Plan Commission

PLAN COMMISSION City of Kaukauna Council Chambers Municipal Services Building 144 W. Second Street, Kaukauna Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM MINUTES In-Person in Council Chambers Mayor Penterman called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. 1. Roll Call Members Present: Brett Jensen, Giovanna Feller, John Neumeier, Michael Avanzi, Ken Schoenike, Mayor Tony Penterman Absent: John Moore, Pennie Thiele Other(s) Present: Planning and Community Development Director Dave Kittel (virtual), Associate Planner Adrienne Nelson, Times Villager Reporter Brian Roebke, representatives from the Kaukauna Area School District and Point of Beginning, interested citizens Avanzi made a motion to excuse the absent member. Seconded by Neumeier. The motion passed unanimously. 2. Approval of Minutes a. Approve Minutes from September 4, 2025 Feller made a motion to approve the minutes from September 4, 2025. Seconded by Neumeier. The motion passed unanimously. 3. Old Business a. None 4. New Business a. CSM Review – Preliminary KASD CSM Associate Planner Nelson presented the preliminary certified survey map (CSM) submitted by the Kaukauna Area School District and Point of Beginning. This item is being presented for discussion and feedback only. The proposed CSM would create three large lots to accommodate the new school facility and allow for future growth and development. Staff is recommending that additional language is included in the final CSM specifying that an updated traffic study be required prior to the development of any vacant lots, that easements are included that allow for public access/turnaround, and that the applicants work with utilities to include final easement locations for water, electricity, sanitary, telecommunications, and gas. Director Kittel added that, although Thiele could not attend the meeting, she had asked him to share her concern with the Plan Commission regarding the access point to the new school site. He also clarified that the roundabout as shown in the preliminary CSM facilitates the largest possible roundabout option for this project. The final plan will come back before the Plan Commission for review. Neumeier agreed with the requests set forth by staff to include a public turnaround and finalized easement locations for utilities. Avanzi asked for clarification on the area dedicated for a future road going from the north to the south of the parcel. Neumeier explained that this would provide an additional access point in the future. In the meantime, there will likely be a temporary cul-de-sac to allow for a public turnaround. Schoenike inquired about where the proposed underpass would be located. Neumeier explained that the underpass would be located near the roundabout. Avanzi added that Thiele had also expressed her concerns regarding the access point to the new school site off of 55. Why couldn’t the access point be located somewhere else? Neumeier made a motion to allow the representatives from the Kaukauna Area School District and Point of Beginning to speak on this question. Seconded by Jensen. The motion passed unanimously. The representatives from the Kaukauna Area School District and Point of Beginning explained that the school district does not own the land that would allow if to connect to a different road and therefore have a different access point. They realize that the proposed intersection is important and are working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on a traffic study. Neumeier added that, as the land develops up, there will eventually be additional points of access. Jensen and Mayor Penterman asked if a public hearing would be needed. Neumeier explained that a public hearing would not be needed for the CSM, but that there would be public involvement meetings for the roadway plans. The representative from the Kaukauna Area School District added that they would be doing staggered starts and the middle school and high school to help relieve traffic at the intersection. No further discussion was had. b. Shipping Container Request – 805 W Hyland Avenue Associate Planner Nelson presented the request for the placement of a permanent shipping contained at 805 Hyland Avenue. The request is for an 8’ x 40’ shipping container to be placed on an existing concrete plan. The proposed container would be partially screened from Hyland Avenue by an existing strip of trees. It would be used for the storage of paint stand and extra parts. The owners are willing to paint the container any color the Plan Commission recommends. Staff has noted that to the south of the property are residential lots and that to the north there are commercial buildings. If the Plan Commission finds this use to not be in conflict with the surrounding properties, staff recommends approval with the following conditions: the shipping container must be painted green or brown to blend in with the surroundings, the vegetative barrier along the northern and southern property lines must be maintained or other screening provided, the shipping container must be properly secured to the ground, the shipping container must be removed at the expense of the owners if it becomes rusty, dilapidated, or unserviceable, and the approval shall only be for the current owner/occupant and can not be transferred upon sale or lease to someone else. Neumeier commented that this property is located in one of the main entrances to the City of Kaukauna. It is somewhat screened, but he is not a supporter of this ask, as they would be using the shipping container like a garage. It would make more sense for them to expand their building if they were wanting more space. Mayor Penterman agreed with Neumeier. A request for steel siding in this area was recently denied. How is this any different? Avanzi made a motion deny the request as presented. Seconded by Schoenike. Director Kittel asked that Avanzi clarify why the proposal was being denied. A reason must be stated, such as it not being in the character of the surrounding area. Neumeier asked if it would be denied automatically if no action was taken. Kittel said that the request would be denied automatically if the Plan Commission did not take action on it. Avanzi withdrew his motion. Feller added that she didn’t want to see a trend of these shipping containers. They are just not attractive. No action was taken. c. Sign Ordinance Update Associate Planner Nelson introduced the proposed sign ordinance updates. These updates would improve the clarity of section 17.20 and section 17.25 of the Municipal Code, which cover zoning rules in the Commercial Core District (CCD) and the Industrial District (IND) respectively. It also removes signage language from section 17.32 and creates a separate section for them in the newly created 17.33. Staff is asking for a review of the updates and a motion to send the updates to the Legislative Committee for review and to schedule a public hearing for the Common Council to be able to take final action on the proposed updates. Neumeier commented that the proposed updates make for a much more condensed sign code. Kittel added that staff clarified concerns brought up during the last discussion on the sign code, specifically signage restrictions on residential use properties in the CCD.  Neumeier added that the changes made would allow for signage at the Dog Park. Times Villager Reporter Brian Roebke asked about how these changes would affect election signs. Nelson explained that content regulation is not allowed, and old language regarding election signage had been removed. Kittel added that more updates will be made to the sign code, as there is a lot of clean up needed. This is just the beginning. Neumeier made a motion to send the updates to the Legislative Committee for review and to schedule a hearing for the Common Council to be able to take final action on the proposed updates. Seconded by Jensen. The motion passed unanimously. 5. Other Business a. None 6. Adjourn Jensen made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Schoenike. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 4:31 p.m.