HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4PLAN COMMISSION STAFF REPORT SEPTEMBER 16, 2025
ITEM 4: Specific Implementation Plan for a Drive-through Car Wash at 1700
South Koeller Street
Applicant: Peter Schwabe Inc
Property Owner: MP Development 18, LLC
Action Requested: The applicant requests approval of a Specific Implementation Plan
(SIP) for a drive-through car wash development.
Applicable Ordinance: Planned Development, Section 30-387 of the Zoning Ordinance.
The subject site consists of a 1.65-acre vacant lot at the southeast corner of South Koeller
Street and Osborn Avenue, and contains a former restaurant building (Applebee’s) and
associated parking area. The site is zoned Suburban Mixed Use District with a Planned
Development Overlay (SMU-PD). The surrounding area consists primarily of
commercial uses.
On April 22, 2025, Common Council approved a General Development Plan (GDP) for a
drive-through car wash at the subject site with a condition that all Base Standard
Modifications (BSM) will be addressed as part of the Specific Implementation Plan.
On September 2, 2025, Plan Commission approved a Specific Implementation Plan (SIP)
for a drive-through car wash, which included BSMs for increased parking, reduced
setback, landscaping placement, and reduced Class I materials. Following the Plan
Commission approval, the applicant had further discussions with City staff where it
was determined that an additional BSM is needed for a drive-through window on the
street side (South Koeller Street) of the building. The SIP request was subsequently
removed from the September 9 Common Council agenda and the applicant has
resubmitted the SIP request to include the additional BSM for the drive-through
window placement.
Existing Land Use Zoning
Vacant Commercial SMU-PD
Existing Uses Zoning
North Commercial SMU-PD
South Commercial SMU-PD
East Commercial SMU-PD
West HWY-41 SMU
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Recommendation Land Use
2040 Comprehensive Land Use Recommendation Interstate Commercial
The applicant is proposing an approximately 5,270 sq. ft. drive-through car wash, which
will also include 20 vacuum stations within the parking lot. The proposed use is
considered drive-through and in-vehicle sales or service under the zoning ordinance. In
the future, the owner intends to utilize the eastern area of the site for a small
commercial business.
Site Design/Access - The proposed site will utilize two existing driveway accesses on
Osborn Avenue and will remove the existing driveway access on South Koeller Street.
The plan includes 20 vacuum stations to the east of the building as well as 30 parking
spaces, for a total of 50 parking spaces where code allows a maximum of 25 parking
spaces. The applicant intends to leave the existing, eastern-most parking row in its
current footprint. A BSM is needed to allow the increased parking. Staff does not have
concerns with allowing the excess parking to remain as it is abutting a commercial
property and will likely be redeveloped for a commercial use in the future.
The proposed plan meets all setback requirements, with the exception of the existing
pavement along the east property line, which extends slightly into the five-foot setback.
Staff is supportive of a BSM to allow this setback reduction (0.33 ft.). The applicant is
exceeding the paved area landscape point requirement and existing trees are being
maintained, to the east of the pavement, to compensate for the slight setback reduction.
Required Provided
Parking Spaces Minimum: 18
Maximum: 25 50 (including 20 vacuum stations)
Impervious Surface Maximum: 70% of
lot 69% of lot
Minimum Provided
Front Setback (north) 25 ft. 26 ft.
Street Side Setback
(west) 25 ft. 27 ft. +/-
Side Setback (east)
25 ft. building
5 ft. pavement
150 ft. +/- building
4.67 ft. pavement
Rear Setback (south)
25 ft. building
5 ft. pavement
59.3 ft. building
10 ft. +/- pavement
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
Site Plan
The proposed plan is within the maximum impervious surface ratio of 70% of the lot,
for the SMU district. The plan includes a refuse enclosure within the eastern parking
area, which will be constructed of six-foot tall composite wood material to meet refuse
screening requirements.
The zoning ordinance states that drive-through windows shall not be located between
the principal building and the street right-of-way. The proposed plan shows a drive-
through customer service window on the west façade, facing South Koeller Street. The
applicant is requesting a BSM to allow the window in this location. According to the
applicant, positioning the building in the current configuration allows for abandonment
of the existing South Koeller Street entrance. The South Koeller Street entrance would
need to remain open if the building was positioned without the drive-through window
facing the road.
