Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Being 5:15, I'd like to call Thursday, December 18th planning commission meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge. Pledge to the flag of the United States to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with all taken. [clears throat] Looking for a motion to adopt the agenda. I'll make that motion and I'll second it. Motion's been made by Jason, second by Susie. All in favor signify by saying I.

All motion car. [clears throat] Looking for a motion to approve the approval of the October 30, 2025 planning commission minutes as read in your packet. I'll make that motion to approve. I'll second. Okay. The motion's been made by Susie, seconded by Donna. All in favor signify. Signify by saying I. I. I.

All opposed. Motion carried. Any public comment? Seeing none, move on to item number five. be a site plan review for the addition at 405 West Wolf River Avenue, which would be Hilker Square. [clears throat] Mr. Hilker approached me about wanting to put a 6,800 edition existing building that he has there welding in. We did have an issue with the uh elevations on that and the architect allow for the elevation rise to meet the flood standards for that property and I believe everything is in order and I'm recommending approval of site construction.

Can you elaborate on the uh elevation stuff? What was the hangup there? The code that we have in place requires that they be two above regional flood for that. So, uh we met with the city attorney Chad and myself kind of discuss that seeing update the plans to accommodate. So, they've created a couple ramps inside to transition to that to meet the minimum height requirement. Okay. That was per city code then, not DNR. Yes. Yeah. City code that's been adopted via DNR, you know, regulations. Got it.

In conjunction, so the old the existing building was obviously old and below what the current standards are. Could you just explain a little bit what they're doing? I mean, I I'm a little confused on the maps and it's a welding shop. added. They're just growing. So, they're going to add on to existing building to give them more room to for production. And here we'll give you an aerial so you can kind of see. Yeah. Where that's at. So, here warehousing right on the river. Dave, correct me if I'm wrong. Structure right here. Yep. And they're adding

correct. Yep. Going that way. Okay. So, you see that right here. There's quite a bit of building plans there. You know, a lot of it doesn't pertain to what we're looking at, but the elevations is obviously in our ordinance as it deals with plan commission and size and setbacks and so on. He's met all the other criteria.

The reason why I asked about the elevation, I've been asked several times about other project as well as this one. um why they we make them have that elevation and understanding that it is conjunction. [cough] So they're coming back and telling me that DNR tells them that they don't care. They can build it without that elevation. Yeah. Wetland that we Absolutely. I just wanted to clear that up.

Yep. On residential properties, they've got to be two foot above regional flood. half of a portion of the building including furnaces, water heaters and all that. And then these more industrial lots they have to be at or or slightly above obviously the minimums at so they they're three inches above regional flood for that site. Was that was that extending towards the river at all or is that just going to be even more? Okay,

just continue. They got plenty of room to maneuver their trucks through there. They had to abandon uh unused gas line that was a little hectic, but they just completed that recently, so they're all set to go. Nice.

Now, there's there's FEMA and DNR flood plane maps, and everybody's heard about that, and you know, there's flood fringe and there's floodway and things like that. Um, even though the DNR might say it's our decision, it's based off of their information. And what's interesting is Dave and I had a conversation with a zoning person from the uh out of county and uh they went through a process recently that they got audited by either it was either FEMA or DNR, I can't remember who and they were because the county is in conjunction with the township. So there's a lot of overlapping things going on there, but they were finding things that were um not done correctly and there was some boooos going on and some not things that we don't want to get into. We don't want to get a situation where we're allowing things get audited and be in the wrong. So yeah, we have to comply with these things.

Yeah, we didn't want to put Tom in a position where they came in and told him no. And they're doing that in the county. So, we uh like I said, I met with the attorney to see if there was any kind of work around it. There just wasn't. And I did speak up to the DNR and he kind of explained how our ordinance worked. He actually looked up our ordinance, explained how that works. Perfect. Thank you. Okay. Is there any more questions on this? Okay, we'll move along to number six, which is

Yeah, we need to take an action either. Okay. Um looking for a motion to accept plan review for the addition for 405 West Wolf River Avenue. I'll make that motion and I'll second it. Okay. Motion was made by Mark, second by Susie. Any more discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

