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Home My WebLink AboutItem IIPLAN COMMISSION STAFF REPORT January 7, 2025 ITEM II: RESIDENTIAL DESIGN STANDARDS VARIANCE TO ALLOW METAL SIDING AND INCREASED FRONT YARD SETBACK ON A NEW HOME TO BE BUILT AT PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE 1100 BLOCK OF HAWK STREET (PARCEL 1602230100) GENERAL INFORMATION Owner /Applicant: Kia Simon and Chad Simon Action(s) Requested: The applicant is requesting approval of a variance from the City’s Residential Design Standards to allow metal siding and an increased front yard setback on a new home to be built at 0 Hawk Street (Parcel 1602230100). Applicable Ordinance Provision the Variance is being requested: Code Reference Regulation Section 30-241(E)(1)(a) The front yard setback of a new principal structure on an infill site shall be determined by the existing front yard setbacks of the principal buildings on the two properties abutting the subject property’s side yards. The front yard setback shall be no greater than the largest setback of said abutting properties and no less than the smallest setback of said abutting properties. Section 30-241(E)(3)(a) The exterior materials used on the front and side façades shall be visually compatible with those used on other buildings on the block and in the surrounding neighborhood. Property Location and Background: Page 1 ITEM II – 0 Hawk Street - Design Standards Variance The subject property is a vacant lot located at the south end of Hawk Street, southeast of the corner of Buchanan Avenue and Hawk Street. The lot is approximately 32,551 square feet in area and has three frontages, including water frontage on Sawyer Creek. The neighborhood varies in housing styles with the majority being one-story homes. Just to the west of the subject property, at the end of Buchanan Avenue, is the Evergreen Retirement Community. The subject site is zoned Single Family Residential-9 (SR-9) while the surrounding properties are zoned Single Family Residential (SR-9) and Institutional (I-PD). In October 2024, the applicant submitted design plans for a new residential home. The design used shipping containers as its footprint. At that time, the applicant was made aware that the submitted design plans did not meet the City’s Residential Design Standards and could not be approved. This was due to the use of a metal material and setbacks were inconsistent with neighboring homes. The applicant participated in a Plan Commission workshop on November 19, 2024 to see if building a home from metal shipping containers would be supported. After considerable discussion, there was support for the project from Plan Commission and staff. The applicant has requested a Design Standard Variance to leave a portion of the metal shipping container exposed, to use it as part of the cladding system, and to increase the front yard setback. Subject Site Existing Land Use Zoning Single-Family Residential SR-9 Recognized Neighborhood Organizations None Adjacent Land Use and Zoning Existing Uses Zoning North Single Family Residential SR-9 South Single Family Residential SR-9 East Single Family Residential SR-9 West Institutional I-PD Comprehensive Plan Land Use Recommendation Land Use 2040 Land Use Recommendation Light Density Residential VARIANCE CRITERIA The City’s Zoning Ordinance establishes design standards for single and two-family homes with the overall purpose/intent to: “Maintain the basic architectural quality of residences within the community, to minimize adverse impacts on adjacent properties and neighborhoods resulting from architectural and building construction practices that may detract from the character and appearance of the neighborhood as a whole, and to ensure compatible design between existing and new homes.” Page 2 ITEM II – 0 Hawk Street - Design Standards Variance The Plan Commission is authorized to grant variances from the strict application of the standards when it is determined that one or more of the following apply: 1. The variance will not be contrary to the public interest. 2. Substantial justice will be done by granting the variance. 3. The variance is needed so that the spirit of the ordinance is observed. 4. Due to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship. 5. The variance will not allow an alteration of a historic structure, including its use, which would preclude its continued designation as a historic structure. ANALYSIS The applicant would like to construct a shipping container home at the subject site. The metal material of the shipping container and the increased front setback are not in compliance with the city’s zoning code and do not match with neighboring properties. In a conversation with the applicant, staff explained that per the City’s Residential Design Standards, the proposed plans could be approved if the shipping container house was clad in a traditional siding material. The applicant submitted revised plans that softened the effect of the shipping containers original metal cladding. The new plan uses traditional cedar siding to complement the metal material of the shipping container. The proposed structure’s setback is not aligned with the neighboring front setback. The neighboring homes on Hawk Street have a front setback of 24 feet and are traditional urban lots. The subject site is on a corner lot, at the end of a street, has two frontages on a waterfront, and is not a traditional urban infill lot. The submitted site plan shows the new house having a 75-foot front setback. Staff supports the applicant's request for the increased front setback because it is not a traditional infill site, is at the end of Hawk Street, and has a unique lot configuration that fronts Sawyer Creek on two sides. Staff also supports leaving portions of the metal siding of the shipping container exposed with using cedar shakes on the façade and sides of the proposed structure to enhance the overall curb appeal. Page 3 ITEM II – 0 Hawk Street - Design Standards Variance Site Plan Facade Proposed Front Façade RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of a variance from the City’s Residential Design Standards to allow metal siding and an increased front yard setback on a new home as proposed with the following finding: Finding: 1. The variance will not be contrary to the public interest. Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 DSV PARCEL 1602230100 PC: 1-7-2025 DAVID/KRISTIN EHLKE 1036 N LARK ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3350 IRENE A SENZ ETAL 1117 GARFIELD ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-3629 TODD J SCHNEIDER REV TR 1103 DOVE ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3303 FREDRIK M KNAPP 1109 DOVE ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3303 LAWRENCE BERGQUIST 1415 BUCHANAN AVE OSHKOSH WI 54902-2673 GLENN R HOUGE 1116 HAWK ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-2625 CHAD/KIA SIMON 1555 VILLA PARK DR OSHKOSH WI 54904-8273 CORRINE E RATHBUN 1405 BUCHANAN AVE OSHKOSH WI 54902-2673 ALEXANDER R BORK 1022 HAWK ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3340 GRENNA LLC 1115 DOVE ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3303 PATRICIA A WEBER LIFE EST 1511 BUCHANAN AVE OSHKOSH WI 54902-2672 JUNE A LOWTHER 1503 BUCHANAN AVE OSHKOSH WI 54902-2672 EVERGREEN RETIREMENT CO 1130 N WESTFIELD ST OSHKOSH WI 54902-3217 SAWYER CREEK NBHD ASSOCIATION EMAILED Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13