Sister Bay Subway

Door County, north of Sturgeon Bay, is sticking to its policy of NO FAST FOOD CHAINS.

Subway tried to break through the Door County fast food barrier.

Forget it. There will likely be no Subway $5 footlongs in Sister Bay.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Fast-food restaurant chains would be banned in the Door County community of Sister Bay and other fast-food restaurants would be more tightly regulated under a newly proposed zoning ordinance.

The village Plan Commission is to hold its initial discussion on the proposal at its Thursday meeting, said Robert Kufrin, village administrator. A second meeting on the proposed ordinance could occur the following week, and a public hearing could be scheduled as early as July 15, he said.

The commission's recommendation would then go to the Village Board, which could act as early as Aug. 10, Kufrin said.

The proposed ordinance was written after a Subway restaurant was proposed for Sister Bay. It would have been the first chain restaurant in the Door County peninsula north of Sturgeon Bay, the county seat.

That plan ran into strong opposition.

Door County vacationers and local tourism business operators say northern Door County's appeal as a travel destination includes its lack of fast-food chain restaurants. Opponents fear Subway and similar restaurants would hurt that appeal.

Subway operator Bruce Gajewski later withdrew his plan and is now considering other northern Door County locations outside Sister Bay. Gajewski, whose DePere-based business operates seven Subway restaurants in eastern Wisconsin, said Tuesday he wasn't surprised to learn of the proposed ordinance.

...Chain restaurants shouldn't be banned in Sister Bay, he said.

"It's a free country," Gajewski said. "You should be able to put something up there."

I agree with Gajewski.

It's a free country.

Sister Bay should be free to determine the sort of restaurants in the community.

We're not only a free country. We're a big country. There are plenty of other locations for Gajewski to open another Subway.

I like the fact that Door County is a fast food chain-free zone.

Besides, if you're in Door County and you can't live without Subway, go to Sturgeon Bay, 1463 Egg Harbor Rd. Go to the many other fast food places in that city.

...The proposed ordinance would ban what it calls "formula" restaurants.

Those are defined as a restaurant that is one of a group of three or more establishments and which has at least two of the following three descriptions: the same or similar name, trade name, or trademark as others in the group; standard group characteristics, such as menus, employee uniforms and exterior designs; and the serving of fast food.

Fast-food restaurants that are not chain eateries would not be banned outright but would face several requirements to obtain a conditional use permit. Those include operating "in a non-obtrusive manner to preserve the community's character and ambience," the proposal reads.

The ordinance could bring a court challenge, but other communities have enacted similar proposals.

Door County, north of Sturgeon Bay, currently offers plenty of "fast food" options and casual eating choices. It's nice that the restaurants aren't chains.

I think the absence of same old, same old places significantly adds to the area's charm and uniqueness. If Door County loses that character, it's losing what makes it such a special destination.

Bottom line: It should be left up to the citizens of the Door peninsula communities to decide what sort of establishments they want. I think they've been very wise to retain the peninsula's personality.