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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutesPLAN COMMISSION MINUTES August 18, 2009 PRESENT: David Borsuk, Jeffrey Thorns, Thomas Fojtik, Paul Lowry, Dennis McHugh, Kathleen Propp, Kent Monte, John Hinz, Robert Vajgrt, Karl Nollenberger EXCUSED: Ed Bowen STAFF: Darryn Burich, Director of Planning Services; David Buck, Principal Planner; Jeff Nau, Associate Planner; Steve Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works; Deborah Foland, Recording Secretary Chairperson Fojtik called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Roll call was taken and a quorum declared present. The minutes of August 4, 2009 were approved as presented. (ProppBorsuk) L AMENDMENT TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A PUBLIC UTILITY STRUCTURE ADDITION AT 490 NORTH CAMPBELL ROAD The applicant is requesting to amend a conditional use permit to increase the size of an unmanned communications building for Time Warner Utility Services at 490 North Campbell Road. Mr. Buck presented the item and reviewed the site and surrounding area as well as the proposed site plan, landscaping, and elevations for the building addition. Mr. Lowry questioned if there were required setbacks from the street. Mr. Buck responded that there was a 25 foot setback from the street and a 10 foot setback on the sides and that the proposed site plan met all setback requirements. Motion by Lowry to approve the amendment to the conditional use permit to allow the addition to the public utility structure at 490 North Campbell Road as requested. Seconded by Borsuk. Motion carried 9 -0. IIA. AUTHORIZATION TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 325 SOUTH EAGLE STREET (PERRY A. TIPLER MIDDLE SCHOOL) This request is for the acquisition of 11.7656 acres of land from the Perry A. Tipler Middle School property for construction of a dry stormwater management basin. IIB. FOUR LOT LAND DIVISION /CERTIFIED SURVEY MAP FOR 325 SOUTH EAGLE STREET The applicant is requesting a four -lot land division of a 19.0291 acre parcel. IIC. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO DEVELOP A DRY STORMWATER BASIN WEST OF PERRY A. TIPLER MIDDLE SCHOOL AT 325 SOUTH EAGLE STREET Plan Commission Minutes August 18, 2009 The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit to develop a dry stormwater management basin. Commission members decided that since all three items are related, they would discuss and vote on them as one topic. Mr. Nau presented the items and reviewed the site and surrounding area. He explained that the land acquisition would be 11.76 acres with Outlot 1 designated for the proposed dry stormwater detention pond. He further commented that the proposal was a result of recommendations from Strand and Associates of Madison who completed a stormwater management study for the Campbell Creek watershed. He also reviewed the land division which includes four lots with Lot 1 designated for continued use by the school district, Lots 2 and 3 designated for sale for residential use, and Outlot 1 for the proposed detention basin. He also stated that the conditional use permit was necessary for the detention basin which would be located west of the school site and was designed to manage a 100 -year storm event. He reviewed the site plan for the basin which would be 7 -8 feet below the surrounding area and explained that the use of the property would not change and that no solid screening would be required around the pond in the form of fencing and /or four season's hedge. Mr. Borsuk requested that someone explain how the dry detention basin would work. Mr. Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works, explained that the storm sewer piping opens into a ditch and displayed where the pipe would be located on the site plan. The discharge of water would occur on the west side by the pond through West Third Avenue. The basin would be designed to hold water for up to two days following a 100 year storm event and lesser times for smaller events. A low flow pipe will be installed under the basin to allow for flow from small events to pass through without impacting the athletic fields and the basin would have under drains to allow for the fields to dry more quickly and be usable again in a shorter time. Mr. Thorns questioned what area would benefit from the installation of this detention basin. Mr. Gohde responded that the area around Landmark Plaza and Westfield Street would benefit from this and commented that both areas had significant flooding issues in the past. Mr. McHugh asked if the City would be replacing the pipe in the ditch area or removing the debris to assist in the water drainage. Mr. Gohde replied that a box culvert large enough to convey the water flow would be installed. Mr. Borsuk inquired what the release rate would be. Mr. Gohde responded that the basin would take up to two days to drain after a significant event. Mr. Borsuk questioned if it was based on a five or 10 year rate. Mr. Gohde