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TO:City of Oshkosh Plan Commission
FROM:Steven Wiley, Assistant Planner
DATE:November 6, 2018
RE:Design Standards Variance –202 W.Melvin Avenue
BACKGROUND
The applicant approached Planning Services staff regarding the possibility of replacing the front
landing and steps on the property. The current landing and steps on the property are architecturally
integrated into the design of the front façade and they are constructed of concrete. The steps are
flanked by two brick piers. The applicant initially proposedto demolish the brick piers and replace the
concrete landing and steps with steps constructed of composite decking. Staff determined that the
work proposed was an alteration under the Exterior Building Design Standards. Due to the fact that
the proposed alteration would not use the same materials as the original house, staffdetermined that
Plan Commission review is required.The Plan Commission heard and discussed this item at the
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September 4Plan Commission meeting. Plan Commission laid the item over to the October 2Plan
Commission meeting in order to give staff and the applicant an opportunity to work together and try to
come up with an acceptable solution or at least exhaust all available options.Plan Commission then
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laid the item over to the November 6meeting after staff explained that the applicant and staff were
continuing to work together.
City staff had a couple of further conversations with the property owner. Staff asked the owner if she
was aware of the City Housing Rehab loan programs. The owner initially stated that she is unable to
borrow more money. Staff explained the need for the Plan Commission to see a rendition of what the
applicant’s proposed work would look like. Staff visited the applicant’s property with Ken Gresser,
City Housing Specialist and Curt Klaske, City Inspector and both recommended that staff ask the
applicant to obtain at least twoquotes from licensed masons or concrete contractors to determine
whether the preservation of the knee walls would be prohibitively costly. Staffreached out to a
number of contractors that the City has worked with in the past. Two contractors provided estimates
tostaff. One estimate (about $5,000) was for repair of the existing steps and piers and the other (about
$8,000) was to demolish the steps and piers and reconstruct them.
Staff explained the housing rehab loan programs to the applicant and asked her to consider applying.
She applied for a housing rehab loan. Staff is in the process of determining the applicant’s eligibility
for the rehab loan. If the applicant qualifies and chooses to pursue the loan, she would not require a
design standards variance. If she does not qualifyor does not pursue the loan, staff would bring the
City Hall, 215 Church Avenue P.O. Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130 920.236.5000http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us
item back to the Plan Commission for consideration. Usually staff can determine the applicant’s
eligibility for a rehab loan within a few weeks of the application’s submission.
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the Plan Commission lay this item over until the December 4Plan Commission
meeting to give staff more time to determine the applicant’s eligibility for a rehabilitation loan. If the
applicant qualifies for the loan and chooses to pursue the loan option, she will no longer require a design
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standards variance. Staff will update the Plan Commission for the December 4meeting and if necessary
place the item on the agenda for action at that meeting.
City Hall, 215 Church Avenue P.O. Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130 920.236.5000http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us