The meeting was called to order by Chairman Wilmet in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building at 4:00 p.m.

Members present:   Wilmet, Behrens (arrived during Item #1), Brown, Camplin, Rybicke and Woods

Members absent:     Vincent

Others present:        Rudy Bushcott, Brian Juarez, Tom Stade, Herb Vincent, Tyler Hansen, Richard Miles, Harmon Bos, Vince Kent, Edwin Bos, Steve Rottmann, Jerome Koehler, Pete Weston and Dan McCrea

Item #1:    Review and Approve Preliminary Certified Survey Map Creating One (1) New Lot on C.T.H. J (Extra-Territorial).

Jeff Woods said this would create a 1.9 acre parcel that will be used for residential development. The parcel is also going to be submitted for rezoning from A-1, agricultural use, to A-3, agricultural/residential. The City's current Master Plan does not extend out this far, but the area to the south is designated as Rural Preservation. The proposed Comprehensive Plan shows this area as agricultural/rural. The parcel is outside of the urban service area, so it would be difficult to extend City services.

When asked by Bill Camplin, Tom Stade said this new parcel would be for only one house, that is all that can be developed there.

Motion by Dean Brown, seconded by Dennis Rybicke, to recommend to the Council to approve the Preliminary Certified Survey Map as presented. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

Item #2:    Review and Approve Request to Amend Zoning Ordinance and Conditional Use Permit at N1171 Old Hwy. 26 (Extra-Territorial).

Jeff Woods said the rezoning request is from A-3, agricultural/residential, to A-2, agricultural/ business. The proposed plan is to construct three 40-foot by 100-foot buildings for mini-warehouse use. Existing buildings numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the Survey would also be used for storage. In building #4, 25% of the building is currently being used for a home occupation (electrical business). The mini-storage use would require a conditional use. The current Master Plan does not extend to this area, but the adjacent land is designated rural preservation. The proposed Comprehensive Plan designates this as agricultural/rural, with an overlay of long-range urban growth. The parcel is next to a mixed use designation surrounding the south 26 Bypass interchange. The parcel is within the current urban service area, but it will be many years before City utilities are extended to serve this property. The City does not have extra-territorial zoning, so this is being presented to the Planning Commission for our comments and concerns.

Bill Camplin said these buildings will be out of sight and will not create the unsightliness of other locations.

Motion by Dennis Rybicke, seconded by Cwmn. Behrens, indicating the Planning Commission has no comments or concerns against the rezoning and conditional use at N1171 Old Hwy. 26. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

Item #3:    Review and Approve Conditional Use Permit for Community Based Residential Facility (C.B.R.F.) at 318 North Main Street.

Jeff Woods said this parcel is zoned R-3, multi-family residential, and a C.B.R.F. requires a conditional use permit. The C.B.R.F. is subject to four requirements in the Code.

1. Licensed under Wisconsin Administrative Code HFS-83;
2. Will not create financial or administrative burden on City services, police, fire EMS, etc.;
3. Provide parking for residents and staff; and
4. Meet the requirements of the City's Building and Housing Codes.

The only requirement that needs to be met is the parking for the residents and staff. The neighbors were notified, but no comments were received.

Tyler Hansen, of Abilities, Inc., said they are currently working on combining this parcel with the parcel to the east, and are also working on a parking plan for the new parcel. The plan will be submitted when it is completed. The remodeling of the building will take about six weeks, so the parking plan will be presented before that. Parking will be provided for the six residents and staff.

Bill Camplin said that he was glad this building will be put back in service and asked if any of the neighbors had been contacted by Abilities, Inc.? Tyler Hansen said the neighbors had not been contacted, but that an open house has been planned for this facility.

Dean Brown asked if repeated police calls to a facility would constitute a burden on the City's services? John Wilmet said this is possible, depending on the volume. One or two calls would not, but multiple calls would allow the City to have a discussion.

Motion by Dean Brown, seconded by Bill Camplin, to approve the conditional use permit for Abilities, Inc., at 318 North Main Street, contingent on the parking plan being submitted to City staff for approval. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

Item #4:    Review and Approve Conditional Use Permit for Retail use at 710 Oak Street.

Jeff Woods said this parcel is zoned M-2, heavy industrial, and retail use would require a conditional use. The store would be open two to four days a week, with limited hours. The store would be located in the north end of the building, adjacent to the existing parking lot. Adequate parking would be provided. The neighbors were notified of this request and only one contacted the City and had no concerns with the proposed store.

Motion by Bill Camplin, seconded by Dennis Rybicke, to approve the conditional use permit for Storage Space Solutions, LLC, at 710 Oak Street. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

Item #5:    Review and Approve Site Plan for Building Modifications at American Legion, 201 South Water Street, East.

Jeff Woods said the proposal is to install a truss roof system on the southern two-thirds of the building, and to rebuild the flat roof system on the remaining one-third of the building. The proposed material of wood, composition or metal meets the Code, but Code requires a 6:12 pitch and the plan proposes 4:12. Any roof top mechanical units would be relocated to the ground or the new roof. Code requires that any roof top units be screened. Roof drains would be connected to the City storm system where possible.

Harmon Bos, of Bos Design Builders, LLC, said the 4:12 pitch was chosen to match the scale of the roof with the building. With an existing low building, a high roof would not look good. Harmon Bos also indicated that any roof top units on the new roof would be screened. Brian Juarez said that he did not have any problems with the 4:12 pitch on this existing building.

