The DeKalb Plan Commission approved a request by resident Chuck Anderson for a special-use permit for a new rooming house conversion during its Wednesday meeting.

The 18-occupant roominghouse, to be located at 426 Russel Road, will become six, two-bedroom apartments and will be upgraded to current housing standards. The decision was met with support by some of the rooming house’s future neighbors.

“The building is a huge eyesore and a tinderbox waiting to go off,” said next door neighbor Paul Sauser. “The upgrades will enable fire improvement to be installed and make the building safer.”

The commission also heard additional public questions and concerns about the upcoming shopping center project at the Annie Glidden Road and Taylor Street intersection.

“I have concerns about the truck traffic that will be using the surrounding streets and was hoping the committee could develop a way to minimize this traffic through speed tables or something else,” said Paul Greenlee, a DeKalb resident.

Another suggestion included a footnote enabling for a residential project in the event of commercial failure at the shopping center, which will house at least Ace Hardware, and possibly a Schnuck’s Supermarket.

“In the event the commercial project falls through and several years later we still have not found a replacement, we would like a clause which allows the residential project to be reinstated,” said Gary Cordes, Sycamore Attorney and representative for Paul and Nancy Zgonena, and the Daly Group.

The commission and members of the community openly discussed what sort of fencing and foliage will separate the residents and the shopping center from each other both physically and visually. A common consensus is that the fence needs replacement and properly-sized foliage will be necessary.

The commission’s last order of business was to have a work session with property owner Matt McAllister on proposed townhomes at 1321 Oakland Drive.

Although McAllister did not attend the meeting, the commission members briefly discussed the project’s viability. The commission voiced concerns about the project’s impact on the nearby Jewel and felt the project had the potential to attract only lower-income residents, which would not be a boon for the city. The commission did not make a final decision.