PLAN COMMISSION

December 6, 2007                                                                 

                                                                                               

Members present:  Breault, Burchill, Yoerg, Mailloux, Casanova and Bieraugel

 

Others present:  Tom and Tami Datwyler, David Simons, Dustin Rassbach, Bill Rambo, Dennis Kennealy, Tim Filipiak, Larry Szyman, Denny Darnold and others.

 

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Breault at 7:00 p.m.

 

Motion by Yoerg, seconded by Casanova to approve the meeting minutes of 10/25/07.  Motion carried.

 

Public hearing and consideration of an application for a conditional use permit by T & T Collision Center, Inc. / Tom and Tami Datwyler for an auto repair and body repair garage at 1701 Coulee Road – Tom and Tami Datwyler.  Breault reviewed the public hearing notice and asked if anyone in the audience would care to comment in regard to the application / proposal by T & T Collision Center.

 

Dennis Kennealy, 617 Spruce Drive, Hudson stated that he is not opposed to the possible location of T & T Collision Center in the city of Hudson but asked that the applicant be required to address the issues that were required to be addressed by River City Collision Center in its development in the St. Croix Business Park such as the inclusion of a sprinkler system, air exchange system, floor drains, fire trap, limitation of mixing area and an aesthetically pleasing fence for an enclosed area for the damaged vehicles.  Kennealy noted that this type of business is not permitted in the General Business District.

 

Bill Rambo representing the owner of the property, Jacob Holdings of Hudson noted that the property has been used for vehicle sales and maintenance and body repair in the past.

 

David Simons spoke in favor of the proposed development noting that the Datwylers have run a successful business in North Hudson for approximately 15 years and that it has been a good business near a residential neighborhood.

 

No other comments were received.

 

Motion by Yoerg, seconded by Bieraugel to close the public hearing.  Motion carried.  7:08 p.m.

 

Mailloux asked how many vehicles would be stored outside.  Tom Datwyler responded that most of the damaged vehicles will be able to be stored inside the building.  Mailloux asked if T & T Collision Center would be willing to construct a fence to screen the area where the damaged vehicles are proposed to be located.  Darnold suggested that the city may consider the screening of the damaged vehicles by requiring screening, limiting the

 

Page 2, Plan Commission

December 6, 2007                                                                  

 

 

vehicles to be stored outside with no screening required or defer the issue of screening to a designated review period at which time the need for screening may be re-reviewed.

 

Yoerg asked about the criteria of the building improvements and fencing.  Darnold noted that the use of a building may require specific building improvements and typically those are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce in the review of the building plans.  Darnold stated that he discussed this issue with Mike Wallace, Building Inspector and that the state will review the plans.

 

Mailloux reiterated that the area designated for the damaged vehicles should be fenced.

 

Todd Erskine, owner of the adjacent business Erskine Floors expressed concern on the number of damaged vehicles that may be stored outside.  Erskine opined that it would probably look better if the area was not fenced, but he was concerned about the number of vehicles.

 

Yoerg noted that in the application that light maintenance work would be conducted as part of the business.  Tom Datwyler noted that some suspension work would be conducted.

 

Breault asked about wrecker service.  Tom Datwyler noted that deliveries may occur at any time of the day; and if the vehicles are not insured, they are immediately removed from the site, or the owners of the vehicles are charged $35 per day to sit on the lot.

 

Bieraugel inquired about the number of vehicles that may be worked on per week.  Tom Datwyler answered 20 to 25 per week.   Bieraugel asked if T & T would be agreeable to limiting the number of damaged vehicles to three (3) and within the area designated in the application.  Datwyler agreed to limiting the number of damaged vehicles to three and within the designated area.

 

Kennealy reiterated that the similar businesses should be treated the same.

 

Casanova questioned if the use needs to have a conditional use permit if it occurred on the site previously.  Darnold noted that it has been several years since the property included a body shop on the east side of 17th Street and because of that the conditional use permit, in his opinion, is required.

 

Mailloux asked what types of vehicles were to be worked on – cars, pick-up trucks, large commercial vehicles?  Datwyler commented that most of the work would be done on passenger vehicles.

 

 

Page 3, Plan Commission

December 6, 2007                                                                  

 

 

Motion by Bieraugel, seconded by Casanova to recommend to the Common Council the issuance of a conditional use permit for an auto repair and body shop repair garage at 1701 Coulee Road with the following conditions:

-          the number of damaged vehicles to be stored outside to be limited to a total of three (3) and within the designated area per the application

-          at the intersection of Coulee Road and 17th Street and 17th Street and Ward Avenue that no cars be parked on the private property within 15 feet of the corners to provide for improved visibility of traffic at the intersections

-          a review of the conditional use permit be required one year after occupancy of the building

Motion carried, 4-1.   Mailloux voting no.  Burchill abstained from the vote citing a conflict of interest.

 

Other business for discussion purposes only or placement on a future agenda.  Darnold advised the plan commission that the Carmichael Road / Vine Street traffic corridor study would not be ready for staff review until later in December, thus the review by the plan commission and Common Council would not likely occur until January, 2008.  Darnold noted there were no other plan commission meetings scheduled this month.

 

Motion by Casanova, seconded by Burchill to adjourn.  Motion carried.  8:40 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis D. Darnold, Secretary