Motion by Cwmn. Behrens, seconded by Bill Camplin, to approve the site plan for the American Legion, with the 4:12 roof pitch. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

Item #6:    Review and Approve Site Plan for New Storage and Warehouse Building at Abendroth Water Conditioning, 327 Janesville Avenue.

Prior to the presentation/discussion on this item, Jeff Woods stepped down from the Commission to avoid a possible conflict of interest. John Wilmet said this parcel is zoned M-1, light industrial. Plumbing sales and service requires a conditional use, which they have, and inside storage is a permitted use. The proposal is to remove the existing storage building and construct a new building for warehousing and truck storage. The site plan meets the Code requirements for setbacks and lot coverage. The storm drainage will be handled by overland flow to the City storm system, and no new signage or lighting is proposed. The plan requires 17 parking stalls, which are provided. The building design meets Code except for the roof pitch. Code requires a 6:12 pitch, but the plan shows a 3-1/2:12 pitch. A landscape plan is being prepared and will be presented at a later date. The Code requires a 15-foot bufferyard on the north, east and south sides. Six-feet is being requested on the east and south sides to allow semi movement to the loading dock at the new building. Additional fencing and landscaping is proposed in these bufferyards. There is a 10-inch water main located in the property that was vacated to Abendroth Water Conditioning in 1993. Field investigation indicates the main is about 10-feet from the new building. The Water Department has requested 15-feet of clearance and this will be worked out in the final design. Vince Kent, of Abendroth Water Conditioning, said the shape of the lot makes it difficult to expand on. The roof pitch will be revised to 6:12 and the building located to provide the watermain clearance. Vince Kent asked that additional landscaping be allowed in the six-foot bufferyards instead of fencing, to allow for more snow storage in the winter. If fencing is required, he would lose parking and semi-access to snow storage. Future plans call for placing stone accents and a truss roof system on the south building to get it to match the new building. The new loading dock location has been tried by two trucking companies, and it works fine. Also, as part of this project the overhead electrical will be replaced by underground.

Brian Juarez said that he had no problems with the reduction of the bufferyard to six-feet, but felt the roof pitch on a new building should be 6:12.

Dean Brown said he felt there are enough positives with the building (moving the semi traffic), that the Commission can grant the request to reduce the bufferyard.

Motion by Dennis Rybicke, seconded by Dean Brown, to approve the site plan for Abendroth Water Conditioning, with the 6:12 roof pitch, the six-foot bufferyard with additional landscaping on the east and south sides because of semi-access issues and traffic safety issues, and the submittal of the landscape plan at a future date. The motion passed by a 5-0 voice vote, with Jeff Woods abstaining.

Jeff Woods then returned to the Commission.

Item #7:    Review and Approve Request to Rezone 233 and 301 South Water Street, East from C-2 (Central Business) to R-2 (Two-Family Residential).

Jeff Woods said the parcels are zoned C-2, but are being used as R-1, single family. Single family can be put in a C-2, but it requires a conditional use. This is causing problems with one owner's refinancing and would cause future problems in rebuilding if either or both homes would be damaged or destroyed. To the north is the river; the east is R-2 with R-1 and R-2 usage; the west is C-2 with C-2 usage; and the south is R-2 and C-2 with R-1, R-2 and R-3 usage. The requested change to R-2 would fit the area and eliminate the refinancing and rebuilding problems. Jeff Woods said the neighbors were notified; three called in but had no objections to the request.

Motion by Bill Camplin, seconded by Cwmn. Behrens, to recommend to the Council to approve the request to rezone 233 and 301 South Water Street, East from C-2 to R-2. The motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote.

John Wilmet added the public hearing for this request is scheduled for March 4, 2008.

Item #8:    Review Concept Plan for Building Addition at 730 Madison Avenue.

Jeff Woods said the parcel is zoned C-3, general commercial, and the proposal is to construct a 5,297 square-foot office/retail addition to the existing building. The setbacks are met, but not the lot coverage. The building/parking is at 87.1%, with a Code maximum of 80%, and the greenspace is at 12.9%, with a Code minimum of 20%. An additional 4,100 square feet of greenspace needs to be found. The plan provides 59 parking stalls with two handicapped. The handicapped stalls need to be increased to three. Without a specific use, the required number of stalls is unknown; this may be too many. A 15-foot bufferyard is required on the north and east sides. The east side is narrower, but 22 arborvitae are shown to be planted. The north side shows no bufferyard, which will have to be addressed.

Pete Weston, of the Design Alliance, said the concept plan is being presented to get comments from the Commission. They are aware of the need for additional greenspace, and are going to be looking at the parking requirements to see if the number of stalls can be reduced. The need for the driveway along the north side of the building will be looked at to see if it is needed. The neighbors to the north have not been contacted, but their lawns are landscaped and any buffering ideas would be discussed with them.

Brian Juarez said there seems to be more parking than what is needed. A study needs to be done to determine the need and then a decision made on what to do with any that are not needed. Also, decisions on landscaping and bufferyards cannot be made based on what is on adjacent properties.

Pete Weston said they would look at the number of parking stalls required and what might be converted back to greenspace, and also to look at eliminating the driveway along the north property line in favor of a bufferyard. The plan might be brought back again as a concept to make sure everyone agrees with the direction.

No action was taken on the concept plan.

Item #9:    Approval of Minutes and Adjournment

A motion to approve the Minutes of the January 22, 2008 meeting was made by Dennis Rybicke, seconded by Cwmn. Behrens, and passed by a 6-0 voice vote. A motion to adjourn was made by Bill Camplin, seconded by Cwmn. Behrens, and passed by a 6-0 voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 4:53 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,              
 
 
Jeffrey L. Woods, Secretary