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
Staff is supportive of the BSM request as the proposed drive-through window location
allows for proper circulation through the site, with access only from Osborn Avenue.
The proposed site layout is also appropriate as it allows for the vacuum stations to be
placed to the east of the building, outside of the front yard areas.
To offset the requested BSM, the applicant is proposing additional shrubs of varying
heights, slightly exceeding the street frontage landscape point requirement, between the
drive-through lane and South Koeller Street. The additional landscaping will further
buffer the pick-up window from the public right-of-way.
Signage - The proposed site plan includes a ground sign located to the northwest of the
building, which is placed at the 25’ front and street side setbacks. The applicant has
provided a standard sign package for Tommy’s Express Car Wash sites which includes
a pylon sign or monument sign. Both of these sign options are within the maximum
area of one square foot per linear foot of street frontage and maximum height of 35’ for
pylon signs and 15’ for monument signs; also, within the maximum area of 100 sq. ft.
for electronic message boards.
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
Wall signage is limited to one square foot of signage per linear foot of building frontage
in the SMU District, or 50 sq. ft., whichever is greater. The proposed building elevations
include wall signage on all facades which appear to be within the maximum wall sign
area for the SMU District. Final signage plans will be reviewed under a separate
building permit.
Landscaping – The applicant has provided a landscaping plan with the point
calculations for the required landscaping categories.
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Building Foundation - A minimum of 40 landscaping points per 100 linear feet of
building foundation is required for the car wash building. The landscape plan is
meeting this requirement.
Paved Area - A minimum of 50 landscaping points per ten parking stalls or 10,000 sq. ft.
of paved area is required. The code further specifies 30% of all points will be devoted to
tall trees and 40% will be devoted to shrubs. The proposed plan is meeting both of these
requirements and the applicant has provided a tree at all parking row ends, per paved
area landscaping requirements.
Street Frontage - Code requires 100 landscaping points per 100 feet of right-of-way.
Street frontage landscaping shall be placed so that at maturity, the plant’s drip line is
located within ten feet of the public right-of-way. Code further specifies that 50% of the
required points shall be devoted to medium trees. The landscape plan meets the point
requirement along both Osborn Avenue and South Koeller Street. However, the street
frontage points along South Koeller Street are located further than ten feet from the
public right-of-way. A BSM is needed to place these plantings further than ten feet from
the public right-of-way; the Department of Public Works has requested that no
plantings be placed along the public right-of-way to avoid conflicts with existing City
utility easements. The proposed alternative planting location on the west side of the
drive-through lane meets the intent of the street-frontage landscaping requirement as it
is placed between the public right-of-way at the development.
Yards - Code requires 20 landscaping points per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The
proposed plan is meeting this requirement.
Storm Water Management/Utilities - The Department of Public Works has reviewed
the plans and noted that final submitted plans are required to be in full compliance with
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
the requirements of the City of Oshkosh Municipal Code Chapter 14 for storm water
management.
Site Lighting - The applicant has submitted a photometric plan for the proposed
development. The plan utilizes 20 ft. tall light poles and meets the minimum lighting
requirement of 0.4 fc for all parking and drive areas. Lighting levels do not exceed the
maximum of 1.0 fc at the public right-of-way and 0.5 fc at the property lines, with the
exception of lighting at the west property line of up to 0.9 fc. This will need to be
reduced to 0.5 fc and will be addressed during Site Plan Review.
Building Facades - The applicant has provided building elevations for the car wash
building. The elevations include a combination of prefinished metal panel, Nichiha fiber
cement panel, brick, and storefront glazing. Commercial building design standards
require facades to consist of at least 50% Class I materials. The applicant is meeting this
requirement on the east (side) elevation, but is requesting BSMs to allow reduced Class
I materials to 43% on the west (South Koeller Street) and 7% on the north (Osborn
Avenue) façades. The rear (south) elevation is exempt for the Class I material
requirement.
Staff is supportive of the reduced Class I material requirement on the west (South
Koeller Street) façade, it is only slightly deficient of the Class I material requirement and
also utilizes Nichiha fiber cement siding. Although Nichiha fiber cement is considered a
Class III material, staff feels that it is a high quality, durable material, which is
comparable with other Class I materials. The combination of Class I materials
(brick/glazing) and Nichiha fiber cement comprises 56% of this façade.
