Tim Ryan, tryan@shawanoleader.com
With a license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture still not in hand, the Shawano Plan Commission on Wednesday once again delayed final approval of a special zoning exception for the exhibition of animals at Anello’s Torch Lite.
Owner Rita Mondus and her husband, John, appeared before the commission to assure members the operation has passed the final USDA inspection, the fee for the license is in the mail and all that remains is for the government to process the paper work.
“It’s guaranteed,” Mondus said. “It just takes time to process.”
John Mondus passed out a letter to the commission confirming there were “no non-compliant items” found by the USDA inspection. He said it could take three to four weeks for the license to be issued.
City Attorney Tim Schmid, however, recommended the commission stick with its original intent, which was to wait until there is a license officially granted and in the commission’s hands.
He said there was concern about what the license might allow.
“I don’t know what the license is going to say,” he said.
The commission agreed by consensus to wait, making it the fourth delay in as many months.
The restaurant at 1276 E. Green Bay St. was informed in August that its zoo was in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance. Anello’s was ordered to reduce the number of animals to within the limits set by the Plan Commission in April 2003. According to minutes of that meeting, commissioners limited the number of animals that could be displayed to eight.
Rita Mondus subsequently applied for a USDA license and submitted a new application with the city for a special exception to the zoning code, this time specifying up to 65 non-threatening animals.
There was a consensus at the October Plan Commission meeting that the number of animals wouldn’t be an issue for the city as long as the zoo maintains a USDA license and conforms to USDA regulations.
The zoo is being allowed to continue operating as is in the meantime even though it is in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance.
The Shawano Common Council voted in September that the ordinance would not be enforced against Anello’s while its special exception request was pending.
There is apparently some confusion, however, about what Mondus is allowed to do at the zoo.
Mondus said the city’s delay means she won’t be able to feature her annual live nativity scene.
“They gave us a waiver to keep the animals, but also not until we get a USDA license,” Mondus said after the meeting. “We don’t want to offend the city, but at the same time they’re not understanding this as a definite license. So it’s better that we absolutely don’t function or don’t do anything until everybody is satisfied.”
Asked about the live nativity after the meeting, Schmid said there was nothing preventing Anello’s from holding it because of the Common Council’s decision not to enforce the zoning ordinance.