City of Fort Atkinson City Manager’s Office 101 N. Main Street Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
PLAN COMMISSION MEETING IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 – 4:00 PM CITY HALL – SECOND FLOOR
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AGENDA
1. Call meeting to order 2. Roll call
3. Review and possible action relating to the minutes of the November 23, 2021 regular Plan Commission meeting.
4. Review and possible action relating to the request for a Special Area Design Alteration for 221 S. Main Street to repair the building and replace façade materials (DAR-2021-01) (Juarez)
5. Adjournment
Date Posted: December 9, 2021
Plan Commission Members: Chairperson Rebecca Houseman LeMire; Secretary Andy Selle; Council Representative Mason Becker; and Commissioners Eric Schultz, Roz Highfield, Davin Lescohier, and Jill Kessenich
CC: City Council; City Staff; City Attorney; Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce; Fort Atkinson School District; Media Notice is hereby given that a majority of the Fort Atkinson City Council may be present at this meeting at the location and time indicated above to gather information about any subject matters on this agenda over which they have decision-making responsibility. This may constitute a meeting of the City Council pursuant to State ex rel.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82214860406?pwd=TEVyUVdQM05VNFVzb0E2TUNTVnZlZz09 Meeting ID: 822 1486 0406
Passcode: 53538 Dial by Location +1 312 626 6799
Agenda
Badke v. Greendale Village Bd., 173 Wis.2d. 553, 494 N.W.2d 408 (1993), and must be noticed as such although the City Council will not take any formal action at this meeting.
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City of Fort Atkinson City Clerk/Treasurer’s Office 101 N. Main Street Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
PLAN COMMISSION MEETING IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021 – 4:00 PM
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Manager LeMire called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Cm. Becker, Cm. Highfield, Cm. Schultz, Cm. Lescohier, Cm. Kessenich, Manager LeMire and Engineer Selle. Also present: City Attorney, Clerk/Treasurer, Public Works Superintendent and Building Inspector.
3. REVIEW AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATING TO THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 26, 2021 REGULAR PLAN COMMISSION MEETING.
Cm. Becker moved, seconded by Cm. Highfield to approve minutes as presented. Motion carried.
4. PUBLIC HEARING RELATING TO THE APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 600 HIGHLAND AVENUE, FOR LIL HAWKS KIDZ ACADEMY TO ALLOW USE OF THE SITE AS A CHILDCARE CENTER FOR FULL AND HALF-DAY CARE.
Manager LeMire opened the public hearing at 4:01 pm. No comments or questions were raised, the public hearing was closed at 4:02 pm.
5. REVIEW AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR LIL HAWKS KIDZ ACADEMY, 600 HIGHLAND AVENUE, TO ALLOW USE OF THE SITE AS A CHILDCARE CENTER FOR FULL AND HALF-DAY CARE (CUP-2021-1)
Inspector Juarez presented the submission. The location is a current dental clinic that will be moving out of the building. This request does comply with the Comprehensive Plan. Discussion occurred on the driveway access and fencing. The State has restrictions on the number of children, ages and occupancy totals.
Cm. Lescohier moved, seconded by Cm. Schultz to approve the Conditional Use Permit for Lil Hawks Kids Academy, 600 Highland Avenue, to allow use of the site as a childcare center for full and half-day care. Motion carried.
6. REVIEW AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON SPECIAL AREA DESIGN ALTERATION FOR 221 S. MAIN STREET TO REPAIR THE BUILDING AND REPLACE FAÇADE MATERIALS (DAR-2021-01) Inspector Juarez discussed the request in relation to the Zoning Code. Upon inspection, it was found to need correcting structural repairs and replacing dilapidated materials. This property is in the historic district but is not a designated property.
Agenda
Cm. Becker moved, seconded by Cm. Highfield to direct Staff to work with applicant on the ‘flat panel or glass’ window definition noted on the diagram and to consider historic features on the lower half of the building’s facade similar to architectural features on the upper half of the building’s facade. Motion carried.
7. REVIEW AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL RELATING TO THE PRELIMINARY CERTIFIED SURVEY MAP TO CREATE A 33,000 SQUARE FEET RESIDENTIAL BUILD SITE IN A JEFFERSON COUNTY R-2 ZONING DISTRICT ON ARBOR ROAD IN THE TOWN OF KOSHKONONG FOR KAREN PERDUE (CSM-2021-11)
Cm. Kessenich moved, seconded by Cm. Becker to recommend to the City Council relating to the Preliminary Certified Survey Map to create a 33,000 square feet residential build site in a Jefferson County R-2 Zoning District on Arbor road in the Town of Koshkonong for Karen Perdue. Motion carried.