replied that he did not have actual numbers on the rate available at this time, but the basin would assist the system with downstream flows. Mr. Fojtik asked if the basin would provide any relief with runoff from winter snowfalls. Plan Commission Minutes August 18, 2009 Mr. Gohde responded that any excess water would be held in the basin for a period of time and that the athletic fields would be in a condition for use sooner than they are currently. Mr. Thorns questioned if this would mitigate the flooding issues in this area. Mr. Gohde replied that it was designed to manage a 100 year flood event and was one step in the process of controlling stormwater runoff and would assist in mitigating flooding issues in this area. Mr. Thorns inquired if safety would be an issue when the basin is full. Mr. Gohde responded that it was designed as a dry basin and would be vacant the majority of the time. The basin would have no vertical sides but would be sloped and would be designed to be 4 -6 feet below ground elevation with the extreme center of the basin to be approximately 4 '/2 feet. Mr. Lowry asked if the water would overflow the detention basin, where would it go. Mr. Gohde stated that the overflow route would be to the north side of the existing school administration building and would be more defined when the construction was complete. Mr. Monte questioned where the current flow of stormwater was located. Mr. Gohde responded that the current flow goes through a pipe under Highway 41 in the Landmark Plaza area and ends up flooding the streets when the runoff is too great. Mr. Lowry inquired if the area around Lourdes High School would benefit from the installation of this basin. Mr. Gohde replied that it would as it is downstream from the area of the basin. Everet Goodwin, 408 Reichow Street, stated that he lived on the corner of Reichow Street and Bismarck Avenue, and had flooding issues last year. He inquired how this would affect the west side and how this will help with water flowing from the south. Dave Weiler, 1621 Bismarck Avenue, stated that he has owned his home since 1998 and was located by the proposed Lot 2 which was designated for sale for residential use. He voiced his concerns with what types of homes would be built on the lot and commented that his home had a relatively small yard but he benefited from the large school property next door. He further commented that the field near his property has not flooded beyond its perimeters and he has not had flooding issues on his property and was concerned that the construction of the detention pond would create flooding on his site. He also stated that he had issues with the notification process the city uses for informing adjacent property owners and that neighbors were not aware of the plan until meeting notices were recently received. He spoke with David Patek and Steve Gohde in the Department of Public Works about the matter and was told that he should have been aware of the plans from articles in the newspaper and that he would not be the only person affected by this. He commented that he felt it would be a detriment to the area and voiced his concerns with the basin being five feet deep in the center and requiring a day or two to drain. The issue was creating anxiety among the neighbors although Public Works has assured him that the basin would be constructed with a gradual grade which would allow a person to get out of the pond if necessary. He was concerned with the water carrying a current and commented that if the current water flow is crossing under Highway 41 and across the retail developments, why it cannot be prevented from reaching that point rather than be retained in the basin. Plan Commission Minutes August 18, 2009 Maribeth Krawczyk, 1605 Witzel Avenue, stated that she lives to the east of the proposed Lot 3 and was concerned with having a pond with four feet of water contained in it and the potential current in it. Lori Halstead, 1615 Bismarck Avenue, inquired if any other studies have been completed and voiced her concern with locating a large pond in a residential area where children are present as it seemed to be a safety issue. She also questioned if there were any comparisons where this had been done in other cities and if there were any issues related to it. She also had concerns with the costs that would be spent on this project and inquired as to how much federal and DNR funding would be received and how much of the costs the city would have to assume. Mr. Gohde stated that in regard to the affect this basin would have on the south side of the area, it would contain more water in the area and he did not have flood elevations available with him, but any adjacent property owners who had concerns could stop by the Public Works office and he could further explain this issue. In regard to the concerns about the water current, he commented that all water has some current and a grate will be installed to allow assistance in getting out of the pond if necessary. The detention pond will