Plan & Architectural Review Meeting

Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Monday, February 10, 2025 - 6:00 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m. PRESENT Chairman, Councilmember Neil Hicks Vice Chairperson Tom Miller Board Member Michael Smith Board Member Marjorie Stoneman Board Member Carol McCormick Board Member Lynn Binnie Board Member Brian Schanen ABSENT Board Member Bruce Parker STAFF Taylor Zeinert, Economic Development Director (EDD) Attorney Jonathan McDonell Allison Schwark, Planner Llana Dostie, Neighborhood Services Administrative Assitant APPROVAL OF AGENDA A committee member can choose to remove an item from the agenda or rearrange its order; however, introducing new items to the agenda is not allowed. Any proposed changes require a motion, a second, and approval from the Committee to be implemented. The agenda shall be approved at each meeting even if no changes are being made at that meeting. Motion made by Board Member McCormick, Seconded by Board Member Schanen. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS No formal Plan Commission action will be taken during this meeting although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. Specific items listed on the agenda may not be discussed at this time; Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Minutes February 10, 2025 Page 2 however, citizens are invited to speak to those specific issues at the time the Council discusses that particular item. None CONSENT AGENDA Items on the Consent Agenda will be approved together unless any commission member requests that an item be removed for individual consideration. 1. Minutes of January 13, 2025. # 4 change to motion to approve made by Board Member Schanen. Motion made by Board Member Binnie, Seconded by Board Member Schanen. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen PUBLIC HEARING FOR REVIEW AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL 2. Consideration to Approve and Recommend to Common Council a change in the District Zoning Map to Rezone Vacant Lots on Cedar Court from R-1 (One Family Residence District) to R-2 (One and Two Family Residence District) for Tax Parcel #'s /EV 00001, /EV 00002 and /EV 00004. Planner explained that this was heard a while back. The board approved the conditional use permit for duplex on /EV 00004, but there was a larger discussion that happened at that meeting. That was what do we want overall for these remaining lots. You determined at that meeting that you would like these lots rezoned, knowing that they are no longer ideal for single family development. Hicks asked about how we would handle the parking lot on /EV 00002 if the parcel sold. Planner stated that the owner for that parcel is here tonight. But my assumption is that if that parcel was ever sold, a lot line adjustment would be made. Or otherwise work out an agreement with the new owner regarding the parking. Brad and Jim they bought the lots 8 years ago. They sold the two front lots recently. They do not have any intention of selling the back two lots at this time. The lot with the parking lot will likely be sold with the 8 unit building. They asked about the possibility of a rezone on the 8 unit building. What would happen if the building was destroyed, for example, by fire? Planner stated that there is an active conditional use on the 8 unit building. So they could rebuild. We didn't want to bring into R-2 since that only allows for single family and duplexes, not multifamily units. It is actually better to keep that in the zone district that it currently is in. McCormick asked about the size of the duplex lot. Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Minutes February 10, 2025 Page 3 Brad and Jim stated that both front lots are 0.56 acre lots. Motion to move approval to recommend to Common Council for rezone to R-2 made by Board Member Schanen Motion made by Board Member Schanen, Seconded by Board Member Binnie. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen 3. Consideration to Approve and Recommend to Common Council a change in the District Zoning Map to Rezone Parcel #/WUP 00215 Whitewater Middle School located at 401 S Elizabeth Street from R-2 (One and Two Family Residence District) to I (Institutional District). Planner Schwark explained that they are seeking to change their zoning to allow to place commercial signage. McCormick stated that she didn't feel that the buffer zone for the mailed notice was large enough. Motion to approve and recommend to common council made by Board Member Binnie. Motion made by Board Member Binnie. Seconded by McCormick. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Schanen, Board Member Binnie Voting Abstaining: Board Member Smith Motion made by Board Member Binnie, Seconded by Board Member McCormick. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen Voting Abstaining: Board Member Smith 4. Discussion and possible approval of a Conditional Use Permit for an Electronic Message Monument Sign to be located at 401 S Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, WI 53190. Tax Parcel # /WUP 00215 for Whitewater Middle School. Kevin Cook with JNB signs in Janesville stated that they can program the sign to be dark after 10 p.m. Binnie questioned the turning off the sign at night, whether that was in the code. Schanen asked if on and off times was an appropriate use of a CUP. Hicks asked if this could be something; the applicant could work with the zoning administrator on. Planner indicated our ordinance does state that electronic message signs are to follow the outdoor lighting code of 19.57. And that within that lighting ordinance the hours of illumination are, within 1 hour of a closing of a store, completion of final work shift or completion of related activities associated with an institutional use, it should go off. Putting a time of 9 or 10 p.m. for the sign to go dark should be sufficient. Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Minutes February 10, 2025 Page 4 Binnie asked about all the photos of existing signage. Planner stated that it was just a part of their application submittal. Motion by Hicks to approve the conditional use permit for the electronic monument sign to be located at 401 S Elizabeth Street for the Middle School with hours of operation between 6:00 a.m. and 9 p.m. Motion made by Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Seconded by Board Member Schanen. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen 5. Discussion and possible approval of a Conditional Use Permit for Contractor Shops to be located on Greenway Court, Whitewater, WI 53190 for Jonathan Tanis. Tax parcel #/A444200003. Planner stated that the applicant is seeking a conditional use permit for 4 buildings for contractor shops. This is a vacant 7.6 acre lot in the tech park. This is on Greenway Ct off of Howard Road. The Technology Park Zoning ordinance has a lot of very specific design standards. Building sides need to be modified to meet the ordinance. On the plans they did not show dumpster enclosure location. They are requesting some gravel parking area in the back. The light pole heights were not noted on the site plan. McCormick stated the chairman of the Urban Forestry committee would like to see the plans. Dostie stated that the landscape plans are on the Urban Forestry's next meeting. Planner stated that there is a vague outline of three additional buildings, but this approval would not be include those. EDD Zeinert stated that Mr. Tanis has seen a lot of interest in these types of buildings in front of the board today that in the future they will need to build more. Smith stated that if they are trying to be cost effective, he is ok with the building exteriors and the gravel. Hicks asked if they could add to the conditional use permit that the exterior materials are OK as is. Planner explained that it is a requirement of the ordinance. I will say that historically, if you take a look at that area all of the buildings in that area and south on Bluff have been held to that design standard. So for example, you just approved the doggie daycare, they were required to add masonry. The contractor shops that you approved within the last year were required to add masonry. If you want to stay consistent with the other developments, I would recommend adding that in. But if you are OK with the design elements they have in your packet you can approve it as is. That sets a new precedent for upcoming developments here in Whitewater. Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Minutes February 10, 2025 Page 5 Binnie stated to EDD Zeinert I suppose we should address that was originally going to be Tech Park which is somewhat of a different use than this. I'm assuming you are still not getting many inquiries for the original intended use of the Tech Park. EDD Zeinert stated that there has not been much interest in Tech Park. Her department has applied for a number of RFIs, which are Request for Information about various parcels in town from large developers and we have be unable to secure any of those as of late. Schanen stated that the gravel would be easier to rip out than a bunch of asphalt. EDD Zeinert stated that we should be development and business forward. Planner stated that she is not sure what the gravel area will be used for. Stoneman asked if we got the impression that the developer would not go through with the project, if the masonry was required. Binnie asked planner what is currently proposed for the exterior. Planner stated this is just steel grade metal. Smith suggested that the doggie daycare is right next to buildings that have the proper type of masonry. Motion by Hicks to approve the conditional use permit for contractor shops to be located on Greenway Court for Jonathan Tanis Tax Parcel /A44420003 with the planner's conditions except for subsection 1c and allow the use of a gravel parking lot to be kept up in good condition at all times. With a second from Schanen adding that it would only be for the first four buildings and that 5, 6, 7 as drawn would need to come back for approval. Motion by Smith to make an amendment to the motion to allow the removal of 1a to allow the builder to use the building materials they have requested. Second by Miller. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen Vote on Amended motion. Voting Yea: Chairman, Councilmember Hicks, Vice Chairperson Miller, Board Member Smith, Board Member Stoneman, Board Member McCormick, Board Member Binnie, Board Member Schanen FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Rezones for the schools-Schanen Landscaping guidelines policy-McCormick Tech Park zoning statute to allow telecommunication-Hicks Plan & Architectural Review Meeting Minutes February 10, 2025 Page 6 NEXT MEETING DATE MARCH 10, 2025 ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m.