City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: August 16, 2005

Item No.:         7

Recommendation:  That the Council adopt Ordinance No. 2367, which would rezone portions of the properties at 6800, 6840 and 6868 South 27th Street from B-2, Community Business, Rs-4, Single Family Residential and Rd-1, Two-family Residential to B-4, Highway Business, and authorize the issuance of a conditional use permit for a lumber yard with outdoor storage.

Background: Menards is requesting that portions of the properties at 6800, 6840 and 6868 S. 27th Street be rezoned from B-2, Community Business, Rs-4, Single Family Residential and Rd-1, Two Family Residential to B-4, Highway Business, with a Conditional Use permit to allow for the construction of a new warehouse and a garden center and storage yard addition at this location. 

The warehouse will be 42,370 square feet and will be located at the southeast corner of the property.  The building façade will be constructed of pre-colored emerald green and white metal panels.  Detailed site and building plans would be reviewed by the Plan Commission at a later date.

The expanded garden center and outdoor storage area will be on lands that will be, or have been purchased from the restaurant to the south, as well as a remnant single family parcel south of the restaurant.  The expansion of Menard’s to the south is preferable to the previous proposal of relocating the gate functions of the yard on the north end, near the existing residential neighborhood.  The proposed expansion plans offer a more logical layout for the expanded yard, as well as creating more usable parking for the restaurant.  This also eliminates a remnant single family parcel that had little prospect of being redeveloped on its own, given its limited lot width.

On August 24, 2004 the Plan Commission recommended that the Common Council rezone from B-2, Community Business, Rs-4, Single Family Residential and Rd-1, Two Family Residential to B-4, Highway Business, with a Conditional Use permit for a lumber yard.  Additionally, the Common Council granted Menard’s a special exception to the 27th Street Development moratorium on October 5, 2004 to allow for the construction of a new warehouse and a garden center and storage yard addition at this location.  Soon after the special exception was granted, the applicant asked that the item be held because they had found that the portions of the property had Butler’s Garter Snakes, a threatened species in the state of Wisconsin.  Menard’s has completed a conservation plan to accommodate the snakes and is now requesting approval of the rezoning and conditional use for the warehouse, garden center and storage yard addition. 

Prepared by: Doug Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development

Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk

 Fiscal Impact:  The additional development of this property would add to the commercial tax base of the City.