Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

First 2026 Watertown City of Watertown Planning Commission Meeting to order Brandi. Would you please do a roll call?

Yes spire here the churn us here I'll be here Culhane here kaka check here Tupper here Kate's here Tate's and Dargis Johnson are absent. We have a quorum wonderful.

I would entertain a motion to approve the April 23rd 2026 meeting minutes No one second Tuffer said second by spire any further discussions amendments changes to the meeting minutes During none all those in favor of approval say aye Opposed same sign motion passes Disclosure of conflicts of interest if anybody has had any contacts with any of the people who are the subject of today's regular agenda Please disclose that Wonderful. Hearing none, I'll move on to a new business or declaration of new business. Anything that we need to address, Brandy? No. From the board, anybody? Okay. Public comments in the middle?

Sign up in the middle.

Again, if you're here to speak on something that is not on the regular agenda, just let Brandy know and we will get to that before the meeting is over. Now, I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

So moved.

Get a motion and second motion by spire second by case although any changes addendums Anything that needs to happen to the agenda wonderful hearing none all those in favor say aye aye opposed Agenda is approved that brings us to 8a which is Doc Howard's garages go ahead

Okay, thank you, Liam. So this is a rezone request for the property lots 8 through 11, block 5 of North Lake Drive addition. Currently, they're zoned R1, single-family residential, and the owner is requesting to rezone it to RG, residential garage. The lot is in conformance to be zoned RG. There is other RG zoning within the area immediately adjacent to the south. And with that, I'll stand by for questions.

Does anyone have any questions for Ms. Hanton before I open the public hearing? Are those other two lots the only other two RG lots?

Three.

Is there three?

Yeah.

Okay. But yes. And remind me, I think I was on here when we did the RG or maybe right after. RG was developed specifically for this particular area, wasn't it? Or it was developed with this area in mind?

This area, definitely. It's the criteria. Yes. Yeah.

That was my recollection, but it has been many moons ago. All right, I'll open the public hearing. If anyone wants to talk, the applicant, come on down.

Go ahead. I lied. There are other RG areas within this, along Pheasant Lane.

Along Pheasant, yeah. Okay. Okay. Mr.. Howard if you'd like to come down and talk or if somebody wants to talk on your behalf come on down You don't have to up to you, huh? Whatever you want This is your opportunity to speak Please identify yourself tell us where you live Where I live sixteen two seven four four and fifth Fifth Avenue north town and you were William Howard correct wonderful I

So I'm just looking to build some garages, storage there. Get a lot of taxes. But right now, everybody won't let you do anything. So I'm going to change it to our flavor brand, he said, and put up a storage shed. Basically, probably cold storage.

All right. Sounds good. Does anyone have any questions for us?

Mr. Chair, I do have a question. Go ahead, Mr. Tupper. Are those going to be for personal use, or are you planning on building?

Depends what I have to put in them.

No, I mean it's for your own personal use, so it's not going to be a rental-type garage area.

It has to be.

Yeah, okay. Thank you.

It has to be what?

Personally used.

Yeah.

Any other questions? Go ahead, Mr. Speyer.

Mr. Howard, part of the ordinance requirement is that they have paved surfaces, and this is coming off Pheasants Lane, which is unimproved. So do you have plans to make it in compliance with that pavement?

Yeah, I believe if I put a shed here, I was going to have concrete in front of it, you know, that would go to wherever the street is.

And I'll answer that.

Well, the other ones on that strip are all access from the south. And this one, obviously, because you can't get to it. You only get to it from Pheasant Lane, right?

This one has north access.

North access, right. But you can't get to it from the improved road on the south.

Yeah, sorry, I should have noted that So he will have a paved driveway But then for the street right-of-way he will improve that to what it is to the north for when that house was Able to be built there.

Thank you Good question. Thank you. Any other questions for the applicant? Okay, public hearing is open. Is there anyone else that wishes to speak on this or do you have anything else you want to say? Mr. Allen good wonderful Anyone opposed, in favor, or neutral to this rezoning request? Anyone online? Hearing none, I'll close the public hearing, and I'd ask for board action.

Make a motion to approve the request.

Second the motion.

Motion by Fire, second by Churnis. Further discussion regarding the rezoning to RG?

Just because of the motion that's... It fits the designation, the zoning that was developed for this purpose. The applicant is going to be in compliance with what the zoning calls for. It is personal residential use. I see this fully fits the intended purpose and use of this zoning request.

Go ahead, Mr. Case. It is adjacent to existing RG zoning.

Wonderful any other comments regarding this rezone? All right, then chair.

I think go ahead.

Mr. Pepper.

I think mr Howard has a comment, right Randy Don you ask about renting them down the road if I put up three or four. Can I rent those? I mean if somebody's got an RV and want to park it Well, we can discuss that I

as far as being in conformance with the zoning. I mean, if somebody wants to allow someone to put something in their garage, I don't know where you draw the line.

But I think Mr. Howard is saying if in the future, if he wanted to build a big bunch of them, yeah.

Oh, then no, you couldn't.