All opposed. [clears throat] Motion's carried. Okay. Next item on the agenda is presentation of the new draft zoning ordinance and match zone. Turn over to okay. It says the next item on the agenda is presentation review of the proposal draft zone ordinance and zone map. Our consultant Ben Rule of Vandy Hall Vandy Wall and Associates will provide a presentation and a quick recap on how we get here. Ben,

thank you. Good to see you all. I apologize I wasn't able to make it in person tonight. I feared the the ice storm might be a little bit uh too much. Uh but I appreciate uh the accommodation to be able to join you all uh this evening. Obviously you all are familiar with the process as to how we got here. Wanted to provide a brief recap and um before we open the public hearing and then ultimately uh seek from you all a potential recommendation this evening. Uh so this meeting is a little bit different than what we've done in the past where it's been more workshop format. Uh today is more of the formal format in relationship to uh potentially taking action. Uh so I will do a summary presentation. Uh we'll hold the public hearing and then we'll consider uh two resolutions. One for the zoning ordinance and then the second for the zoning map. if there are any individual changes requested by the plan commission or the public associated with this evening uh this evening's meeting and those will need to be a separate motion second and vote on those changes prior to uh seeking uh that motion second and vote on the entirety of the ordinance and the map. So in reflection of how we got here uh this is the culmination of an 18month process. Uh this will be the 10th plan commission meeting associated with this project. Uh throughout the last six weeks we've had uh the public review period. So this has included the online opportunity where all of the materials lived on the website uh for people to view in addition to the November 17th uh public openhouse. Uh after today's meeting uh there will be two more steps associated with the process and that will include at the city council level the first reading and then the second

reading and adoption. So in reflection of what we heard from the public input wanted to provide you a brief recap. Uh so I saw many of you uh in attendance uh at the public openhouse on November 17th. We had approximately 15 to 20 people uh that attended that event uh in that room that you all are in. Uh this offered an opportunity to have individual conversations, ask questions, review the materials and then hear a summary presentation. Now that summary presentation was livereamed but also posted on the website directly following uh that meeting uh with all of the materials. So there was that online review period uh like I had previously mentioned. Uh so throughout that period uh there were no additional comments provided to city staff via online email or phone. Uh the comments that were received were directly in person uh during uh that public hearing or the public openhouse I should say. So, uh, there were a couple of of changes, um, relatively minor in nature, but we wanted to call those out to your attention because those are differences from the drafts that you looked at uh, six weeks ago. [clears throat] Uh, so when we're talking about the zoning ordinance text and the changes that were made uh, that have been incorporated within the document that you have before you today, those include minor typos, formatting, and reference errors. So myself and city staff uh went through the text and found a couple of these and made those changes. What you'll also notice is that we were using the title chapter 620 throughout this process. And the reason for that was we intended to have uh the full municipal code recontified and restructured to reflect new chapter orientation outline.

However, uh that recontification has not fully happened up to this point. So, we need to adopt the ordinance as chapter 17. Uh the solution that we came up with was calling this chapter 17-620. So, ultimately when that recodification takes place, all you'll have to do is strike 17 and all of the references will be reflected of the way that they should be after that takes place. Additionally, within the code, there are several references to other municipal code chapters. From the onset of this process, we use the recodified structure uh in orientation of those references. However, since that recotification has not taken place, similar to the item above, we needed to revert those references to the existing structure. So, what that'll mean is later on down the road when you do complete the recontification of the municipal code, you'll need to go back to the zoning ordinance and make those updates. Finally, uh we had the city attorney review the document and provide uh his comments. Uh those were directly related to article 10, the administration and procedure section. We inherently wanted him to focus on this because that's sort of the [clears throat] ba most uh legally sort of binding component of this uh in terms of the process and reflection of state statutes whatnot. Um so we had some very minor clarification and formatting changes come from that review that have been reflected in the code text. In totality, wanted to note that we did not provide a redline version to you of every individual change uh because we as city staff and myself had the opinion that these were relatively minor adjustments to the code and so we wanted to provide a summary. So you were aware of them uh but they did not warrant a substantive

conversation related to a policy change or an approach change. [clears throat] Additionally, there are a couple of zoning map changes that have occurred on the document uh that you have in your packet. Uh so this we'll we'll start with 310 West Wolf River Avenue. This is a parcel you all are familiar with. Uh it was combined over the last year and a project has been approved for this site. However, because that happened simultaneously with us developing the map, we noticed when we did our final review of the map uh that those parcels were still shown as two separate and had two separate zoning districts on them. So, what we did with the change is reflect a singular parcel uh that has been uh approved in addition to neighborhood mixeduse zoning. Uh that would be the district that's applied to this entire property and that would be reflective of the approved project. the mixeduse project uh that you all approved earlier this year. So that would enable that project to continue and take place. So more or less this is just a clarification and a correction uh of an error. Moving a little bit east uh down to 317 East Wolf River Avenue. This was a property owner request that was fielded uh via city staff. This property was shown on the draft as light industrial that is reflective of the existing zoning of industrial today. As you can see, uh that kind of sticks out in respect to the other zoning in this area. Uh the property owner request was for neighborhood mixed use. This would enable a couple of different options uh moving forward that would include standalone residential, standalone commercial or combination mixeduse uh type component. And so uh we reviewed this together, myself and city staff

