City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  February 1, 2005

Item No.:         1

Recommendation:  That the Council adopt Resolution No. 10458-020105, adopting the South 27^th Street Corridor Plan.

Background:  On July 20, 2004 the Common Council approved Resolution No. 10391 selecting Schreiber Anderson Associates to prepare a corridor plan for S. 27th Street.  This plan is a joint effort between the cities of Franklin and Oak Creek.

The joint Community Development Authority for both communities created a subcommittee to oversee the planning effort.  That subcommittee included (from Oak Creek) Alderman Steve Jonas and CDA member Jim Ruetz.  Early on in the process, the following objectives were set for the plan:

· To ensure development occurs in a consistent and coordinated manner, and achieves community goals

· To promote a diverse economic base to provide jobs, goods and services to residents

· To provide a healthy and diverse property base

· To effectively respond to new development opportunities created by the opening of the Northwestern Mutual Campus.

Throughout the process there were numerous opportunities for public input, including steering committee meetings, focus groups, a visual preference survey, a community open house, as well as a website devoted to the project.  Individual presentations were made to the Plan Commission and Community Development Authority as well as the Common Council.

The vision, as set forth in the plan is to make the 27^th Street corridor:

· A local, regional and statewide destination for people to work, live, shop, recreate and interact with one another.

· An attractive center of economic activity in Southeast Wisconsin with a mix of uses.

· A unifying place for the cities of Franklin, Oak Creek and Milwaukee County.

· A place of high quality and attractive character with its own unique identity that people are proud of and one that continuously attracts new businesses.

· A place having a transportation system that is safe, convenient, and enjoyable to use with choices for people to drive, ride transit, walk or bike.

· A place that provides clear and attractive linkages to neighborhoods, parks and recreation areas that will tie the distinct areas along and around the corridor together to make the corridor an overall great place.

As part of the plan, a market assessment was undertaken to review market conditions that affect the corridor and to analyze how future market conditions may impact land uses within the corridor.

Once approved, the corridor plan will be made a part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  This would be undertaken through a separate plan amendment process.

Fiscal Impact:  Well planned development throughout the corridor will have a positive fiscal impact upon the City.

Prepared by: Doug Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development	Respectfully submitted, Barbara S. Blumenfield, Ph.D City Administrator
Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk