Plan Commission - Regular Meeting

I call to order at the Lake Mills Plan Commission meeting of April 22nd. We can proceed with roll call. Mr. Hman, [Music] Miss Lazeris here. Mr. Grady here. Miss Curler here. Miss Hein Street here. Dr. Mason. Oh, Dr. Mason mentioned he was he was be traveling. He would be absent for this meeting. Okay. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Um the next item is item number three, correction and or acceptance of the meeting minutes of March 25. Motion to approve the minutes from March 25th. I'll second that. Been moved by Mr. Brad and seconded by Mrs. Heim Street to approve the minutes of March 25. Any discussion? Hearing none, then we'll take a roll call vote. Mr. Grady. Uh I Miss Curler I Miss Hein Street I Miss Lazarus I. Motion passes 40. Okay. Next item is questions and public comment. The public may address the commission at this time regarding items on the agenda unless the item is the subject of a public hearing. We do have one public hearing this evening. Item number five, request by Lake Mills Area School District to amend the single family residential R14 zoning on property at Lake Mills Elementary School, 155 East Pine Street, to add planned development district overlay and public institutional overlay regarding P parcel number

24671312310 0. Public comment may also be made at this time on items that are not on the agenda. If you have registered with the city clerk before the meeting, the state's open meeting law discourages action by the commission on items not listed on the agenda. Please keep comments limited to three minutes. State your name and address when starting your comments. Also, fill out the sign sheet at the podium. For people online, please follow the Zoom link or the phone number listed on the plan commission agenda. Are there any publics comments at this time? Does anyone wish to speak under this public comment period? Are there any comments at this time? And is there anyone commenting online? Nobody online. Is someone online? No. Nobody online. Oh, very good. All right. Thank you. All right. The next um with that then the next item is item number five public hearing zoning amendment from the Lake Mills area school district Lake Mills Wisconsin for the purpose of adding a plan development district overlay and the public institutional overlay to the property located at 155 East Pine Street Lake Mills Wisconsin parcel number 246071312310000 um Mr. evenson. And do you have um uh the uh the comments on on this um request? Sure. Go. Uh good evening, plan commission. Um so hopefully you guys maybe glanced at that memo and kind of there's a lot of moving parts to this um request. uh to simplify it a little bit is the school wants to put an addition on the northeast corner of the building and uh

in order to do to get the square footage and to be able to get what they want out of it to to justify it, they needed to encroach on the Birch Street rightway setback. And once we started looking at this, we also noticed that the PIO overlay for public and institutional overlay was never uh added to this parcel as it should have been back in 2013, I think it was. So, um, when we're looking at this, I know the the setback request is is looks like we're asking for a 9 and a half foot variance or or relaxation on that setback. But in all reality, we're going to go through this process and and put a PIO overlay on there. Um, even if you guys choose not to grant the PDD because our code requires it. The code says we have to have a PIO overlay in that residential district. So, we have to go through that process anyway. So, I have to put it on paper that we're asking for a 9 and 1/2 ft, but I think if you think about it, it should have a PI overlay and it should have a 25 ft setback and not a 30-foot setback requirement. So, keep that in mind that we're really talking about only a 4 1/2 ft um relaxation on the code as it should be, if that makes sense. And and ultimately will be it it will be a PIO. Um, so that being said, the the PDDs, you know, are I I put our definitions in here and our purpose of of the PDD and we talked about it with staff that this ideally isn't the perfect scenario for using a PDD, but it is an allowed use for it and that um, you know, I talked with the school district at length about things that they could do for the city to to kind of justify the give and take, but um, there's not a whole lot that a school district can do. You know, they're not going to increase the quality of the siding or, you know, jazz

