City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date: March 18, 2008

Item No.:

Recommendation: That the Council not adopt Resolution No. 10844-031808 granting a waiver from Section 2D of the conditions and restrictions (Ordinance 2479) for the properties at 9000 and 9100 S. Nicholson Road, which requires that municipal sewer must be extended to serve this development.

Background: Green Man Wood Services is requesting that the Common Council waive a condition in their conditional use permit that requires them to extend municipal sewer to serve their landscaping and vehicle storage business proposed for the former Bestway Bus properties at 9000 & 9100 S. Nicholson Road.

At the November 6, 2007 meeting the Common Council approved a conditional use permit for Green Man Wood Services to operate a landscaping contractor’s shop with outdoor storage of materials and equipment and the outdoor storage of a combined total of no more than 50 recreational vehicles, trailers, or boats (Ordinance number 2479). Item 2D of the Conditions & Restrictions also requires the applicant to extend municipal sewer to serve this development, however this section does allow the applicant to request a waiver from this requirement from the Common Council.

The requirement of extending sewer is also stated in the City of Oak Creek Comprehensive Plan, Section 7: Utilities and Community Facilities Plan which states as a Public Utility Objective to “require all new developments to be served with a wide range of municipal utility services.”

The applicant feels that since they are redeveloping the property they should not be considered “new development: and thus should not be required to extend sewer and water. The property is currently served by a septic system, which they would like to continue to use.

The sewer line currently terminates approximately 250 feet to the south of this property, in front of the property at 9160 S. Nicholson Road. Since this is the end of the line for sewer in S. Nicholson Road they would only need to extend it to serve their buildings, not to the end of their property as is typically required.

Staff, including the Water & Sewer Utility, feels that the applicant should extend sewer to serve this development. The idea of redevelopment is to improve vacant or underutilized properties. Part of improving this property should include providing municipal services such as sewer and water. Elimination of septic systems, which are likely to fail eventually, should continue to be a goal of the City, especially when sewer is in such close proximity. The property is already served with municipal water.

Fiscal Impact: None.

Prepared by: Doug Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development

Respectfully submitted, Patrick DeGrave City Administrator

Fiscal Review by:

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk