Developers of a second-story lounge above Washington Street restaurant Burger Village won approval from the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Wednesday to install a staircase connecting to a balcony the board approved on Monday.

The 2-1 board vote followed a public hearing that clocked in just short of two hours and largely mirrored Monday’s hearing. South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman again cast a dissenting vote on the matter, leaving Mayor Paul Winfield and North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield to support Charles Ross’ appeal of the Vicksburg Board of Architectural Review Oct. 13 denial.

The architectural review board had approved a balcony without a staircase at 1220 Washington St., and Monday’s hearing addressed a neighboring building owner’s appeal of that decision, which the mayor and aldermen upheld 2-1.

About 50 citizens again packed into the board room for the hearing, and the dozen or so who commented were evenly split on the expansion into unused space above Burger Village. Several of those opposed to the staircase said Ross has other options for providing second-floor access, such as an internal staircase or one at the rear of the building.

Ross said those options had been explored but were not feasible. He argued the fire department has informed him the business must have two points of entry, and said an external staircase from the balcony is the only viable option. 

“The back stairwell that exists in the building runs right beside the kitchen … which is a fire hazard in itself,” Ross said. “There’s no room to put a stairway inside. If we need a second egress, we need to have a set of stairs on the front of the building.”

Troy Weeks — the Board of Architectural Review member who approved the balcony without a staircase at the Oct. 13 meeting — argued the staircase will block neighboring buildings and present a safety liability for the city.

“This will create a number of problems,” Weeks warned. “I’m not against this business downtown. I’m against the staircase because I think it’s inappropriate for the building.”

Designs for the balcony and staircase have been submitted to the Building and Inspection Department, said Victor Gray-Lewis, director. The plans have not been approved, he added, and as drawn will create an encroachment issue for a neighboring building at 1222 Washington St. De Reul, who identified herself as a prospective buyer of the neighboring building, said she would cease plans to develop a ground-level art gallery and upstairs residential units at the location if the board allowed the staircase.

“It (would) block the entrance from the street to the door of second-story family residential units that we were planning on putting up there,” said Reul, who after the meeting said she will now scrap her plans.

Ross said he has permission from the neighboring building’s current owner to have the staircase encroach onto the front of his property, and added he is also considering purchasing the building. Winfield said the encroachment issue should not be problematic as the stairs will be built over a city right of way and not a private sidewalk. Mayfield said he was “a little concerned” about the encroachment issue, and encouraged Ross to get the issue straightened out before the balcony and staircase are installed.

“Mr. Ross has done what he’s supposed to do as far as I’m concerned,” Mayfield said, later telling Ross directly, “you better dot your I’s and cross your T’s, because if you think they’re after you now, just wait.”

Toni Lanford-Ferguson, chairman of the board of architectural review, told the mayor and aldermen the historic building guidelines are clear and the board’s Oct. 13 denial of the staircase should not be overturned.

“They don’t allow for a staircase out front at all. That’s a simple rule, right there, and that’s what we’re going on,” she said.

The board of architectural review voted 7-1 to deny the balcony with a staircase on Oct. 13. As he did on Monday, Winfield again pointed out the board has a history of voting for balconies and other exceptions to its guidelines.

“These are guidelines for this board to follow, they are not laws for the City of Vicksburg,” the mayor said. 

“If they’re not anything but guidelines, I see no reason to have a (architectural review) board,” Lanford-Ferguson replied. “Why would you have us enforce these guidelines if they’re not meant to be upheld?”

Beauman said he would vote to uphold the architectural review board’s denial of the staircase because it is not consistent with the city’s intent,  established in 1973, to preserve the exterior appearance of downtown structures.

“I still feel the same way I felt Monday,” he said, referring to his dissenting vote along the same lines. “I think the rules are very specific. If you don’t like the rules you still got to abide by them, and you abide by them until you change them.”

Ross has said he intends to open a lounge upstairs from Burger Village that will feature a full-service bar. He originally applied to open a nightclub at the location, which is a restricted use in the commercially zoned downtown area. The business application is now for a full-service restaurant, technically an expansion of Burger Village, which is an allowed use according to zoning regulations as long as 60 percent of sales come from food.

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On the agenda

The board Wednesday:

• Issued a certificate of retirement to Walter Bliss (street department, 28 years).

• Acknowledged employee anniversaries: Davey Barnette, 25 years, police; Michele Smith, 25 years, water and gas; Sammy Rainey, 20 years, building maintenance; Anne Doyle, 15 years, fire; Clarence Whitaker, 15 years, fire; Bobby Robinson, 10 years, legal; Malinda Hill, 5 years, water and gas; Towanna Anderson, 5 years, water and gas; Lafreda Kaiser-Lee, 5 years, city court.

• OK’d a request from the E-911 Commission to change 601 Locust St. to 1200 Fayette St. because a building there faces Fayette.

• Heard about upcoming events from Vicksburg Main Street Program Assistant Director Samantha Blount.

• OK’d $4,428.75 in December advertising by Vicksburg Main Street; and also approved the program to temporarily relocate to 1309 Washington St.

• OK’d the sale of surplus property at 219 Adams St., and approved advertisement for bids and notice of sale.

• OK’d an employment contract with Jason Hopkins, a former part-time employee of TV23, who will work as needed at $35 per hour.

• Adopted a budget amendment in the federal grant fund to show increase in revenue of $2,500.

• OK’d sponsoring Christmas at the Vicksburg Animal Shelter. It requires no funds, but endorses donations.

• Authorized advertising for bids for grass cutting and ant control at the cemetery and towing services for city vehicles and pest control.

• OK’d cutting and cleaning properties at 140 Stillwater Drive, Cedar School Circle PPIN#30175 and 1104 Third North St.

• Authorized Building and Inspections Director Victor Gray-Lewis to cut, clean and/or demolish properties at the following: 922 Meadow St., 1002 and 1002 1/2 Meadow St., 911 Meadow St., 1612 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 804 Meadow St., 1905 Clay St., 1615 Main St., 840 Buck St., and two properties at Williams Street, PPIN#006125 and #006123.

• OK’d reports on the city sexton, privilege license, mayor and treasure, monthly tax collection, delinquent tax collection, detailed budget report and claims docket.

In closed session, the board:

• OK’d seven longevity raises.

• OK’d one hire at TV23 and one in the fire department.

• OK’d one police rehire.

• OK’d one promotion in the sewer department.

• Discussed one human resources personnel matter.

The board is to meet at 10 a.m. Dec. 7, room 109, City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com