The intent of RG was not to create a commercial facility Contractors shop type deal these are supposed to be sort of Lots that that match up with houses that are either nearby or somewhere on somebody else I mean it would probably you know, that's the and certainly the intent of what the ordinance was And that if that ordinance was created a lot to do with this piece of property.

I don't think that was the only soul No, but there was it was that piece of property that? got Annexed into the city and nothing really got done with it. It was plans for Street and all the utilities and everything and it's out there for Many many years and nothing was ever done. So this was part of the reason why that RG was was brought mr.

Chair Go ahead. Mr. Grace brandy. Didn't we just recently? recommend some changes to the r1 zone to allow some commercial storage and With screening, what did we, didn't we just have?

Oh, that was the residential storage district. So that's a possibility for them. Yeah, that's something to look into for his future endeavors, yeah. In the other change that we've made, so yes, definitely, Randy, that is correct with the RG District, but, and then we've also amended the resolution that prohibited access of those lots along Pheasant Lane onto North Lake Drive, so a lot of the properties you see that are getting developed is because they can get access to North Lake Drive now, so. Just a couple options.

All right. Well, anyways, the motion in front of us is to change this to RG. Is there any further discussion regarding that specific matter? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Same sign. Motion passes. So they're going to be RG now. So that brings us to 2026-16, which is the Ronke request. Brandi, go ahead. Thank you, Doc.

Okay, if IT could share my screen, please. Okay, so this is a rezone request for the property at Watertown Equipment Company Addition. It's currently zoned I-1 Light Industrial. The owner is applying to rezone it to R2, single family attached residential district. It is just in the southwest corner of the property. This could be extended in the future to go north as it is more appropriate to have the transitional zoning from R4 to R2, single family attached residential district, And in the comprehensive land use plan, it does show this area as being residential. So with that, I'll stand by for questions.

Anyone have any questions for Ms. Hanton? Mr. Chair.

Go ahead, Mr. Tupper. Looking at that map, everything surrounding it other than to the west, I believe, if I'm looking at the map right, which is also Mr. Ranke's property, is all residential, isn't it?

Correct.

Brandy, what did we do on this property last time? Believe it was a variance And maybe yeah when when mr. Rocky comes up any other questions for staff before I open the public hearing Hearing none. I'll open the public hearing and come on down. Mr. Rocky. Please identify yourself and tell us where you live Ross monkey and miss Rocky. Sorry. I didn't mean to leave you out.

I apologize my wife Lynette You currently live 1116 Pick them to northeast right of the middle school and Russ could you pull your microphone in just a little bit? And We were looking to Tell our house up there and build up out there. We're tired of the steps downstairs Both the first Light we're just gonna do it once a slab house It'd be a lot more handy to be where the our business is and Pretty much why we're gonna do it perfect. Thank you. Mr. Ryan and what we did before was we were gonna put up big Contractor shops or I mean and Bank Was not not nice to us on interest rates. Yeah, it wouldn't have worked out well Understood.

Okay. Well, thank you. Mr. Brown key. Does anyone from the board have any questions for the Rockies? All right, you guys are free to go back and I'll see if there's anyone else that has any one thing they want to say about this Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else that was just to speak regarding this? Rezone from I won two are two In favor of, opposed to, or neutral? Anyone on the line? Going once, twice, three times, I will close the public hearing and ask for board action on resolution number 2026-16. I'll make a motion. Thank you, Mr. Tupper. Motion by Tupper.

Second.

Second by Michelle. Any further discussion regarding this rezone? Go ahead, Mr. Gays.

Zoning I would just echo the comments made by Randy regarding how it comports with the current comprehensive land-use plan and will act as a transition between the r4 and the i1 district Perfect.

Thank you. Mr. Case any other discussion? Fair enough and the action before us is I want our to as identified All those in favor of that, say aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. The resolution is adopted. It'll go to City Council. That brings us to 2026-17, swimming pools. Go ahead, Brandi.

Thank you, Liam. So this was before the board last year, and as we're looking to adopt the 2024 International Building Code, we are re-reviewing and This came up as we were debating if we should propose to adopt the international pool and spa code as a whole or if we still felt that our ordinance keeping that separate was With a higher standard was better for the community, which is where staff landed But then we wanted to be more consistent with the ISPC the international pool and spa code and bring this ordinance amendment before Planning Commission and City Council, again, even though it did fail last year, I do think that there are aspects of it that can be better explained. Currently, if you have a permanent pool that needs a permit, you would need to install a six-foot fence. In the International Pool and Spa Code, you only need a four foot fence for a barrier. And then if you have a pool cover that meets the ASTM standards, you do not need a barrier at all. So we feel that adopting that and not having a barrier would be detrimental to public safety. So we are proposing that if you install a pool cover that is too standard, you would be able to do a four-foot fence. If you do not have a pool cover, then you still need a six-foot fence because then there's additional layers of defense for trying to prevent drowning. last year the Planning Commission did unanimously recommend this ordinance amendment to City Council and and then that Let's see. What was the vote for council three to four so? We're gonna back. I'll stand by for questions.

I guess I never followed up. I didn't realize it failed that was after the Yeah, we did not grant the variance yeah

I also actually I should add as well that we have a handful of swimming pool permits for this year So it is something that we just want to bring forward and get clarification on Because it seems Like we I mean we're still upholding a higher standard Okay wonderful

There is a does that staff have or any does the boat anyone from board have any questions for staff?

Mr.. Chair go ahead for those requirements for that is is that something that? We would have to do any additional training for code compliance on that like what's the burden of proof on that it is a compliant? Cover and then the second part of the question is is for it to be a power cover, is that something that the mechanism is generally inside the house or is it inside a lockbox so it can't be undone by just a switch in your yard that anyone could access?

Yes, good question. So we would make sure that they were submitting their manufacturer specs for the type of pool cover that they were installing. And I imagine that that is a standard of installation, that it is inside the house. or that it would be covered with, and if that's the case, we will look at that. The other thing that this ordinance amendment does is adds language about having a locked fence. We don't have that in ordinance today. So that's another improvement. And just, so I think if it would be if they had a box outside that was above six foot, something along, we can look into that. But good question.

Go ahead, Mr. Roby.

Randy, what dictates a permanent pool? Is it the material use? I'm just curious.

So if it is up for more than six months out of the year. So it doesn't really matter on the material. If you have a temporary pool, and it should be temporary, don't take it down all year. You're probably not going to be using it the next year anyway. But that is also something to think about, is the safety about those pools that are typically used for the summer above ground with the ladder going right into them. Just that is something to think about as far as safety. So for permanent pools that are in place for more than six months, that's when that would apply. These standards would apply.

That's exactly what I was thinking about. Or if you build a permanent deck and you take down the pool, put up the pool, but you don't have to go into this ordinance to be able to build a fence, whatever it may be.

Just for building the fence, you would. But yeah, if you're taking the pool in and out every year, then no.

Thank you. There is a public hearing on this matter. Is there any other questions for staff before I open it? Okay, I'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone from the public that wishes to talk about swimming pool ordinances?

Anyone online?

I will close the public hearing and ask for a motion. Mr. Chair. Go ahead, Mr. Speyer.

This appears to bring greater clarity to the ordinance and given the ISPC conformity and The fact that we've prior considered this and approved it.

I believe 7-0 Prior I would recommend that we approve this ordinance change second Second by Kay's further board discussion regarding this ordinance amendment proposed ordinance amendment Mr. Chair go ahead.

Mr. Case again just to echo Commissioner Speers comments Makes perfect sense to do this. I think we were unanimous if we need to Help steer the City Council in making a better decision I think it's it's still people are still going to be Safe, they're gonna be safer in many regards by doing this having this Does it add an extra cost only if you choose to put in a pool cover? Difference between a four foot a six foot fence is not crazy money. Oh, I think I Don't think you're putting any onerous conditions on anybody that wants a permanent pool Thank you any other comments from the board I

Certainly, the spirit of these sort of amendments is to protect, as Brandy indicated, the public, particularly children. Schools are considered attractive nuisances. And every year, all around the country, little boys and girls find their way into them. And that can be really challenging. So a four-foot fence, if there's a cover, or a six-foot fence seems like a pretty good idea for our little children here in Watertown. Any other comments, concerns? All right, all those in favor of approving the resolution, say aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Motion passes unanimously, and it'll go to the City Council. Then that brings us to 2026-20, which is the Platte of Prairie Winds second edition. Randy, go ahead.

Okay, thank you, Liam. So this is a plat that otherwise would meet the administrative plat requirements. However, we're platting 10 lots and you cannot exceed five without coming to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval. This is a replat of the reserve at Prairie Winds, second edition. I'll show you the previous configuration. Want to get there here? Okay. So it had a condo-like platting configuration. And now we're looking at, or the applicant is looking at the zero lot line development. It meets all of the requirements. It secures access through the private road access agreement. It has, and the utility, it provides access to lot nine. And with that, I'll stand by for any questions.

Mr. Chair, go ahead. Were the five structures that were on this property, are they still there, or were they demoed?

They're still there.

They're still there, and they were planted in accordance with the prior approved.

Yeah, so you can't do a zero lot line development unless there is a structure. So there's the fourplex and then five garages.

Correct. Thank you. Wonderful. Any other questions for staff?

Pretty perfunctory? OK. Then I would entertain a motion to approve that. Or did we already move to approve that? I apologize. I don't think we did. No. So I'd entertain a motion on 2026-20. Second. Second by Michelle. There is no public hearing on these plats, so this is it. Any other further discussion? Last time to talk. Okay, all those in favor of approving the plat, say aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Motion passes unanimously. That brings us to open public comment. So if you were dying to speak, you don't have anything to say? All right, well, now's your time. New business, new business brandy.

None that I have.

Old business brandy.

No, I don't have any of that either.

Any need for executive session?

Nope.

And we are adjourned.

Thank you.

Go forth and enjoy your Thursday.