Staff is also supportive of the Class I material reduction on the north (Osborn Avenue)
facade. The applicant is exceeding the street frontage landscaping point requirement, as
well as the medium tree requirement, along the Osborn Avenue frontage to compensate
for the Class I material reduction.
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
Findings: In its review and recommendation to the Common Council on an application
for a Planned Development district, staff recommends the Plan Commission consider
findings based on the criteria established by Chapter 30-387 (C)(6):
(a) The proposed Planned Development project is consistent with the overall
purpose and intent of the Zoning Ordinance as the proposed drive-through
car wash use of the site will not have a negative impact on the public because
it is a permitted use in the SMU District and is compatible with neighboring
commercial uses.
(b) The proposed Planned Development project is consistent with the City’s
Comprehensive Plan as the proposed drive-through car wash is consistent
with the 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Plan recommendation of Interstate
Commercial.
(c) The proposed Planned Development project would maintain the desired
relationships between land uses, land use densities and intensities, and land
use impacts because the commercial use of the property is consistent with
neighboring commercial uses.
(i) The proposed Planned Development project will produce significant benefits
in terms of environmental design and significant alternative approaches to
addressing development performance that relate to and more than
compensate for any requested exceptions/base standard modifications
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ITEM 4: SIP 1700 S. Koeller St.
variation of any standard or regulation of this Chapter. The applicant has
exceeded the paved area landscaping requirement by 61% and has exceeded
the street frontage landscaping point requirement along Osborne Avenue by
28% to compensate for increased parking, slightly reduced pavement setback,
and reduced Class I materials on the west and north facades. The applicant
has also provided increased landscaping along the South Koeller Street side
of the drive-through lane to offset the BSM request for a drive-through
window between the principal building and street right-of-way.
Recommendation/Conditions: Staff recommends approval of the Specific
Implementation Plan with the findings listed above and the proposed following
conditions:
1. Base Standard Modification (BSM) to allow increased number of parking spaces
to 50.
2. BSM to allow reduced side yard (east) setback for existing pavement to 4.67 ft.
3. BSM to allow street frontage landscaping with the drip line, at maturity, located
further than ten feet from the public right-of-way.
4. BSM to allow reduced Class I materials on the west (South Koeller Street) façade
to 43%
5. BSM to allow reduced Class I materials on the north (Osborn Avenue) façade to
7%.
6. BSM to allow a drive-through window located between the principal building
and the street right-of-way.
7. Final landscaping, lighting, and signage plans shall be reviewed and approved
by the Department of Community Development.
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Tommy’s Express Car Wash
1700 Koeller St
Oshkosh, WI
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
The proposed car wash building will include a 130-foot-long tunnel design, with a
building footprint square footage of approximately 5,270 square feet. Site access to the
property will be from Osborn Ave. A Tunnel entry at the North end of the property and
tunnel exit at the South end of the property. The car wash building will house standard
wash bay and drying areas, mechanical support spaces, storage areas, employee,
customer service, and support areas including restroom facilities and employee-only
work areas.
Exterior materials of the car wash will consist of many prefinished metal materials
including metal panels of Tommy Car Wash's signature Cardinal Red color on featured
tower elements that flank the North and South ends of the building, prefinished
aluminum composite panels in a complementing Red color over the tunnel entry and
exit with Ebony panels at the bases, and prefinished aluminum Metallic Silver parapet
fascia and cornice features. Additional complimentary exterior materials to contrast the
prefinished metals include fiber cement textured panels in Gray color at offsetting facade
locations opposite corners of the metal panel tower features and split face CMU
wainscot around the base of the building in Ash color. Lastly, the tunnel design is
highlighted with a high percentage of storefront glazing, as well as an arching glass roof
design, to provide the signature appearance of the car wash structure skinned over a
structural steel frame.
Note that the owner’s intension is to eventually utilize the adjoining area to the east of
the car wash for a small commercial business that would be in keeping with land use
and zoning requirements. It is understood such would require additional approvals and
a CSM. Note also that the owner has worked with the appropriate authorities to confirm
that the “vision easement” previously shown on the survey is no longer in force, and hence it
has been removed from the plan documents.
This SIP submittal has not been materially modified from the approved GDP.
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J:\GIS\Planning\Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template\2023 Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template.mxd User: katrinam
Prepared by: City of Oshkosh, WI
Printing Date: 8/11/2025
1 in = 100 ft1 in = 0.02 mi¯1700 S KOELLER STZONING & AERIAL MAP
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