up the landscaping a whole lot more or put any sort of public use in in that property. The the the one thing that obviously always comes to our attention is the the circulation of the vehicles and the pickup and drop off. So, we've asked them to work with the PD to either come up with a different route, staging area, what whatever they're going to do. Um, and they I know they met with chief this week and I think now they're working on um the details of it. You know, if car and I think he was going to do some see how many cars are on Main Street, do you know some evaluations and see what they can do to to help um that process out. So, I guess really what's in front of you guys today to make the decision is uh a the the PIO, which I think again I think our code requires it. are going to end up pushing that through uh regardless of the PDD. But if you guys are willing to allow them to add the PDD overlay to encroach in on that setback on the east side. All right. All right. Very well. All right. Um however, you know, if um you know, we have the prepared ordinance here uh that if we um if we pass it to the council, this is the ordinance. Uh but but wouldn't they also have to make an do they also have to make it then an application for the PDD you know for specific allowance you know once once it's once the um overlay is applied to the site or or is that going to achieve that with uh with this ordinance here? Well I believe the PDD and the PIO are two separate overlays that will be on the same parcel. Is that what is that what you're asking? No, my understanding is that you're asking about their formal application describing once they have the PDD overlay what relaxation they need. We

are kind of walking those two processes handinand in this. I think a better um example of the ask is actually the school district's um request for a variance. right now. They've also petitioned for a variance on this property for the exact same purpose to relax that um that bulk requirement and to move forward um with permission to build out as they want. Um, so I I think we're we're we have to discuss the development agreement as well that's required under the code allowing a PDD overlay. And I think all of that kind of comes together as the process that is um the most likely to proceed and and be permitted proceeds. I I the hearing regarding the variance is tomorrow night. This is the first crack that the the plan commission has at the uh potential PDD overlay. Um I think the PDD overlay is a solution here. Um typically uh this isn't it's a little bit of a a round peg in a square hole type of situation. Um this isn't the ideal use because there isn't really a give and take with the city, but this is a public use. the school itself. Um it did just pass referendum, so there's at least some inclination that the public thinks of the addition as a public good and a benefit that they're looking to proceed uh with. Um so I think a formal application if it if it if what has been submitted isn't sufficient at this point that it it it should be formalized and and move forward and in you know accordance with what the needs are. Um but the general crux of the request is a PDD overlay to allow relaxation of that bulk requirement and and um encroach on that setback a little bit. That's the only that's kind of the narrow issue that's here. So and a lot of words, but I think that's kind of where you're heading. Oh, fine. Okay. All right. That's fine. All right. Uh we are in

public hearing. Does anyone have any comments they want to make regarding this um this request? Um um Mrs. Olsen, do you have any comments that you want to make concerning this request? Sure. I I guess I was going to start out with um as we launched on this referendum campaign, gosh, about a year and a half ago. It really all started about um the space that we needed in the elementary school. So, um, we're not adding any more students in to the elementary school, but this is really about reallocating our, uh, early childhood classes in our 4K. So, our our our youngest learners. So, as we were designing this four room addition onto the elementary, um, definitely we're looking at maximizing as much space as we can, especially when you are educating the real young students because they're not like our older students, which may be in desks, you know, and and in pods, but these really the youngest students have centers. So, they're having play centers, they're having small group activities and spaces. So typically um early childhood and 4K classes are some of the largest classroom sizes you'll see in a school district. So we're just asking to be able to maximize that amount of space as we put on this addition um as we move forward. So um again like I said we're not looking at adding additional students into the building or you know creating additional traffic um issues. It's really just providing more space for learning for students. All right. All right. Thank you. All right. We are in public hearing. Are there any further public comments concerning this request? Are there any further public comments on this uh request? And anyone commenting

online? Do we have any other for any further public comments? Okay. Now hearing none, then we close the public hearing and we go on to item number six, discussion, recommendations, zoning amendment from the Lake Mills Area School District, Lake Mills, Wisconsin to add planned development district overlay and public and institutional overlay to the property located at 155 East Pine Street Lake Mills. Okay. um plan commissioners. we have in front of us is um if we um if now what we would be passing on to the city council would be either uh a uh reviewed and recommended for approval by plan commission or reviewed and recommended for denial by plan commission of the following ordinance which would be amending uh the official zoning map for parcel number 246 6071312310000 155 East Pine Street, Lake Mills, Wisconsin, owner of Lake Mills Area School District. Uh this again would be amending the um zoning on site which is you the underlying zoning is single family R1 but this would be amending it to add a plan development district overlay PDD and a public and institutional overlay to this property. So that is uh what is before us. Uh, do you have any uh, commissioners, are there any um, questions or uh, comments you have concerning this request? Do we know did we hear anything from anyone homeowners living?