8. REVIEW AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL RELATING TO THE PRELIMINARY CERTIFIED SURVEY MAP –EXTRA TERRITORIAL TO COMBINE TWO LOTS TO CREATE A ONE ACRE RESIDENTIAL SITE IN A JEFFERSON COUNTY R-2 ZONING DISTRICT ON BANKER ROAD IN THE TOWN OF JEFFERSON FOR JOY AND TOM LAVAKE (CSM-2021-12) Cm. Becker moved, seconded by Cm. Schultz to recommend to the City Council relating to the Preliminary Certified Survey Map – Extra Territorial to combine two lots to create a one acre residential site in a Jefferson County R-2 zoning district on Banker Road in the Town of Jefferson for Joy and Tom LaVake. Motion carried.
9. ADJOURMENT
Cm. Kessenich moved, seconded by Cm. Becker to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 4:31 pm.
Respectfully submitted Michelle Ebbert
Clerk/Treasurer
City of Fort Atkinson City Engineer’s Office 101 N. Main Street Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
1
REQUEST FOR
REPORT TO THE PLAN COMMISSION
DATE: December 9, 2021
PROPERTY ADDRESSES: 221 S Main St.
PARCEL NUMBERS: 226-0514-0323-048 OWNER: Anthony & Kathy Brus
APPLICANT: Anthony & Kathy Brus
FILE NUMBER: DAR-2021-01
EXISTING ZONING: Downtown Historic Mixed Use (DHMU)
TEMPORARY CITY ZONING ASSIGNED: N/A EXISTING LAND USE: House of Beauty Salon REQUESTED USES: Special Area Design Alteration
BACKGROUND: The City’s Zoning Ordinance, which was adopted in 2020, created a Special Area Design Review process for parcels located in the City’s Downtown Historic Mixed Use (DHMU) zoning district. The Special Area Design Alteration Review is designed to forward both aesthetic and
economic objectives of the City by controlling the site design and exterior appearance of
development within the district in a manner which is consistent with sound land use, urban design, and economic revitalization principles.
There are three categories of Special Area Design Reviews: Renovation Review, Design Alteration Review, and Project Review:
A. Renovation Review applications involve only a renovation of the exterior appearance of a property, such as repainting, re-roofing, residing, or replacing with identical colors, finishes, and materials. Staff shall review, and the Plan Commission shall review and approve or deny these applications.
B. Design Alteration Review applications involve a change only in the exterior appearance of a nonresidential or multi-family property, such as painting, roofing, siding, architectural component substitution, fencing, paving, or signage. Staff shall review, and the Plan Commission shall review and approve or deny these applications.
C. Project Review applications involve modification to the physical configuration of a
property, such as the erection of a new building, the demolition of an existing building, or the addition or removal of bulk to an existing building. Staff shall review, and the Plan Commission shall review through the Conditional Use Permit process and make a final determination.
REVIEW: Applicant and property owner Anthony & Kathy Brus are seeking permission to repair the building located at 221 S. Main Street correcting structural failures and replacing dilapidated façade materials. They have been forced to commence many of the repairs immediately due to the unsafe
Agenda
Special Area Design Review November 23, 2021
DAR-2021-01
2 nature of the façade and the danger of collapse. Their intent is to use colors as presented in the application materials that will match with colors and materials which are currently on the building.
This request would also seek to improve the current building aesthetic and help return some of the historic aspects from the original façade by restoring some original transom windows and more closely mimicking the original window styles.
DISCUSSION: The Brus’s have been very willing to work with the City to try and make these necessary repairs to their building’s façade be contributing to the restoration of the Downtown Historic District.
Through a collaborative effort with the City, local engineer Conor Nelan of Cold Spring Design and Merrilee Lee, Director of the Hoard Museum, the final facade proposal takes steps towards restoring some of the look of the original building façade as the code intends. When removing the portions of façade that were structurally failing the original transom windows from the façade were discovered and led to the final proposal. Merrilee had the following response to that final proposal:
“the revision of their original plans to include the transom windows is a solid historic preservation decision. It fits perfectly within what historic preservation efforts try to do:
replicate what was there but still make it usable and affordable in our modern world. The colors also fit within acceptable colors for historic buildings in our area. It’s going to look really unique. Even though it will still have residential siding on a commercial building, hopefully it’s a manageable compromise for the Bruses and the City.”
After the last Plan Commission meeting staff met with Mr. Brus to discuss a couple of requests the Plan Commission put forward. Mr. Brus agreed that the transom windows would be glass. The glass will however be opaque as the current interior structure of the building , namely a drop ceiling, does not line up with the top of the windows. If the glass were clear the view through the windows would be of the unfinished area above the interior drop ceiling. In addition Mr. Brus agreed to the Plan Commissions suggestion adding design styling similar to the top of the building. This involves creating several rectangular shapes to mimic the existing design elements seen just below the roof line of the building (see attached drawing). City staff believes these changes meets the intent of the code and is an excellent example of how the historic nature of our downtown can be restored in increments and in a financially acceptable manner.
Special Area Design Review November 23, 2021
DAR-2021-01
3 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Plan Commission approve the Special Area Design
Review request to remodel the façade of the building located at 221 S. Main Street with the proposed design, colors and materials (DAR-2021-01).
ATTACHMENTS:
- Application Materials and Project Description