reduce the current in the water flow and in low flow events, would not create any standing water in the basin. Relating to other stormwater management studies completed, he stated that other studies were completed behind the Armory facility, in the Menard Drive area, and upstream in the area of the Westhaven Golf Course and the intersection of 9 th Avenue and Washburn Street. Mr. Gohde stated that he did not have cost figures for the construction of the basin available at today's meeting, but if anyone was interested in discussing the costs relative to the project, they could stop by his office and he could share this information with them. In regard to this type of basin construction in other cities, Mr. Gohde stated that a similar project was completed in Madison and the basin has only had water contained in it on one occasion and it was minimal. He also commented that managing the flooding issues in the city would take a multi phased plan and that all issues could not be corrected at one time. Mr. Borsuk commented that when the item is presented to the Common Council, he felt it would be beneficial to have watershed pictures to assist in clarifying the issues. He commented that the basin would help deal with the flooding issues and questioned if there were any thoughts of more than a flood control project such as dealing with cleanliness as well. Mr. Gohde replied that when dealing with issues relating to solids in the water, a wet detention basin would be more effective; however it would not be in the best interest of neighbors and the athletic fields on the site. Other areas in the community were being considered for the construction of wet basins. Mr. Fojtik questioned if the City was purchasing the property, would it then be leased back to the Oshkosh Area School District as they would continue to utilize the site for the athletic fields. Mr. Gohde responded that the City would own the property, but the School District would continue to maintain the site. Mr. Fojtik stated that he lived in the Sawyer Creek area and he felt it was a reasonable attempt for dealing with a large piece of the problem. He further commented that he realized that there were some concerns with children playing in the water; however children were playing in the flood water last year in the streets. He felt this was a small step in tackling a long term problem. Mr. Borsuk agreed and stated that it was a necessary program to resolve the City's flooding issues. Plan Commission Minutes August 18, 2009 Mr. Monte also agreed and commented that the flooding issues needed to be addressed and this would be the first step of many and will use property that taxpayers already own rather than sacrifice valuable land for this purpose. Mr. Nollenberger agreed as well and commented that you have to look at the big picture and he felt this was the right step forward. Mr. Hinz concurred and stated that he previously resided in Florida where both wet and dry detention basins were prevalent and from his experience, children did not enter the ponds as they are very dirty and not too inviting to play in. Mr. McHugh inquired if the pond proposed for the Armory site would be constructed this year. Mr. Gohde responded that the City hopes to acquire the land this year with construction not planned until the coming year. He further stated that the Campbell Creek watershed has two branches, the one that is being discussed today and the Armory site is the other. Mr. Thorns commented that he felt that flooding in the city will only get worse with continued development and that construction of detention ponds was necessary to address the issue. He further commented that new developments are required to control stormwater runoff from their sites; however the need for the detention basins is still there and the Common Council has made it clear that they want to correct the flooding issues in the community and it needs to start somewhere. Mr. Lowry also concurred and stated that channeling water to ponds such as this was the best resolution to the situation. Motion by Nollenberger to approve the acquisition of property, the four lot land division, and the conditional use permit to develop a dry stormwater basin located at 325 S. Eagle Street. Seconded by Monte. Motion carried 9 -0. Mr. Borsuk commented that Jackson Kinney implied at the joint meeting of the Plan Commission and Common Council last night that staff would be bringing forward the portion of the Comprehensive Plan relating to economic development for discussion and questioned when that would be taking place. Mr. Burich responded that staff was still working on this issue and it would be coming before the Plan Commission for discussion in the next few months. He further commented that the Vision Oshkosh Report would also be coming forward for discussion in relation to the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 4:50 pm. (Vajgrt/Lowry) Respectfully submitted, Darryn Burich Director of Planning Services Plan Commission Minutes August 18, 2009