Plan Commission - Regular Meeting

This is a special meeting of the planned commission. And first up is public comment on agenda items and the reading of the city of Lhasa public comment statement. Anyone here for public comment? Sure, step right up. I'm going to read the... Public comment statement first. The city of Wausau recognizes the value of public comment on local issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on city matters. Please identify yourself by name, state your address, and each statement by a participant should be limited to three minutes. Direct all comments to the chair, not to members, staff, or other participants. People addressing the council shall not disrupt the orderly course of business. The chair values civil discourse and may interrupt, terminate, or prohibit public comment that do not adhere to these issues. Go ahead.

Hi, I'm Amanda Nitchey, and I own a property at 1740 Merrill Ave. Again, I'm pretty much the only person that's going to have any kind of an issue with the lead car application. My main concerns I did address last week as to traffic, lighting, construction noises and whatnot. But mainly I'm concerned about the value of my property. I'm a single mom. It's hard the way it is, so I can't risk losing anything on my home. Um, so when I had called the assessors, they, the city of Boston assessors, they couldn't tell me either way. Um, so that's very concerning to me. Um, you know, if, if it does go up and, you know, I do decide to sell my house one day, which obviously is not my plan, but you know, it's for me, it's, I, I cannot lose money on that. Um, so if that's going to affect my value in any way, shape or form, obviously I'm extremely concerned on that. But again, I appreciate them stating that it's basically going to be for overflow. It's not going to be an actual dealership per se. I appreciate that very much. And I'm all for small businesses of any sort expanding. It's wonderful. I think it's great. But however, for me, it's not so awesome. I don't think it's as terrible with it being the overflow in employee parking, but I still am concerned about lighting, how that's gonna affect my neighborhood. But like I said, main concern for me is gonna be my property value. So I guess, I don't know, can I ask a question or not? Sorry.

We'll take the comments, and then when we get into the item, if we can circle back to it, we may do that.

Okay. Well, then I'll just make a statement on that. When it comes to my property value, I would be... I would be interested to know if there is any way of any sort of compensation or how that works. I don't know. I'm a first-time homeowner, so I have no idea how that works. But I guess that's all I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you, Amanda.

Anyone else for public comment?

All right. Seeing none, we'll move on to election of a vice chair. Apparently we've been running rudderless for the last couple of years. So we would open up nominations for election of a vice chair. Domination from Mr. Barnum. Mr. So we have a nomination for Mr. Balkan. Any other nominations? Any other nominations? Seeing no other nominations, I would entertain a motion to close nominations and accept simultaneously the other Bruce on this side, Balkan, for vice chair. Is that a motion from Bruce Trueblood? Second. Second from Horniman. All in favor of closing nominations and electing vice chair Balkan, say aye.

Aye. Any opposed?

All right, Bruce, I don't know if I'm gonna be here next time, but I'll let you know. All right, item three is discussion and possible action. Item A, approving a conditional use permit for 1740 Business Highway 51 1820 Business Highway 51 and 1735 Merrill Avenue to allow vehicle sales use in the suburban mixed-use SMU zoning district. Lead car, Wausau Inc., and they are here if anyone has questions. Do you want to set this up, Carrie? Sure.

um thank you mayor dinny and members of the plan commission so just a reminder i know we had the public hearing last week so it's probably pretty fresh in everyone's mind but this application is for conditional use permit for vehicle sales at the location it's zoned to be conditionally permitted in that district the vehicle sales definition and regulations are attached they do comply with those items Just going through the dimensional standards, there are a few more site planning kind of related, just small things. There's a revised site plan in front of you that does meet the 10 foot pavement setback. That was one item on the site plan. We do have some concerns about the exterior elevations. They will be submitting revised architectural elevations. And then there's a small change to the landscaping that we're also requesting. So that is suggested as a condition of approval. The site plan we did just get, and that's before you, but the condition that we had included is revised plans, including site plan, architectural elevations, and landscape plan shall be submitted for staff review and approval. So that's a suggested condition. And like the mayor said, the applicant's here if there's any questions for the applicant, and staff would be happy to answer questions as well.

Is that 10-foot setback, is that the entire perimeter, or is that just on Merrill Avenue?

It's just a street. It's a pavement setback from the front or street side, but I think, I believe they did a 10-foot all the way around, but it's five feet from the side or the rear is the requirement. Okay.

Alder Watson.

Thank you. So to just ask about the question that the local resident, and I know you added something in your memo about that, but about lighting. Is there some conditions or lighting choices they can make that maybe would have less light pollution?

So we do have a lighting ordinance where they do need to meet standards both in terms of pole height and then light at the property edge. And we do have a photometric and everything did meet. We also require cutoff light fixtures, which are downcast, not outcast. So, but we have had a chance to review that and everything does meet our requirements.

Do you, I know that this might be a silly follow-up, but can you tell us maybe what those lights would look like and something out that we have in the community?

Let me look at their...

I know that's a random question, but just so I have a base for comparison.

Yeah, let me see. And then... Photometric, actually, I'll pull that up.

And then there's another question. On the top part of the thing that we have here, I'm trying to hold it as far away from my face as I can, but I can't see. There's... Glasses? Oh, are they readers? Okay. I don't know who's they are. Oh, my goodness. They're blind. Okay. So the top part, is that, like, the driveway, right? And onto... That's what that is up there, where the little car is?

Of the site plan?

Mm-hmm.

Let me grab that here. Okay, so...

The part that you're referring to is the traffic signal by Taco Bell.

Oh, okay. Okay. All right, thank you. So sorry, Carrie, about the other question.

It appears that the Merrill Avenue parking is set back 20 feet versus Business Highway 51 is the 10-foot minimum.

And here's the photometric. It's going to be a little hard to see. It is included on page 19 of 26 on the packet. Okay.

So are the dotted the dots or where the light would be cast?

So there. Go ahead though.

They're just measurements with a foot candle percentage. Sure, if you go to the. Scroll that to the far right. You should other way you should see the fixture that they're proposing.

Oh, at the top, right? Oh, top, sorry.

Down so I can see where I'm at here.

Oh, okay.

Cool.

Thank you.

And the percentages, I think if I remember right on the photometric, I think it's zero almost at the property line all the way around, which... is no light, you know, basically beyond the property line.

Any other questions? Oh, they're watching you. Oh, Mr. Bornemann?

I'll make a motion to approve the request subject to the conditions set forth by the staff recommendation.

I'll second.

Motion from Bornemann to approve. Second from Balkan and the staff recommendation, meaning setbacks?

With the suggested condition for the plans.

Okay, with a motion and a second, any further questions or comments? Seeing none, all those in favor... of approving the conditional use permit along Highway Business 51 and Merrill Avenue to allow sales for use in a suburban mixed-use zoning district for lead car Wausau. Signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? Okay, that passes. Item four is adjournment. I would entertain a motion. Motion from Balkan.

I'll second.

Second from Trueblood. All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Meeting is adjourned. Make way for finance.