I I personally had two come in and ask to see the drawings kind of or the conceptual drawings because they're not finalized yet because they haven't been approved. But um one of them lived on Birch Street and was asking you know what when's it going to happen and how big and the other one stopped and just wanted to see it just to say just because our public notice is kind of vague I I guess and maybe that's something I got to work on to say like maybe more detail on that. But once she saw what it was, it was no concern. Just kind of was curious because they get a letter in the mail that says there's something going on. So they instantly kind of get a little bit nervous. But no, no, no negative feedback as far as the building inspector. Okay. Right. All right. Is there anything else uh concerning the proposed ordinance? Does anyone wish to make a um um to make a motion concerning the uh proposed ordinance? Did did you have something, Mrs. Olsen? Did I? Oh, okay. Answer a question in case Okay. Hi. I suppose I have one question, I guess, and that's about the um the routing of traffic during the beginning. I'm just curious if if there's not any more students in this school, then um I guess why the concern for a different route? I I think um the PDD kind of has a give and take that the the public is supposed to gain something I if the if we're granting them relaxation on the PDD and as I was saying it there's not a whole lot that we can ask for in a in a school district to to beautify or to make something public that the that we can use. And so one of the one of the few things that we've we've heard throughout the years is is

the congestion of that. So we said, "Hey, maybe one of the things you could work on is flow through there or staging area as one of the benefits that we're going to give get out of the relaxation for the for the uh imposing in on the the bulk regulation there. That was really all it is. There's nothing major about it. Has nothing really to do with this addition. It was just kind of a let's while we can, you know, while we have the ability to ask for it, why wouldn't the city ask for it?" Well, and I know the other thing I was thinking was you probably have to do something while construction is going on too, right? So that that that because that will be cut off, I'm assuming, on the front end. And I don't know. Can I can I jump in? So I'm Teresa Wadzinski. I'm with Epstein Architects. We're the architectural firm that's working with the district. We are also part of the original planning of the elementary. And so I can say that when the ele elementary site was originally designed um there were two lanes for queuing cars and there were a lot less cars. Obviously a lot has happened in 10 years um postco post parents enjoy driving their kids to school so there's more cars than were anticipated. Um, when we met with the chief, the the concern is the site as is has cars backing up onto Main Street during the pickoff pickup at that 2:45 3:00 time of the evening. Uh, morning is largely not a concern. And so, um, certainly with, as Miss Dr. Olsen said, with kids this little, um, safety is always the utmost priority. And so we met with the principal to discuss options for um keeping the kids safe but keeping those cars off of Main Street. And so we we have a a sketch of a potential solution, but we're still working

through that with the chief. Um just different places to queue cars so that it doesn't um back up onto those county roads. Um the the 4K 5K, which works pretty successfully right now, will largely not be impacted by that. Um, but yeah, it's a great opportunity to improve something that's not 100% great right now. Um, so I think both the the school district, the principal um are open to solutions and trying something new um to keep kids safe and keep those cars off of the off of Main Street. And will that um will will construction force that to happen? So the the CM partner Findorf is not not here tonight, but when the project is approved, so when the site plan is approved and um the project moves forward and is bid out, they would work very very closely with the district on construction phasing and what parts of the site would be fenced off. So with this particular addition, I think they would keep that construction fence very tight. Obviously, they'd probably still need use of those sidewalks around there. Um, I'm not the construction manager, but I could guess that maybe they would take a small portion of the existing front parking lot where visitor cars are parked now. Um, and keep the drive operable. Um, but honestly those details have not been worked out yet and they spend quite a bit of time with the district prior to construction working out all those details. Okay. Excuse me, but we do need your name and your um your role as as uh for the for the record. Sure. Uh Terresa Adzinski with Absenuan Architects. I'm the um learning studio director, a principal

