By Chris Spangler
The Fort Atkinson Plan Commission Tuesday approved a site plan for a construction project at Builders First Source (BFS) on the city’s southwest side.
Located at 1400 Janesville Ave., BFS is planning to build a new 5,760-square-foot building in the far southwest corner of the property, as well as a 1,400-square-foot loading dock addition on the far west building and a new paved surface area for truck loading and unloading on the property’s south side.
The site plan also calls for two new stormwater-retention basins, landscaping and exterior lighting.
BFS’ 5-acre site currently includes seven existing buildings totaling approximately 40,000 square feet. The site plan addresses only the proposed new features on approximately 1.25 acres on the far southern portion of the property.
In addition, two deteriorating structures will be razed.
City engineer Andy Selle reported that the site-plan approval carries some conditions, mainly relating to landscaping, lighting and drainage.
“There was just a slight difference in this request. The zoning code is not necessarily set up for this particular building type that we’re putting in here. This is a building that has open sides for, obviously, the storing of lumber and various building materials,” he said. “Our code requires that buildings of this nature have some architectural elements on the front and sides of the building, but certainly that does not apply in this particular situation.”
He said city staff and Weiss arrived at a good compromise: The new southwest-facing building’s exterior will feature brick/stone along the bottom of the façade facing the street and Glacial River Trail.
In addition, Selle said that instead of plantings being required adjacent to the new building and paved areas, city staff proposed that BFS fulfill the landscaping requirements on the eastern side of the property, facing Janesville Avenue.
“In exchange, we’ve asked for the vegetation or landscaping plan that would normally be applied around this (open-sided) building to instead be applied along the front of the building itself along Janesville Avenue,” Selle said. “That’s where the aesthetic improvements are intended to be anyway. BFS has agreed to that. So I think we’ve made it work …”
Also, BFS has proposed two retention ponds to pool water and collect sediment, making a small improvement in stormwater quality leaving the site, Selle said.
The plan indicates that a drain should be routed from the new loading dock to the proposed stormwater-collection area.
Commissioner Roz Highfield moved that the site plan be approved with the discussed conditions. This was seconded by Commissioner Davin Lescohier and unanimously approved.
Property annexation moves to council
In other business, the commission forwarded to the full city council a recommendation to approve annexing property at W6124 Sunset Ave. in the town of Koshkonong on Fort Atkinson’s south side.
Owner Richard Weiss applied for the annexation of the land, which will continue to be zoned Single-Family Residential (SR02).
“This particular parcel does have water and sewer in the road in front of the house and has both laterals stubbed into the property and right-of-way,” Selle told the commission.
He said Weiss said he would hook up to them and abandon the existing well following annexation.
He will pay a deferred assessment of $12,947.28 on the property, Selle added.
“The application has been submitted to the state for their review. I believe they have 30 days from the date of receipt of that to respond back to us, so we should be hearing from them fairly quickly,” the city engineer said.
Commissioner Eric Schultz moved recommending that the city council perform three readings on the annexation, adopt the ordinance annexing the land and assign a zoning classification of SR-2.
This was seconded by Commissioner Roz Highfield and approved unanimously. Commissioner Jill Kessenich was absent for this part of the meeting.
The city council is expected to review this request at its meetings on Sept. 6 and 20 and Oct. 4.
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