following the request. Uh we felt comfortable with it in reflection of what we were trying to do throughout this process and that has been reflected as neighborhood mixeduse on the draft zoning map you have before you today. And then finally, adjacent or just directly east of the brand new Aldi grocery store are three uh platted parcels that are currently vacant, undeveloped. Uh this is a developing area of the community. Uh it was originally shown on the previous version of the draft zoning map as corridor mixed use in red. However, the property owner has requested mixed residential high density uh to enable a future multifamily development on this property. As you can see in the configuration of the two screenshots, this development pattern is pretty common in this area where you see the corridor mixed use along the frontage of Shauno versus having uh the multifamily behind that in configuration of the pattern uh along the entirety of the corridor. We felt comfortable with uh this change as well and that has been reflected on the draft zoning map that you have before you. So finally, uh, this concludes my summary presentation. Uh, we'll have the public hearing and then we'll have a discussion on any other questions, comments, or potential changes that you have. This would be the culmination of the plan commission's role in this process. However, it would not be the final step. Uh that would include like I indicated before the city council first reading which is planned to occur on January 20th and the city council second reading and adoption which is planned to occur on February 17th. Uh with that said, I appreciate the opportunity uh this evening to present and to work with you all throughout this process. I'll turn it back over uh to plan commission

chair uh to open the public hearing. Thank you. Okay, at this time I'd like to open up the public hearing to allow public input on a proposed new zoning ordinance and map zoning. Please come up to the microphone so we can hear your comments when you come up. Please state your name and address. Please keep your comments at three minutes or less. A clock will be provide pro provided to you on the screen to assist you. If you have any questions, ask them and we'll answer those at the end of the public hearing. To start off, we first we'll read off any comments that have been submitted prior to the meeting. Chad, do you have any comments that were submitted prior to the meeting?

We have no comments that have been submitted prior to the meeting. Okay. Is there any other comments? Seeing none, we'll move along to the next agenda item. Bernie, I would just ask three times that you ask for public comments. We know there's nobody here, but public comments. Is there any public comment? Last call. Is there any public? Seeing none, we'll move along to the next item on the agenda. Close the public hearing first.

Yes. Oh, I got at this time I'll close the public hearing 533. We now move into discussion of a resolution recommended to adopt and draft z or zoning ordinance. We will start with the draft zoning ordinance and in the next agenda item we will separate addresses the zoning map. [clears throat] So at this time are there any comments, additional questions or changes that the commission would like to see regarding ordinance?

Any questions? any changes, any thoughts, any questions on the amendments that we just brought up tonight? I think they're pretty self-explanatory, but now's the opportunity to have the commission provide important feedback and ask questions of Ben right here, too. So, okay. See no comments or questions. I make a motion to approve the resolution that council consider an ordinance adopting a newly proposed zoning ordinance including changes approved tonight if any.

So Bernie made a motion. I'll second it. Okay. Motion was been made by me, seconded by Susie. Is there any further discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. All opposed.

Motions carry. [clears throat] Okay. Next item on the agenda. We'll now move into the discussion of the resolution recommending the adoption of the draft zone map. So at this time are there any comments, additional questions or changes to the commission would like to see regarding the zoning map? Any questions or concerns? Okay, seeing none, I'll make a motion to approve the resolution that the council consider an ordinance adopting the newly proposed zoning map, including changes approved tonight, if any.

I'll second that motion. Okay, the motion's been made by me, seconded by Jay. Any more discussion? Okay. All in fa favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose. Motion carry.

Wonderful. I want to thank the commission the commission. It's been a long process like Ben said was 18 months. So um we had a lot of reading a lot of conversation with this and I want to thank everybody's time and efforts with that process. So and I want to thank Ben too. He was a great help and u really did great job guiding us in this entire process. So, thanks Ben for that. But like Ben said, um this will be going on to council now for the ordinance consideration as well. Ben, any last comments before we move on?

Yeah, I just wanted to reiterate what you just said, Chad. I I uh enjoyed working with you all. I think what we've developed is a really great code uh that's reflective of what we were trying to accomplish and moves us in the right direction to reflect the goals of the comprehensive plan. And so I appreciate the time and effort everyone put into this process and I think [clears throat] we should all be proud of the product we have at the end of the day here. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks Ben. Review upcoming agenda items. Nothing official.

Okay. There's nothing on the agenda for the next meeting. Review next meeting date tenatively January 22nd, 2026. Is that all good for everybody? Okay. Looking for a motion to adjurnn. I'll make that motion and I'll second it. Okay. Motion's been made by Donna by all in favor signify by saying I. Okay. Planning commit for me.