Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

They didn't even Good morning. I will call the April 7th, 2026 Norfolk Planning Commission meeting to order. Inform the public about the location of the open meetings act in the northwest corner of the building and ask for a roll.

Wait here. Sock here. Simonson here. Hky here. Coffford here. Guyer here. Griffith here. Peach here. Ronfeld here. Uh ask for approval of the full agenda. Move to approve. I'll second. Please vote. All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. And consideration of the approval of the minutes of the March 17th, 2026 planning commission meeting. Move to approve. Second. Please vote.

All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. At this time, we'll open up the public hearing at the request of Marvin and tomorrow May, sorry on the pronunciation if that is Tamara, uh to consider a zoning change from agricultural district to light industrial district on property addressed as 83664 highway 81. Anyone like to speak on behalf of this zone change? Yeah, we'd like to that was Can I have you guys sign in? Oh, sorry.

Thank you. You have to do it. I can use that one. That one's fancy.

Yes. And uh what are you proposing today? The zone change. Uh we would we would like to put up some uh just a reszoning of the 33 acres to possibly do about five to six maybe storage sheds out there. Okay. And you own the property north and to the east of the proposed zone change. And how many total acres is the uh zone change? I I thought 33. I'm not for 100%.

No, that I mean we Yeah, we have the exact numbers and whatnot in the in your information, but it's approximately 33 acres, I think. So, and how many acres are surrounding it? Do you know? Approximately there's uh 80 acres there total. It's it's an 80 acre. Okay. Yeah.

And that's your property just directly to the north.

Yes. Zoom in what you guys are doing your work there. That's a very very important connection to the highway. That is one of the few accesses the DOT will allow. That's a controlled access highway. And so eventually there'll be a frontage road that runs north and south off of that. That's how you'll get back into all those hundreds and hundreds of acres back in there over the future. So as you're building out that site, you recognize, oh, I know take that and go in zoom out a little bit. Go into like going But there would be go north up there toward that. So there's no south go south there. So there's another access right there. So someday those will connect. There'll be a road that goes from that access right there. It'll it'll come east. It'll kind of make a little And then it'll kind of follow that blue property line all the way south. It'll connect in there. And then there be another one that goes all the way south down into there.

So as you're laying that out, I just caution you when you're sighting building recognize that eventually there'll be a road there. Okay. It'll be way

and your thought is uh some sort of storage unit in in the future. I know this is just a zone change, but that's Yeah, we're just that's what it's kind of considering for. just want to do his own change and come like there's no we don't have a set in stone 100% but yeah to just be the purpose of pretty much on that south southwest area like doing the zoning change just to start with everything but that'd be the only minimal amount of area that would probably be used for anything right now val how far is it off the highway Okay. Approximately

their property line is the right of way, but I can see so about 175 probably off the edge of the highway right now to their property line. Okay, that already turns to 55 right there, doesn't it? I think. Or is it still

still 70? Okay. Any other questions for the applicant?

I just had a question, more of a concern if that's going to be increased traffic turning into that area. Say you do storage sheds, anybody coming from town's going to have to turn across traffic coming up a slight hill and pulling into that property. Just wondering if that's a concern we may have. There's the the turn lane is right there too coming to the south, right?

Yes. Yeah. Yeah, Amanda here. She every time she comes home, you know.

Yeah. I live out there. There's turning lane right there. Any other questions? Thank you. This is a public hearing. Anyone else like to speak on behalf of this project and or against for that matter? My only concern is uh speed limit is 70 m an hour there and that curve is kind of hard to it's hard I live across the road from there and it's hard to get on place as it is sometimes with especially that curve because you can't see the traffic and it's going 70 miles an hour and by the time you pull out they're right on you so it's kind of tricky and I thought well make sure the more like truck traffic was coming out of that place it really be almost impossible get out of there so that's my only concern I really against it or nothing I just kind of concerned about the the traffic and the speed limit in that area if that would be happen to for safety reasons. That's my only concern. And I didn't know what was actually

going in. I understand it was going to be uh possible uh storage units. I wouldn't think there'd be a lot of traffic for that, but then somebody else said there was going to be some kind of truck shop or something there and that would make it, you know, big trucks going in out of there. That would really be a bottleneck right there, especially at 70 miles an hour and everything. So that's my only concern. And some neighbors were worried about if something else business was going to use a lot of water. People to the south there had enough trouble with the with their wells, but they were, you know, when they were when it got dry. So where the one neighbor she was worried about that. So that's my only concern, whatever. So

thank you.

