City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: July 1, 2003

Item No.:         4

Recommendation:  That the Common Council adopt Ordinance No. 2254, which would rezone the property at 211 East Oak Street from Rs-2, Single Family Residential to I-1, Institutional.

Background:  The St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is requesting that the property at 211 E. Oak Street be rezoned from Rs-2, Single Family Residential to I-1, Institutional.  The property is currently occupied by a single family home.  The church plans on using the south portion of this parcel to expand their parking facilities.  It is not clear what the plans are for the existing home.  The I-1 zoning district does allow residential facilities for caretakers, clergy or institutional staff as a permitted accessory use, but not as a principal use.  The I-1 zoning district also requires a minimum side and rear yard setback of 50 feet for principal buildings.  It does not appear that the home on this property would meet that minimum setback from the Rs-2 zoned lands to the east.  So the Church would be faced with the prospect of removing the existing home unless they can secure a variance to the side yard setback requirement.  Another more likely possibility would be for the church to combine this property with the remainder of the church property.  At that point, the existing home would become an accessory structure, and would require a side yard setback of only 15 feet.

The Plan Commission has reviewed this proposed rezoning, and has recommended its approval.

Fiscal Impact:  The rezoning of this residential property would remove $98,600 from the City’s tax base.  However, it has been demonstrated that single family homes with comparable values have a negative fiscal impact on the City and School District.

Prepared by: Douglas W. Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development	Respectfully submitted, Robert L. Kufrin City Administrator
Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk

File name:T:\Shared\Ordinances\Ord 2254 (report) St Johns church rezone.doc

Print Date: June 30, 2003