at the firm um project manager for this project. All right. I agree. Thank you. All right. Does anyone else have any questions that she could answer? All right. Very well. Hi. Okay. Is there a motion concerning this prepared ordinance? I'll make a motion to approve the ordinance in front of us. Second by Miss Curler. All right. It's been moved by Mr. Greedy and seconded by Mr. Kurley to uh approve um and recommend to recommend for approval uh that prepared ordinance amending city of Lake Mill's ordinance 66044A official zoning map uh to add uh the plan development district overlay district and the public institutional overlay district to the property at Lake Mills Elementary school. Is there any any comment? Any further uh discussion? All right. In that case, then we'll proceed with a roll call vote. Miss Kurler, I. Miss Heim Street, I. Miss Lazerus, I. Mr. Grady, I. Motion passes 40. All right. Thank you. And next is uh seven recommendations for future agendas. I do not have a recommendation but I have um an announcement and that is plan commissioners and staff. Um I have one more year in my term and uh which is fine but my intention is that um when the year has elapsed that um as much as I've enjoyed

this since 1999 I do not intend to reup. So in the year that remains, I would like to see uh another person fill this spot. So would that would be that it would be that this evening would be the last time I would serve as chairman. And uh Ryan Grady, their current vice chairman, has agreed that he will do that. So that's my announcement. And of course, I have a nice letter to go along with that. So that's for the record. Miss Lazerys, if I may, I'd like to uh thank you for your many, many years. I think based on what you said, it would be decades um of service to the city, both on the city council and the plan commission, and your expertise in planning issues is really unparalleled. So that is true. Along with your years of service. So thank you very much. Wow. I appreciate that. Thank you. And and thank and thank all of you as well for your um this is a good service on all of your your parts and I appreciate that. So uh is anything else about future agendas that we should know about? So I have um another public hearing at that is that May? Yeah. May uh meeting and then I did put together not much I don't want to say put together. I thought we'd maybe set aside some time for that. You guys had asked to do that for a half hour or so at each plan commission. So probably those two things would be on the next agenda. We we didn't do it today because Drake wasn't here, but um we thought we'd put that on the next meeting. Does that sound correct? that second item that's look just continuing to talk about the

correct zoning for a half an hour at the end plan commission and and um spitball some more ideas to see what would work and I had I did involve Dustin a little bit to see if there were some ideas and he kind of emailed me some thoughts too. So I'll continue to see if there's things we can talk about or you know ideas we can kick around at least. All right. Well thank you for doing thank you. Oh good. Um, we'll need to nominate for vice chair as well. Oh, hold on. I I wasn't going to reign on anyone's prayer immediately, but the the plan commission chair is an appointment that's made by the city council president and and that process hasn't happened yet. The city council president was just appointed at the last meeting of the city council. So it the next proper step would be the next meeting would be if everything city council members to the subordinate boards and commissions as well as the appointment of officials within said boards and commissions if that power is there for the plan commission specifically. It is a city council president appointment. So perfect and she she has agreed she has I'm sure she will take your recommendation. I definitely wasn't going to bring it up or say you know anything other than that. And so you I think what I heard you saying uh Mr. Grady was you were recommending for the next agenda that a vice chair election occur. Election. Yeah. I think that occurs naturally once the the president is appointed because they have the authority to Okay, great. Thank you. So, wait then. Are we down two people? Well, because Greg Hoots was elected to the council. Yeah. Attorney Der, can you turn on your microphone? Yep. I'm sorry. what I mentioned there is Greg Coots was uh recently elected to the council. So uh there will be there's a vacancy in in the city um citizen appointments on the plan commission level right now. So um any interested citizen should definitely apply. And Miss Lazarus, you have one more year on your term. I think you said you're

going to be continuing to serve on the commission, just not serving as the chair. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Anything else under future agendas? I don't think so. All right. In that case, then I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. I move adjournment of the meeting. Second that. All right. Been moved by Miss Kurland and seconded by Mr. Grey to adjourn the meeting. Any objections? In that case, we're adjourned.