CITY OF EAU CLAIRE
PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES

Meeting of November 14, 2011

City Hall, Council Chambers, 7:00 p.m.

Members Present: Messrs. Klinkhammer, Pearson, Kayser, Hibbard, Duax, Larson, Strobel, Weld

Staff Present:  Messrs. Tufte, Reiter, Genskow, Ivory

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Kayser.

1. REZONING (Z-1492-11) – Sign Code Amendment, Multiple-tenant Buildings

Mr. Ivory presented a proposed amendment as initiated by the Plan Commission based on their discussion of the current sign code as it relates to signing for multiple-tenant commercial buildings.  Concerns are related to the appearance and compatibility of several wall signs in relation to the design of the building and their cluttered/haphazard arrangement on the building wall.

The current sign code requires office parks, industrial parks, and multiple-tenant buildings to provide more coordination among tenants and encourages continuity with the design of the buildings.  However, this code excludes buildings that existed prior to the effective date of the code which is 1988.  The proposed amendment addresses this need.

No one appeared for comment.

Mr. Klinkhammer moved to recommend approval of the ordinance.  Mr. Strobel seconded and the motion carried.

2. EASEMENT – Release of Easement on Ninth Street

Mr. Genskow presented a request by a property owner to release 13 feet of a utility easement on the west side of their property at 829 Harris Street.  The existing easement was created when Ninth Street, adjacent to Lot 11, was vacated in 1953 and utility easement rights were retained.  City utilities remain within the easement.  Mr. Genskow stated that the easterly 13 feet of the easement width is not needed for the existing public utilities.

No one appeared for comment.

Mr. Klinkhammer moved to recommend approval of the release.  Mr. Strobel seconded and the motion carried.

3. EASEMENT – Northern States Power Easement Requests, Forest Street 
 
Northern States Power plans to rebuild an existing electric line in order to perform an upgrade of the transmission conductor serving the Cascades Tissue plant on Forest Street.  A new transmission conductor is needed in order to accommodate increased power requirement essential for an expansion of Cascades’ plant.  The existing lattice towers cannot handle the new conductor load and will be replaced with stronger monopole structures.  NSP is requesting two easement in exchange for granting an easement to the City that is needed for the construction of the planned Forest Street parking lot scheduled for construction in 2012. 

Mr. Genskow reviewed the location of the NSP easements west of the City Shops and on the west side of Mt. Simon Park.  No towers will be placed on park property.

Phillip Lysdahl, from NSP, Land Rights Department answered questions from the commission.

No one appeared for comment.

Mr. Klinkhammer moved to recommend approval of the easements.  Mr. Pearson seconded and the motion carried.

4. SITE PLAN (SP-1135) – Conversion to Duplex, 2332 Third Street

Mr. Duax joined the commission.

Glen Mills has submitted a site plan to allow conversion of a single-family home to a duplex at 2332 Third Street.  The property has R-3 zoning which allows a duplex on a 6,00 square foot lot.  This lot is 8,712 sq. ft.  The site plan notes a double-car garage and two parking spaces will be added to the rear of the building for the required parking.  Mr. Mills stated that he would like to pursue other options to provide the required parking.  Mr. Tufte stated that he could provide other options which meet the code for on-site parking.

Mr. Klinkhammer to approve the site plan with the condition listed in the staff report.  Mr. Strobel seconded and the motion carried.

5. SITE PLAN (SP-1136) – Festival Foods Addition, 3007 Mall Drive

TCI has submitted a site plan for an addition to Festival Foods at 3007 mall Drive.  The plan shows a 6,164 square foot addition to he south wall of the building.  The addition results in the loss of approximately 32 parking stalls.  The store retains its required parking with 310 stalls on site.

Mike Campbell, representing Festival Foods spoke in support.

Mr. Klinkhammer moved to approve the site plan with the conditions listed in the staff report. Mr. Strobel seconded and the motion carried.

6. DISCUSSION/DIRECTION

A.  Conditional Use Permit CZ-8517, 1329 Western Avenue

Mr. Klinkhammer excused himself from the meeting.

Mr. Tufte presented the history of the conditional use permit for the recycling facility at 1329 Western Avenue.  A public hearing was held on May 16, 2011, and the staff was directed to report back to the Plan Commission on November 14.  Mr. Tufte reported that staff did not receive any new plan for the facility.

Attorney Brian Nodolf, representing the applicant, spoke in support of the owner.  He stated that the facility will change ownership to the daughter at the end of the year.  They have already gone through the building and removed unnecessary items giving more space for processing.  They will also speed up the time for turn-around and sending out the products to keep the amount of recyclables to a minimum on site.  The new owner will also take up facade improvements by replacing the front gates to rear storage areas which are in poor shape.  They will also better train staff to respond to customers or products stored on the public street during the day.

It was the consensus of the commission that an operation plan be submitted to the commission by February 20, 2012, for discussion, with the final improvement completed late in the spring of 2012.

B.  Sign Code Amendment

Mr. Ivory presented a request from sign a company to allow a business to receive another wall sign in lieu of the ground or pole sign that are often granted.  Mr. Ivory stated that this type of ordinance change may have negative affects in the downtown and Water Street areas where businesses are located at the property line.

The commission directed staff to do more research on such an amendment and also prepare a draft ordinance for review.

7. MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting of October 31, 2011, were approved.

_______________________________
Tom Pearson
Secretary