City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  June 6, 2006

Item No.:        

Recommendation:  That staff be directed to prepare a response to the City of Franklin declining the request to participate in the intersection improvements to South 27^th Street and West Oakwood Road relative to the development of the Wheaton Franciscan Health Care Center.

Background:  The City of Franklin has adopted Resolution 2006-6076 (attached) requesting Oak Creek to participate in the intersection improvements to S. 27^th Street and W. Oakwood Road.  These improvements have been required by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation relative to the development of the Wheaton Franciscan Health Care Center in the City of Franklin.

A copy of a portion of the traffic impact assessment (TIA) for the Wheaton project is also included with this staff report.

While Oak Creek and Franklin have been working cooperatively on the development of the 27^th Street corridor, it is premature to agree to participate in a specific development project in the City of Franklin, without agreeing on a framework for joint participation in other infrastructure improvements in the corridor, such as the I-94 interchange(s).

If the Wheaton development were in the City of Oak Creek, they (Wheaton) would be accountable for any offsite infrastructure improvements required by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as part of the findings of the TIA.  It is not clear, nor is it of any significance to Oak Creek what Franklin’s obligations are to this developer with respect to off-site improvements.

At this point, the City should extend its cooperation via any technical assistance or expertise that might be useful for the design of these improvements, but should not commit itself to participate in the design and construction on behalf of a private developer in another municipality.

The Community Development Authority has discussed this request, and has raised issues regarding the City’s involvement in projects such as this in the absence of an overall policy on how to deal with infrastructure improvements that extend across municipal boundaries.

Fiscal Impact: The cost of the intersection improvements will not be known until the design is prepared.  There are long term financial impacts associated with agreeing to help fund developer projects in other municipalities. 

Prepared by:                                                                                       Respectfully submitted,

Doug Seymour, AICP                                                                         Patrick DeGrave

Director of Community Development                                                 City Administrator

Fiscal review by:

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk