If you’ve lived in Kane County for many years, you probably remember the old Hideaway restaurant. It was a great place to dine, with very good food, unique ambiance and a romantic, almost-secretive location in a neighborhood off Route 25 in St. Charles Township that hearkened to the days when legendary Chicago gangster Al Capone truly used the building as his “Hideaway.”

The Kane County Board on Tuesday granted rezoning for a new incarnation of the Hideaway, that allows a restaurant to operate as a B-4 business under a number of stipulations. The petition for the zoning change was filed by Nicholas Casiello, who hopes to start a sports-bar-type restaurant on the property at 35W337 Riverside Drive.

The County Board decision to grant the change from F-District Farming to B-4 District Business came in an 18-5 vote after a number of speakers addressed the board with arguments for and against the rezoning petition. Some residents of the neighborhood spoke in favor of the business because a family-owned business would revitalize the once shuttered building and would be a good neighbor. Other residents expressed concerns about traffic, noise and safety. To see and hear the comments, you can watch the County Board meeting video on BATV.com or the BATV YouTube page.

Tuesday’s action does not have to do with the granting of a liquor license. That determination is made by the Kane County Liquor Control Commission.

According to the County Board agenda packet, the zoning was recommended via approved amendments to the existing intergovernmental agreement with the village of Wayne to allow the proposed use. The village of Wayne Zoning Board also approved the zoning change, and the Kane County Development Committee approved the zoning change with the following stipulations:

• That outdoor amplified sound sources will be prohibited and indoor amplified sound sources shall not be clearly audible at the property line from 10:30 p.m. to 10 a.m.
• That the outdoor luminary system for the restaurant, parking and pedestrian areas shall limit glare, up-light, light trespass and sky glow and shall be a full cutoff lighting system in the parking lot. A nighttime-friendly lighting system shall be installed for the pedestrian area that will take into consideration light noise while maintaining the safety and security of the restaurant patrons.
• The hours of operations shall be restricted to 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Last call on Sunday through Thursday will be at 11 p.m. with all patrons leaving the facility by 11:30 p.m. and last call on Friday and Saturday will be at midnight with all patrons leaving the facility by 12:30.a.m.