City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: December 5, 2006

Item No.:        

Recommendation:  That the Council adopt Ordinance No. 2439, which would rezone the properties at 7581 and 7869 S. 13th Street from I-1, Institutional and Rs-3, Single Family Residential to B-3, Office and Professional Business.

Background: On June 20 of this year the Common Council adopted Resolution No. 10647, authorizing a temporary moratorium on the processing and approval of development proposals and land divisions for properties in the vicinity of Interstate 94 and West Drexel Avenue.  At that time, staff was directed to work with the Plan Commission to determine if changes in land use and zoning were warranted given the information the City had regarding the potential for an interchange at Drexel Avenue.

At their September 26, 2006 meeting, the Plan Commission and Oak Creek residents living in the vicinity of West Drexel Avenue and Interstate 94 discussed potential land use and zoning for the area around the potential W. Drexel Avenue interchange.  At the meeting several residents expressed concern about having their properties rezoned to non-residential zoning categories.  However there seemed to be consensus that vacant properties abutting the interstate should not be zoned Rs-3, Single Family residential.  There seemed to be support for low intensity commercial uses in this area, such as a professional office for the properties north of W. Drexel Avenue, between S. 13th Street and Interstate 94.  

It is therefore being proposed that the Comprehensive Plan be amended to designate the properties north of W. Drexel Avenue, between S. 13th Street and Interstate 94 (see attached map) as “Planned Office” This type of commercial land use would have the minimum amount of impact on the neighboring residents. The Comprehensive Plan defines Planned Office land use category as follows:

“This category includes high-quality professional office and office-support land uses with very generous landscaping and limited signage.  This category may also include business parks developed in a campus setting, which allow office, research, and very low impact industrial uses”  

Additionally, it was proposed that the two properties are rezoned from I-1, Institutional and Rs-3, Single Family Residential to B-3, Office and Professional Business. 

Staff is recommending that the rest of the properties in this area remain with their current zoning and future land use designations.  If the potential interchange is constructed the property owners would then have the ability to request land use and zoning amendments if they so choose.  The City could also decide to revisit the land use and zoning for the whole are if they deemed it necessary at that time.

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

Fiscal Impact:  The adjustment of the zoning of these properties to an office and professional business zoning district would have a significant positive fiscal impact.

Prepared by: Doug Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development	Respectfully submitted, Patrick DeGrave City Administrator
Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk