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, Brown, Camplin, Rybicke, Vincent and Woods

Members absent:     None

Others present:        Greg & Laurette Greenhalgh, Megan MacGlashan, and Sheldon Mielke

Item #1:     Review Application and Identify Specific Hazards for Community Living Facility at 200 South Water Street, West.

Jeff Woods said this is a new form being sent out by the Department of Health and Family Services as part of the application process for community living facilities. The Department is asking for any hazards in the vicinity of a proposed new facility. In reviewing the application, the building is near an open pit or quarry. The Rock River is located about 45-feet from the building, but there is a fenced-in area for the residents. The fence is about 30-feet from the river. There are no air quality, noise or odor problems. Highway 12/26 is 480-feet from the building. Police, fire and ambulance services are accessible to the building, along with health care facilities. There are no other hazards that could be found dealing with schools, employment or other facilities.

Bob Vincent asked if the height of the fence was known. Jeff Woods said the he did not know, but that he would find out and include that information.

Motion by Dennis Rybicke, seconded by Bob Vincent, to identify the Rock River as a hazard to the Department of Health and Family Services, and to include information about the fence. The motion passed by a 7-0 voice vote.

Item #2:     Update on Preliminary Certified Survey Map Creating Two (2) Lots and One (1) Outlot at Madison Avenue and Reena Avenue (Previously Discussed at the June 26, 2007 Commission meeting).

Jeff Woods said this item is being brought back to bring the Commission up to date. The Survey was approved at a previous Commission meeting, but the Council tabled the item to allow the three adjacent property owners to meet and possibly solve or resolve the road issue. The owners did meet, and the Greenhalgh's proposal was based on them donating a percentage of the road right-of-way, which was based on the area of their lot compared to Mr. Shah's lot. This was calculated at 5%, so the revised Survey reserves three-feet for street right-of-way. The revised Survey also has a note indicating the Outlot can only be sold to an adjacent property owner, because it does not have any street frontage. The street issue has not been resolved yet, but one of the two Surveys will be acted on by the Council at their next meeting.

John Wilmet said the reason that it is back to the Commission is because if the Survey would change as a result of the property owner meeting, the Commission should review the changes and make a recommendation to the Council. If the Commission would approve the note on the Outlot and the three-foot right-of-way reservation for the street, the Council could act on it should an agreement among the property owners be finalized.

Motion by Bill Camplin, seconded by Dean Brown, to recommend to the Council to approve the Preliminary Certified Survey Map with the note concerning the sale of Outlot 1 and the reservation of three-feet for future street right-of-way. The motion passed by a 7-0 voice vote.

Item #3:     Presentation on Progress of Comprehensive Plan Update.

Megan MacGlashan, of Vandewalle & Associates, presented three handouts to the Commission and updated them on the progress of the Plan; what future work will be done; and the results of the public participation workshop. The reason to keep the Commission informed is at the end of the process, the Commission is going to be making a recommendation on the Plan to the Council. When asked by Dennis Rybicke, Megan MacGlashan said the Commission would have the draft Plan for about a month for review before making a recommendation the Council.

Megan MacGlashan began by reviewing the project time-line. The first meeting with the Steering Committee was in April, 2007 and the Plan is scheduled to be adopted in April, 2008. Most of the time has been spent on information gathering. A factual report is being sent to the City for the staff to review and comment. Next month will start the opportunities analysis phase of the project, which involves taking all the information and looking at the different directions the City could go. An open house is planned for September, to present the ideas on different directions the City could grow, and to present the results of the first visioning workshop. Also, a draft of a portion of the Plan is being developed now, and will be reviewed with the Steering Committee.

The results of the Vision Workshop of May, 2007 was reviewed next. Megan MacGlashan said there was a good turnout and lots of information was gathered. The participants were asked to give their vision of the City in 2030. There also was feedback from the Steering Committee on the need for more time, and the map exercise was overwhelming and was hard to find areas on the map and finalizing the ideas to put on the map.

Megan MacGlashan said that once all the information from the Vision Workshop was compiled, a draft Vision Statement was put together. The draft Statement was reviewed by the Steering Committee and has been reduced to one paragraph, with a list of goals and ideas for the City. Dean Brown said the Plan lists the positive aspects of the City, are there any negatives? Megan MacGlashan said there are buildings that are vacant or haven't had enough maintenance. This happens in all communities, but nothing stood out as something that had to change.

John Wilmet said the next update to the Commission will be in November, 2007. Megan MacGlashan asked the Commission members to think about the challenges and opportunities to the City, and if they would get them to John Wilmet, they would be included in the process.

No action was taken on this item.

Item #4:     Approval of Minutes and Adjournment

A motion to approve the Minutes of the July 10, 2007 meeting was made by Dennis Rybicke, seconded by Cwmn. Behrens, and passed by a 7-0 voice vote. A motion to adjourn was made by Cwmn. Behrens, seconded by Bill Camplin, and passed by a 7-0 voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
 
 
Jeffrey L. Woods, P.E.    
Secretary