Evansville Planning Commission---March 2007

Plan Commission
Regular Meeting
Monday, March 5, 2007, 6:00 PM
City Hall, 31 S. Madison Street, Evansville, WI

MINUTES

Mayor Decker called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. Present were: Mayor Decker, Ald. Braunschweig, Ald. Hammann, Cheryl Dickert, Dave Sauer, and Jeff Vrstal Gil Skinner was absent. Staff present: Dan Wietecha, City Administrator; Tim Schwecke, City Planner; and Jim Beilke, Clerk/Treasurer. Ald. Juergens and Cothard were present in the audience.

Approval of Agenda
Motion by Braunschweig, seconded by Sauer, to approve the agenda as printed. Motion carried.

Approval of Minutes
Motion by Hammann, seconded by Braunschweig, to waive the reading of the January 2, 2007 minutes and to approve them as printed. Motion carried.

Citizen Appearances Other Than Those Agenda Items Listed - None

Unfinished Business
Mr. Schwecke led the discussion relating to new official zoning map and reported he is working with seven property owners who contacted him regarding the new zoning map. He should be ready to present the new official zoning map next month.

Mr. Schwecke’s update on Gibbs land division on Water Street (Application 2006-7) was they are waiting for the surveyor to complete his work.

Mayor Decker gave an update on allowing parts of buildings in the downtown to extend onto or over public property. She reported the State Historical Society Commission would not approve grant monies for a design that extended over public property. Thus, the property owner stopped pursuing a design that extends over public property.

Mr. Schwecke gave an update on adoption of new flood insurance rate maps for the city. The State is reviewing the new flood insurance rate maps and should issue their findings soon.

Mr. Schwecke gave an update on review of the City’s adopted comprehensive plan (amendments are reviewed annually in May). He and the City Administrator will compile all the committee reports and present them to the Commission.

After reviewing the update on the fence ordinance (referral from Public Works Committee), the Commission instructed staff to do some research and find a range of fence ordinances from other communities.

New Business
Heidi Carvin, Evansville School Administrator, presented a report on the Demographic Projections and Enrollment Projection Analysis completed for the Evansville Community School District by the Applied Population Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The projection process uses a combination of historical enrollment data, birth trends and projection, housing starts data, information from local officials and developers, and population trends and projections to create reasonable assumptions about future growth scenarios and the likely impact on the school district. The information provided in this school enrollment projection report points to increasing enrollment in the Evansville School District. This report provides different models that projected future growth rates that could be used for the planning of the School District’s future building needs.

Ald. Fred Juergens, Park Board Chair, gave the initial presentation of the Park & Outdoor Recreation Plan.

Mayor Decker opened the public hearing at 6:50 PM and closed it at 6:51 PM.

Motion by Hammann, seconded by Braunschweig, to recommend to Council the adoption of the Park & Outdoor Recreation Plan with a date of March 5, 2007. Motion passed.

Mr. Schwecke presented the zoning code text amendment relating to signage for nonconforming uses. There has been a dental office on Church Street in a residential neighborhood for many years. The dentist office was sold, and the new owner wants to put up a new sign, which would be a nonconforming sign. This ordinance would address this issue.

The Commission questioned how many properties would be affected with this new ordinance. Without doing any research, staff estimated about dozen properties.

Mayor Decker opened the public hearing at 7:02 PM. Ald. Cothard, 401 Badger Drive, and Richard Woulfe, 255 E. Main Street, were in favor of an ordinance with more restrictions. Mayor Decker closed the public hearing at 7:51 PM.

Motion by Hammann, seconded by Braunschweig, to recommend to Council the adoption of Ordinance #2007-1 as drafted.

The Commission continued to question consequences this ordinance would have on other similar properties. Additionally, they reviewed the wording in the new ordinance regarding lighting and size for a sign.

Motion by Hammann, seconded by Sauer, to replace the words in lines 37 and 38 that read as “may be directly illuminated/backlit or indirectly illuminated, except neon,” with the following words, “may not be directly illuminated/backlit.” Finally, included in their motion was to change the size of the sign, noted in line 39, from 16 square feet in area to 10 square feet. Motion passed.

The original motion, as amended, passed (5-1).

Mr. Wietecha led the discussion on the update on Town of Union proposed amendment to its future land use map in response to a proposed residential subdivision. The Town of Union’s Plan Commission tabled the amendment to their future land use map.

Mr. Schwecke led the discussion relating to the screening requirements for motor vehicle storage yards (Ordinance 2006-42). He reported that Hans Kliesch is proposing to build an impound yard behind the Mastertech Building at 250 Union Street. There is an industrial land use on the North side and wetlands and wooded berms on the East and South sides. Hans Kliesch inquired if a fence is required around the perimeter where the adjacent land is not easily accessible to the public. The Commission advised the owner should submit a fence plan for their review.

Mr. Schwecke led the discussion relating to preparation of a redevelopment master plan between Allen Creek and USH 14. In order for the new development along Allen Creek and North Union Street to mirror the downtown, the City will need to create a new zoning district, adopt design guidelines, and prepare a redevelopment master plan. Mr. Schwecke asked for feedback on the redevelopment master plan.

The Commission also wanted to include all of Tax Incremental District No. 5 in the redevelopment master plan.

Mr. Schwecke moved the discussion to the next agenda item relating to design guidelines, which will consist of seven design divisions.

The consensus was to have Plan Commission take responsibility for design divisions relative to (1) General Provisions, (2) Gateway Overlay Design Districts, and (3) Allen Creek Design Overlay District Plan Commission. The Traditional Neighborhood District (TND) would take responsibility for design divisions relative to (1) Single-Family, Twin Homes, and Duplex Buildings and (2) Multi-Family Buildings and Townhouses. The Historical Preservation Commission would take responsibility for design divisions relative to (1) Historic District Overlay District – Main Street Commercial and (2) Historic District Overlay District – Residential.

Motion by Hammann, seconded by Braunschweig, to recommend to Council to approve several locations within the public rights-of-way for off-premises sandwich board signs during the Main Street construction project per Ordinance #2005-20. They identified the locations as follows: (1) Main Street between Second Street and Union Street, (2) Madison Street between Water Street and US Highway 14, and (3) Union Street between Franklin Street and the northern city limits. Motion passed.

Preliminary Development Presentations - None

Report of the Evansville Redevelopment Authority - None

Report of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission – None

Report of the Traditional Neighborhood Development/Residential Design Study Committee
Ald. Hammann reported they are reviewing design guidelines for Single-Family; Twin Homes; and Duplex Buildings and Multi-Family Buildings, so that they can prepare draft design guidelines for the Plan Commission’s review.

City Planner’s Report
Mr. Schwecke reviewed his report on the updates on Common Council actions and zoning code enforcement.

Adjournment
Motion by Braunschweig, seconded Hammann, to adjourn at 8:10 PM, carried.

Prepared by:
James A. Beilke
City Clerk/Treasurer

The minutes are not official until approved by the Plan Commission at their next regular meeting.