City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: November 6, 2007

Item No.:        

Recommendation:  That the Common Council adopt Ordinance 2479 issuing a conditional use for the properties at 9000 and 9100 S. Nicholson Road to allow for a landscaping contractor’s shop with outdoor storage of vehicles, materials, and equipment and the outdoor storage of no more than fifty (50) recreational vehicles, trailers, or boats.

Background: The applicant is requesting approval of a conditional use permit that would allow them to operate a lumberyard and contractor’s office with outdoor storage of vehicles, material, and equipment.  The business is Green Man Wood Services. Their primary business is lawn maintenance, landscaping, tree removal, and the recycling of wood products. Ninety (90) percent of their business activity will be done at customer’s premises.  The other ten (10) percent of the activity will be on site and will include wood cutting and splitting, both of which will be done indoors.  From April to October there will be 10-15 employees, from November to March there will be only 2-3. 

As part of this conditional use they would also offer long-term vehicle storage for RVs, boats and trailers but they would not allow any junked vehicles or semi-truck storage.  The Plan Commission is recommending a limit of no more than fifty (50) recreational vehicles, trailers, or boats that can be stored on site so long as they were screened from S. Nicholson Road.  These vehicles would need to be road ready and licensed by the DMV.  The conditional use pertaining to these vehicles would expire in ten (10) years.

This property was previously the Bestway Bus Company and was zoned to allow for that type of use.  It has created a unique situation where a M-1, Manufacturing zoning district is in an area that is predominantly single-family residential.   There have been previous proposals to use this as a warehouse and/or a trucking facility or other similar uses, each of which has been opposed by the neighboring residents.  Alderman Mark Verhalen held a neighborhood meeting at the property on August 25, 2007.  Residents were more supportive of this type of use than previous proposals.  However, the residents were concerned with the proposed vehicle storage area.  Another neighborhood meeting was held on September 15, 2007 where some of the neighbors agreed that they could support the outdoor storage for recreational vehicles as long as they were limited to no more than 50.

The applicants are requesting to use the existing septic system. If the conditional use is approved the applicant will need to address this issue by either extending sewer to serve this property or requesting a waiver by the Common Council from the requirement that new development must be served with municipal services.  This will need to be addressed prior to site plan submittal.

The planned land use map adopted as part of the comprehensive plan identifies this area as single family residential.  According to that plan, the long term use of this property for manufacturing purposes is not appropriate.  This property is unique given the fact that there is extensive infrastructure remaining from the former use of the property as a bus storage yard and maintenance facility.  It does not lend itself easily to conversion to a single family residential use as proposed by the Comprehensive Plan.  Because of the unique situation of this being in a predominately residential area Planning staff feels that there should be sunset date of ten years on not only the vehicle storage, but the entire conditional use as well.  This will give the City the opportunity to reevaluate the use of the property, and its situation with respect to the neighborhood.

The Plan Commission has reviewed this request and has recommended its approval subject to the attached conditions and restrictions.

Fiscal Impact:  The commercial use of this property by the Green Man Tree Services would have a positive fiscal impact on the City.

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