Yep. Okay. Uh, my name's Don Fetto. Me and my wife are property owners. Um, on the map, if you look the southeast corner and go west, uh, I don't know how many feet it would be. We share a property line and a fence line, I guess I would say. And I guess my question I I I'm going to be neutral on this situation, but my question is, is security fencing required to keep their patrons on their property? Um, is that part of the construction process? Um, we don't want unwanted guests coming in or I would call them guests, but unwanted individuals jumping the fence because we do have irrigation equipment there that in the past has been we've had theft and vandalism and anytime you've got people congregating, we just don't want them coming onto our property. So, that's the question when it does come to construction. um is this boundary going to have security fencing to keep their patrons on their site? So that's my question and concern. So um that's all I have. You guys got questions?

Val, with the with the zone change to industrial, I know it's they wouldn't have would they need a a conditional use permit on top of industrial to to have that or is that outright permitted? where it is right now, it's outright permitted. It's outside the highway overlay. So, um we don't require any security fencing or cameras or anything like that for um storage units. That would be up to the the people operating the storage area if they chose to have something like that. The only thing that we would require would be the buffer yards and potential screening.

And what would the buffer yard be? So buffer yard for I1 to a is 40 ft and so you couldn't have any paving or driveways. It it would have to remain that green buffer area essentially. And then if there were areas of like the backs of buildings or traffic circulations, that's when screening would come in for those areas. But it wouldn't have to be all the way down the whole line. It would just be screening those things that need to be screened, but the buffer yard would have to be there no matter what.

And as far when you say screening, what do you mean by screening? It can be either landscaping or fencing. And there's no as far as you know I guess looking longterm any sort of lighting qual you know requirements for something like that.

We don't have anything like that in code for security lighting or anything. That would be up to the the operators of the facility. The only thing we would request is that it not shine, you know, like across property lines like it would be directed towards the the facility. Okay. So, thank you. Yep.

I think as a function of reszoning, I don't see any issues there by the DOT as a function of building something there. I would say they probably need to have a conversation with the DOT and see if they're going to require any kind of traffic impact analysis that might dictate signage, advanced signage that the DOT would need to do. because of that controlled access intersection there. I think we would want to see something from the DOT indicating, you know, they're fine with this without a traffic impact analysis or that there is a traffic impact analysis needed for whatever. I don't see that getting in the way of zoning. Anyone else like to speak on behalf of this? Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and open for discussion. Uh, and Val, this is just outside our ETJ as far as or the one we annexed previously to be a part of the overlay district. There's no

Yes, I can bring up the So, it was outside of our ETJ until we had the large annexation here a few years ago. And so, you can see the hatching mark of where the highway overlay essentially stops right now. And so, we have not extended the highway overlay all the way down the new highway extensions that came into our ETJ yet. So, if they do it soon before we maybe potentially extend that, then they would not need a highway um corridor cup. Okay.

How far from city limits is that Val? Um probably about a mile because here's the end of the airport. So they'd be just over mile, mile and a half, something like that probably. And that that would just be word to the applicant as far as the overlay district. Not sure if you understand what that is. Basically adds a little bit more of requirements to the facade, the aesthetics of your building uh to match to match and not just be a hobbled mess of,

you know, steel building essentially. Um, just to put that out there on the record, I guess is the aesthetic features of the building. It may have requirements uh if in fact that overlay does come down uh to that corridor. Um yeah, I think the obviously the traffic piece uh is, you know, a concern obviously, but obviously the DOT will wasn't is that going to be DOT state? We don't have anything to do. We're just zoning, so that's not going to be Would the Val would the building permit um require a hard surface access to the property?

Yes. So, we would require that minimum hard surfacing and then when they build the buildings, I would think that the building permit would also require that at least 25 ft in front of access doors. um other storage areas. You get the access in there and the certain amount of paving, but then sometimes they have like gravel, you know, a throughway essentially. But as long as they have enough of that paving to to knock everything off before they they go back on There's no further discussion. I'll make a motion to consider recommendation of a zoning change from agricultural district to light industrial district on property addressed as 83 uh 664 highway 81.

Second. Have a motion and a second. Please vote. All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries.

Uh thank you. We will open up the public hearing at this time at the request of Norfolk 140 LLC to consider a zoning change from agricultural to Light Industrial on property generally located southwest of the intersection of West Madison Avenue and South 40th Street. Anyone here to speak on behalf? Hi, my name's Rob Duval with Shimmer. I'm here on behalf of the applicant. Uh they are requesting this reszoning change and uh also later in the morning a final plat for the rest of the subdivision. Uh they went and platted this property I believe two years ago. um to the north of this property and it was 30ish acres. Uh we're looking to reszone and replplat uh the remaining about 113 acres. Um and for now it's just for marketing purposes. They just need platted lots to market. And then um at that time they get some traction, we'll come back and we'll probably do the districts again um like we did in that first phase. Um, as far as NDOT improvements, we did put in a del lane in phase one and I believe that was the only recommendation they had as a part of our traffic impact study. Um, and any other questions? Uh, I'm here to answer

just to the north val. That's also I1 or is that commercial? It's a bit of both. So, the two large lots here, the one that has the CAT dealership and the empty one, those are both I1. And then across 40, I think third street, that is the C3. Any other questions for the gentlemen?

Thank you. different things. Generally speaking, that comp plan is Excuse me. Anyone on anyone else want to speak on behalf or in opposition to seeing none, I'll close the public hearing. open for discussion. Uh generally the comp plan is I1 commercial. Yeah, I think we have it. This is like mixed commerce. So it could go either way like C3 I1 kind of a a general mixture kind of along the 275 corridor.

Please pull up the zoning map real quick. Looks like that's the direction it's headed. Anyways, there's no other discussion. I'd take a motion. Make a motion to consider recommendation of a zoning change from agricultural district to light industrial district on property generally located southwest of the intersection of West Madison Avenue and South 40th Street.

Second motion in a second. Please vote.

All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. Thank you. The consideration of the recommendation of the final plat, the Norfolk 142nd subdivision. This is what the gentleman just spoke about as far as the breaking up of plats because presumably they need to be platted in order to market. Correct. Yes. You should not be marketing property if it legally doesn't exist as a lot. Correct. Good to know.

Any concerns on the city's part, Val? I don't believe so. Did you get everything worked out, Steve?

Yeah. when we um you guys don't really see the subdivision agreement, but because they're doing this to market, well, within the subdivision agreement, we'll have some language that delays the the infrastructure requirements until they have interest in in a lot. We have trigger point in there that extend streets and utilities. Typically we do these build out right away. I would say we're excited to have this in the community be able to work with our economic development team and help them help them identify potential. I would say I think one of the If you haven't done it, we probably should schedule a meeting at a motion. I'll move for consideration and recommendation of the final plat Northfor 140 second subdivision.

Second motion in a second. Please vote.

All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. and consideration of the recommendation of the final plat of the Windham Hills 9inth edition. Well, yeah, these are, let's see, half dozen lots. I can bring up this. So, essentially, they're kind of filling in this little area here. So the mimic drive kind of stubbed over this way and then it came from the west and stubbed and so they're kind of connecting these and then filling in this empty area right here with these six lots. You have anything else to say?

Okay. Same thing we've been doing basically just kind of connecting mimic the question the question on the on the are these people within the community that are moving up in housing or are these people generally new to the community that you're building we see both. We see both.

Yep. Just for my own curiosity, what's the starting price for one of the homes? You I mean, generally, um, it really depends what the people want. So, like I just got done bidding one that came in at like$450 and then they go all the way up to 2 million. So, I mean, it's a it's a range. So, just they're all um custom homes. So, this kind of depends what people want, but I can't really get a house under 450. So, yeah. Not sure that's possible anywhere.

Yeah. If they figure it out, give me a call.

Yep. Yep. So, another street out for North There's no further discussion. I'll make a motion to consider recommendation of the final plat of the Windham Hills 9th edition. Second. Motion to second. Please vote. All commission members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. Thank you. Any other open topics or concerns?

Seeing none, I'd take a motion to adjurnn. So move.

Um, have you heard anything on that sports complex coming? Did that get shelled? I think so. Damn it. Yeah, I haven't heard anything. Cuz that was back when was it Mitch Schultz? Schultz. Yeah, he's he was on that committee. Mhm. God, we were hoping that would be a huge benefactor for the town, but yeah, I don't know if something with the state and grants and I don't think it was anything we had to do with whatever they were trying to Yeah. through the state and like how they were going to set up some funding like the taxes and it's just couldn't get it pushed throughout that one the sports complex. Yeah.

Yeah. Schultz they wanted a new hotel out there with Yeah. because there's something there was something through the state where then like those taxes that are generated within that area they don't you know so it's not really tip it's kind of tip and uh I think it's just real hard like the state to get that scheduled state is just next possible so which is sad you know super difficult

it's like we want to we want to do these things and yet you say you know the state says you were open for business. It's like, well, there's too many hotel rooms in town as it is. I don't I don't even work for the hotels anymore. I can tell there's way too many hotels sitting vacant at this point. Yeah, the rest I go arrest clients at, you know, really. I'm not sending my super

and that's predominantly where, you know, I got a guy that goes on the lamb. He'll he'll hold up a hotel room for three days go. That's where a lot of the construction goes. Good. We typically country in Madison, like out in the country by Madison. So, we typically look at when you guys want to start. A couple people weren't going to make it back for one. And we were like, we're going up to the farm to the cabin in two weeks with that group anyway. So, we were like, we'll just hang out with Brian's family all day. So, we didn't have to split. Yeah, they're fun. They have I'll get together.

So everyone's focused on them. And at Brian's family, they're one of 10. So they're just like a

they get like spoiled with but then on Brian said, a lot of the kids are older, so then they're focused on them anyway and like them. So they like it. It's good. contract. Brandy, you sound under the weather. Feeling better. Good.

At some point, I think there's something. Yeah, I have them. Okay.