and down the street. It’s a fact of life.”

Committee member and 1st Ward Councilman Doug Sollitto said the residents are aware of the noise from the street, but did not “sign up” for the extended parking.

Residents “knew what they were getting into. The extended lot you’re asking for wasn’t there, you’re asking for it now,” Sollitto said.

As a customer of the bar, King said the business is simply working to keep its customers safe by adding more parking. Tonya Cross said the business is being blamed for the noise coming from the already busy street.

“I just feel like we’ve been blamed for all of the noise,” she said. “It’s not all coming from us. We’ve been there for a long time and I’ve said from day one, ‘here’s my cellphone number — if you get a beer bottle in your yard, any problems, call me. I don’t care what time it is.”

VARIANCE

Anthony Vigorito, of the city’s building department, said the zone change itself shouldn’t happen and a variance should be requested rather than changing the zoning of the property.

“You’re asking to change a most restrictive zoning we have in this town to the least restrictive zoning in this town,” he said. “If they’re only asking for a little bit of area for parking, why can’t it go back to the board of zoning appeals and ask for a little area for parking instead of changing the entire property?”

Safety committee chairwoman and 3rd Ward Councilwoman Linda Marchese said the variance is a good idea. She also said she wants to see both sides find a compromise.

“I’d like to see both come together that she (Cross) can still get some of what she wants and the residents can be reassured they will not be woken up in the middle of the night,” Marchese said. “(Cross) is more than willing … She’s trying and I give her a lot of credit.”

Moving forward, there will be another meeting among the safety committee, housing and zoning inspector Jeff Crowley and Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz where the matter will be given back to city council. In that council meeting, Marchese said she will move to send the matter back to the board of zoning appeals.