By Chris Spangler
The Fort Atkinson Plan Commission was updated Tuesday on plans for a new street to accommodate five lots being developed just north of Florence Street.
In late March, the Fort Atkinson City Council vacated a section of North Fourth Street, between McMillen and Armenia streets, to enable Fort HealthCare to expand its north parking lot into the location of houses it owns at 403 McMillen St. and 603, 609 and 615 N. Fourth St.
All four houses are being relocated to what currently is 426 McMillen St. The project is part of a larger plan to consolidate nearby clinics and parking at the hospital’s main campus.
Last week, the Fort Atkinson City Council approved a preliminary plat creating the five new development parcels, public right-of-way and an outlot, and the rezoning of the five parcels to SR-5 Single-Family (Lots 2-5) and DR-8 Duplex (Lot 1). It calls for relocating the four single-family homes to Lots 2-5; new construction of one new duplex on Lot 1; and supporting road, sidewalk, sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure.
The council also rezoned 426 McMillan St. from Institutional to Single-Family Residential and Duplex Residential.
The new yet-unnamed street would extend from McMillen Street into the property behind Florence Street to serve as access for the new duplex and relocated single-family homes. Eventually, it is anticipated that the street would connect to the future potential redevelopment of a remote parking lot the hospital owns.
On Tuesday, city engineer Andy Selle provided the Plan Commission with some more information on the planned street.
He noted that the southeast corner of the property will be the site of a private stormwater basin to serve the new street; future development in the area would expand it for regional use.
In addition, Selle reported that the new street, which will have sidewalks on both sides, will measure 30 feet curb to curb.
“It is a little more narrow than the majority of our streets within the city, but more akin to the streets we see in the older parts of the city,” he said. “This is a good thing on a couple of levels: No. 1, narrow streets slow traffic down considerably; No. 2, the less pavement we have to take care of the better it is on our taxpayers and our budgets. So we truly are trying to design things really for what we need.”
He added: “The street will still allow parking on both sides and it will allow two vehicles to pass while there are parked cars on both sides, be it extremely slowly.”
Currently, plans call for the street to end in a “hammerhead.”
“Traditionally when we are designing a street, we either end the street in a cul-de-sac to allow a turnaround or we will end the street at an intersection with an adjoining road. The hammerhead is indicative of a street that is yet to be developed out there,” the city engineer explained.
He said the city is working out an agreement with Fort HealthCare on timing for future development in that area and the possible extension of Handeyside Lane. Currently just “on paper,” that street could, in the future, perhaps hook up to the hammerhead.
“So the hammerhead will suffice for now until we are able to take those next steps on the development,” Selle said.
He also told the commission that city staff are taking into consideration concerns about the area between the five new lots and the backyards of contiguous Florence Street residences.
Responding to questions by Commissioner Jill Kessenich, Selle said that the width of the terrace along the new street will measure 10 feet, perhaps nearly 11 feet; trees will be planted along the terraces; and a streetlight will be placed at the McMillan Street intersection. It has not been decided whether a streetlight will be needed at the hammerhead.
No action was taken by the commission as this was solely an informational presentation.
The above graphic, as provided to the Plan Commission in its meeting packet, shows plans for a new street off McMillan Street, just north of Florence Street, in Fort Atkinson. Fort HealthCare is moving four nearby houses it owns to the easternmost lots; it plans to sell the western lot at the street’s intersection with McMillan Street to a developer to create a duplex.
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