Minutes; Evansville Plan Commission: August 2011

City of Evansville Plan Commission
Regular Meeting
Monday, August 1, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
City Hall (Third Floor), 31 South Madison Street

MINUTES

1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Chair Mayor Sandy Decker.

2. Roll Call. The Plan Commission Members and the new City Planner exchanged introductions. Members present: Mason Braunschweig, Jim Brooks, Sandy Decker, Matt Eaton, Carol Endres, and John Gishnock. Bill Hammann was absent. Others present: City Administrator Dan Wietecha, City Clerk Judy Walton, City Planner Ben Zellers, Roger Berg, John Morning, Dick Woulfe, and Karen and Mason Barber.

3. Approval of agenda. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Brooks to approve the agenda. Motion approved 6-0.

4. Approval of minutes.

A. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Brooks to waive the reading of the minutes from the July 5, 2011 regular meeting and approve them as printed. Motion approved 6-0.

5. Citizen appearances other than agenda items listed. None

6. Old Business

A. Land Division – Ace Hardware CSM. Zellers explained that the revised CSM would retain the drainage way and existing drainage easement on the Ace Hardware property and Outlot 1 would be the stormwater pond only.

Roger Berg and John Morning asked the Commission for a letter stating that the city would still maintain the drainage way. The Commission discussed what would be included in such a letter. Braunschweig stated that the Public Works Committee discussed maintenance during the original presentation of the land division but that was in April and he did not recall what the committee agreed upon.

The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee’s August meeting with the intention of bringing it back to the Plan Commission in September.

7. New Business

A. Preliminary Discussion of Request to Rezone 119 E. Main Street from B-2 Central Business District to B-3 Community Business District; Set Public Hearing Date. Zellers explained the history of the property and the steps involved in a rezoning, which would follow this preliminary discussion.

Braunschweig stated that with a rezoning request, the Plan Commission is working in a quasi-judicial manner and therefore he was very uncomfortable with any discussion occurring prior to a public hearing. He cautioned the other Plan Commission members on commenting until a public hearing was held.

There was no discussion by the Plan Commission.

A public hearing will be scheduled for the September Plan Commission meeting.

B. Discussion Regarding Amending the City Zoning Code to Allow Zero Lot Line Duplex Development; Set Public Hearing Date. Zellers asked for direction from the Plan Commission on whether to investigate amending the zoning ordinance to allow zero lot line duplex development.

It was decided to refer this to the Unified Land Development Code Committee to review and then bring back to the Plan Commission.

8. Report on other permitting activity by City Planner. Zellers reported that the owners of the mobile home park on Highway M are investigating the costs of annexation into the City and acquiring City utilities.

9. Report on the Unified Land Development Code Committee. None

10. Report of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission. Decker stated that last evening the City of Evansville and the Evansville Grove Society received a Historic Preservation award from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation for the Baker Office Building. She pointed out that this was the second award Evansville has received from the Madison Trust in the last 5 years. The state was impressed with the amount of volunteers and businesses involved with the project.

On August 19th, nominations for listing on the state and national registers of historic places for Leonard Leota Park and St. John’s Lutheran Church will be considered at a meeting of the State Review Board.

11. Report on Common Council actions relating to Plan Commission recommendations. None

12. Report on Board of Appeals actions relating to zoning matters. None

13. Enforcement Report.

14. Next regular meeting date. Tuesday, September 6, 2011

15. Adjournment. Braunschweig made a motion, seconded by Eaton to adjourn at 6:53 p.m. Motion approved 6-0.

Prepared by Judy Walton, City Clerk

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