City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  January 15, 2008

Item No.:

Recommendation:  That the Council adopt Ordinance No. 2489, amending Sections 17.0315 (B-4, Highway Business District) 17.0330 (RRO, S. 27th Street Regional Retail Overlay District), And 17.0331 (UVO, S. 27th Street Mixed Use/Urban Village Overlay District) Of the Municipal Code to change hotels and motels from a permitted to a conditional use.

Background Staff is recommending that the Plan Commission and Common Council make hotels and motels a conditional use in all districts where they are currently listed as a permitted use.  These districts include the B-4, Highway Business District, the UVO, Mixed Use/Office/Urban Village Overlay District, and the RRO, Regional Retail Overlay District. Hotels and motels are already listed as a conditional use in the M-1, Manufacturing District. Staff researched how other cities treat hotels and motels and found that many local communities including Oconomowoc, Franklin and West Allis allow for hotels only as conditional or special uses.

Staff would like any new hotels to be held to high development standards including requiring certain amenities to ensure they are an asset to Oak Creek.  Staff feels that due to the nature of their business there are unique circumstances that apply to hotels and motels and the City should be allowed to impose certain conditions above and beyond what the zoning ordinance allows.  Making them a conditional use would allow for an extra level of control.  Through the conditional use process the City can impose additional restrictions as deemed necessary.  This may include items such as building height, floor-to-area ratio (FAR), signage, number of rooms, setbacks, and higher architectural and landscape design requirements. 

The Plan Commission has reviewed this proposed amendment, and has recommended that it be approved.

Fiscal Impact:  There is no fiscal impact associated with this proposed change.  However the ability to regulate hotels and motels as a conditional use will likely result in higher development values for these type of projects.

Prepared by:                                                   Respectfully Submitted,

Doug Seymour, AICP                                     Patrick DeGrave

Director of Community Development             City Administrator

Fiscal Review by:

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk