MINUTES OF THE

OAK CREEK PLAN COMMISSION MEETING

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2008

Mayor Bolender called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  The following Commissioners were present at roll call: Commissioner Dickmann, Commissioner St. John, Commissioner Siira, Commissioner Kopplin, Mayor Bolender, Commissioner Grabowski, and Commissioner Nowak.  Commissioner Correll was excused and Commissioner Sokol was absent.  Also present were Jeff Fortin Planner, Peter Wagner, Zoning Administrator and Assistant Fire Chief George Krudop.

Commissioner Grabowski moved to approve the minutes of the February 26, 2008, regular Plan Commission meeting. Commissioner Kopplin seconds.  Roll call, all voted aye.  The minutes were approved as submitted.

Report on Significant Common Council Actions

There were no comments or concerns from the Commission.

Conditions and Restrictions – Bielinski Elm Road Subdivision
3010, 3080, 3110, 3260, 3330R, 3324, and 3400 E. Elm Road
Tax Key No.:  Multiple

Mr. Fortin explained to the Commission the applicant was returning from the January 26, 2008 meeting where the Plan Commission directed them to revise the general development plan to incorporate a cul-de-sac that would abut S. Ricky Lane but would have a gate to prevent vehicular traffic from using the road. 

Commissioner Dickmann questioned if the cul-de-sac was going to serve as a second access for emergency vehicles during the phasing period.  Commissioner St. John stated that was the case.  Mr. Mike Doble, LandCraft Survey and Engineering, stated they were proposing that be the emergency connection.  Assistant Fire Chief George Krudop stated as long as the connection was there and installed prior to going above grade with the development the Fire Department is okay with that.

Commissioner St. John suggested a hinged gate that would lift similar to gull wings that would operate on the Opticom controllers.  The very top of the cul-de-sac would need to be an outlot because they cannot barricade a right-of-way.  As part of this package it would be fair for Bielinski to pay for the capital cost of the gate and the Oakwood Lake Homeowners Association reimburse the City for the operation and maintenance of the gates. 

Commissioner St. John moved that the Plan Commission recommend to the Common Council that the conditions and restrictions and the general development plan (with the gated connection) be adopted as part of the Planned Unit Development for the properties at 3010, 3080, 3110, 3260, 3330R, 3324, and 34300 E. Elm Road with Bielinski covering the capital costs and the operation and maintenance costs be covered by the Oakwood Lake Homeowners Association.

Commissioner Grabowski seconds. 

Mr. Steve Bautch, 3264 E. Lindy Lane, commented at this time without talking to the Association they could not make any commitment on that motion.  Mayor Bolender explained they could discuss that issue with the Council. 

Roll call, all voted aye.  The motion to approve carries.

Certified Survey Map – Woodman’s Food Market, Inc.
8131 S. Howell Avenue
Tax Key No.:  813-9011

Mr. Fortin explained to the Commission the applicant was requesting approval of a certified survey map that would fix an error on the existing CSM.  The CSM will not create any additional lots; it is only being done to correct the error in the original so we have the correct lot boundaries recorded.

Commissioner Siira moved that the Plan Commission recommend to the Common Council that the certified survey map for the property at 8131 S. Howell Avenue be approved, subject to any technical corrections being made prior to recording.

Commissioner Dickmann seconds.  Roll call, all voted aye.  The motion to approve carries.

Plan Review – Black Diamond Group
6925, 6945, and 6965 S. 6th Street
Tax Key No.:  735-9992, 734-9001-003, and 735-9991

Mr. Fortin explained to the Commission the applicant was requesting site, building and landscaping plan approval for their new facility on S. 6th Street.  The building will be constructed of split face emu and brick and will have cultured stone accent pillars.  The building meets the requirements that a minimum of seventy-five percent of the visible perimeter shall be finished with glass, brick or decorative masonry material.

Mr. Joe Teglia, Black Diamond, showed the Commission color renderings of the building and material samples.  Commissioner Grabowski questioned if the building had a flat top roof.  Mr. Teglia explained the shop was much higher than the office portion and the office portion will also have two raised areas. 

Commissioner St. John questioned if they were going to be using real brick.  Mr. Teglia explained it was a decade brick and not a thin veneer.

Commissioner Kopplin moved that the Plan Commission approve the site, building and landscaping plans for the Black Diamond Group facility located at 6925, 6945 and 6965 S. 6th Street, subject to the following conditions:

  1. That all building and fire codes are met.
  2. That the final landscaping plan is approved by the City Forester and Department of Community Development prior to the issuance of building permits.
  3. That the final site grading, drainage, and stormwater management plans are approved by the Engineering department prior to the issuance of building permits.
  4. That the final utility plans are reviewed and approved by the Water & Sewer Utility prior to the issuance of building permits.
  5. That the final site lighting plan is approved by the Electrical Inspector prior to the issuance of building permits.
  6. That a development agreement is entered into between the owner and the City to specify the responsibility for and timing of any required public improvements for this project.

Commissioner Grabowski seconds.  Roll call, all voted aye.  The motion to approve carries.

Plan Commission Discussion – Exterior Materials

Mr. Fortin explained to the Commission the City has recently received proposals to use cultured stone and brick as a primary exterior building material.  Those types of materials have become more common because of their lower cost than natural stone and their ease of installation.  Many of these products haven’t been around for a long enough time to be able to see how they hold up over a long period of time, especially when exposed to rain and snow for long periods of time.  Plan Commission needs to consider what their objective should be for our architectural requirements.

Some materials that should be considered acceptable decorative masonry materials:

Some materials that are debatable and should be discussed by the Plan Commission

Some materials that should only be allowed as an accent material, not as a primary exterior material:

Commissioner Siira explained there were items that were clearly masonry products and items that were clearly not masonry products.  They need to decide the gray area items such as cement board siding, thin brick etc.  To him the word masonry implies a modular type unit and the key would be that a mortar system joins the individual units.  He has a problem with some of the novabrick type products that he feels are not really masonry but are products that look like masonry but don’t meet the definition.  Anything that can be nailed and lapped together to look like something else is not masonry in his opinion, such as the novabrick and hearty plank siding.  The Commission in the past has approved pre-cast concrete wall panels as meeting the masonry requirement.  They are monolithic panels that are typically eight to twelve inches thick; however they are very resilient and will look the same forty years from now as the day they were installed. 

Mayor Bolender commented any material that was screwed onto a building would fail eventually and is not a masonry product.  It may look great when it is installed but we need something that will hold up over a period of years.  The items on the first list will last and will stand the test of time.

Commissioner Siira defined a masonry product as something that is typically installed by a mason.  A lot of the glue and stick type of stones are done by carpentry crews.  It is very subjective on how to determine what the Commission would define as masonry.  The question comes down to does it have to look like masonry or does it have to be masonry.  That is the call that the Commission has to make. 

Commissioner Grabowski requested that Commissioner St. John respond to Commissioner Siira’s explanation of what the positive and negatives are.  Commissioner St. John stated he agreed the upper list should be allowable at all times.  He felt they needed to build some flexibility in for new products so the Code doesn’t become outdated.  They might want to say the first list is acceptable and any other product will take a unanimous vote of the Plan Commission.  There may be applications where the Commission is willing to allow some of the other products such as in the industrial parks. 

Commissioner Siira commented in the future one of the things they will be seeing a lot of is green building technology and recycled building materials.  They will be more common and required for new building construction over the next few years.  They may see some products that are constituted of recycled concrete and colorization that they have never seen before.

Commissioner Dickmann commented as the new products come on board they should be presented to the Commission before the project is brought to the Commission. 

Commissioner Nowak commented they needed to be aware of what the neighboring communities were doing so they could remain competitive and not make building in Oak Creek cost prohibitive.  He also questioned if they could define masonry products as products that were bound by mortar.  Commissioner Siira did not think that would work because they have approved pre-cast concrete as masonry product and they have no mortar joints. 

Mr. Fortin questioned how Commissioner Siira felt on the use of the debatable materials as accent materials.  Commissioner Siira felt it would be fine to use them as accent materials on certain areas of the building. 

Mr. Fortin stated he would bring a text amendment forward to the Commission at the next meeting.

Mr. Arden Degner, 8540 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, comment he appreciated the concern on the part of the Commission on this issue.  We would like to have the commercial buildings stand up to the ravages of time.

Conditions and Restrictions – Microtel Inn and Suites
9611 S. 13th Street
Tax Key No.:  904-9009

Mr. Fortin explained to the Commission they recommended that the Common Council grant a conditional use permit for a three story, 77 units Microtel Hotel for the property at 9611 S. 13th Street.  The applicant is returning to the Commission for review of their conditions and restrictions. 

Commissioner St. John commented if the new masonry requirements were passed the material being proposed for this building would need a ¾ majority vote for approval. 

Mayor Bolender suggested the requirements discussed earlier be applied to this project. 

Commissioner Siira questioned if the sample materials were an actual sample of the thickness of the material.  Mr. Piwowarczyk, 8092 N 86 Street, Brown Deer, explained the material was applied with mortar over a screen mesh.  Commissioner Siira requested he go over the elevations and explain where each type of product was proposed to be placed on the building. 

Mayor Bolender suggested a building at an entrance to the City should be very high class and he would like to see it dressed up with a real brick. 

Commissioner St. John questioned what side of the lot the creek was one.  Mr. Piwowarczyk stated it was on the north side.  Commissioner St. John stated logic would have him put the detention basin next to the creek.  The detention basin is on the other side of the lot at this time.  If the detention was moved closer to the creek then the building could be moved so you could see the front from 13th Street.  Mr. Piwowarczyk explained it had to do with wetlands and the DNR did not want them to fill the wetlands but would allow them to turn it into a water detainment area.  Commissioner St. John commented the DNR has become much more accommodating from when this project was started.  He felt it would be a better project if it could all be flipped.  Mr. Piwowarczyk stated they submitted several different options to the DNR and this was the only option that they were allowed to do.  Commissioner St. John commented he was willing to sit down with the DNR and see if they could work out something different for a better project.  Mr. Piwowarczyk stated he disagreed because they had battled with the DNR for a year but he will go back to them.  Commissioner St. John stated he did not have to go back to them but that the City would go back for them and see if they could get a different outcome.

Mayor Bolender directed the item held until after further talks with the DNR.

Commissioner Grabowski moved to adjourn.  Commissioner Dickmann seconds.  Roll call, all voted aye.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:00p.m.