Hospital street vacation advances to council

By Chris Spangler

The Fort Atkinson Plan Commission is recommending that the city council approve vacating a block of North Fourth Street to expand a Fort Memorial Hospital parking lot.

Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 28, the commission voted 5-2 to recommend discontinuance of the right-of-way of North Fourth Street between Armenia and McMillen streets based on its compatibility with the city’s comprehensive land-use plan. 

The council is expected to consider the matter when it meets Tuesday, March 21. A public hearing also will be held at that time.

According to city engineer Andy Selle, allowing expansion of a parking lot within the area designated in the Healthcare Center Planning Area meets the purpose and intent of the comprehensive plan.

He said that vacating North Fourth Street would enable Fort HealthCare to increase parking by 148 spaces, with a wide buffer placed between the lot and adjacent houses. If the street remains, the hospital would gain about 120 spaces, but the new lot on the north side of the block — currently the site of four Fort HealthCare-owned houses earmarked for moving — would have a smaller buffer.

“The co-existence of a hospital within an established neighborhood always presents challenges, and I’m sure this goes back several decades with various give-and-take throughout, and this situation is no different,” Selle told the commission. “Fort HealthCare is an important part of our community, as is the neighborhood in which it exists, and these discussions are always challenging, but always have the upmost respect for both parties.”

He noted that Fort HealthCare’s request for vacating one block of North Fourth Street is to provide approximately 28 additional parking spaces, as well as a larger buffer between the homes and north side of the lot.

Selle noted that Fort HealthCare hosted public neighborhood meetings on Jan. 18 and Feb. 1 to allow area residents to voice their concerns relating to the proposed street vacation. Property owners were invited by mail and city staff were present at each meeting to answer questions.

“The general concerns heard from residents that were at those meetings varied regarding property values, noise, pollution, water runoff, traffic patterns, light pollution and aesthetics,” Selle said. 

He said that state statutes define affected, abutting, parcel owners as those within 2,650 feet of the ends of the right-of-way to be considered for discontinuance. This represents 63 parcels, of which about seven are owned by Fort HealthCare. 

Should at least 30% of those parcel owners file a written objection to the discontinuance, the city council must pass the resolution with a supermajority of four-fifths majority. Otherwise, a simple three-fifths majority is allowed.

To date, about seven letters against street vacation have been received by abutting owners. Letters are being accepted by city staff through the March 21 council session. 

Selle told the commission that the comprehensive land-use plan lays out the area for proposed expansion of medical facilities within the residential neighborhood.

“There are a number of references throughout the comprehensive plan to the importance that Fort HealthCare holds within the community as a local hospital, as well as an employer,” Selle said. 

He noted that all city staff, including the police and fire departments, reviewed the proposal and no big concerns were foreseen. Specifics about such items as stormwater runoff, would be addressed in the parking lot plan review when it comes before the commission.

“Currently, what we understand about the proposed expansion, whether it be across Fourth Street or not, the stormwater situation there could be managed within the existing facilities that we have. Any adverse effects can be mitigated fairly easily with the design,” Selle said.

He acknowledged that closing the street would alter local traffic patterns, but pointed out that the number of transient users cutting through the neighborhood to North High Street or Sherman Avenue likely would be reduced.

“That thoroughfare, if you will, without any stops, will obviously, under the street vacation, no longer be efficient, so that traffic passing through the neighborhood is likely to be decreased,” Selle stated.

Public hearing

On Tuesday, two neighboring residents spoke against vacating the street, citing concerns about traffic patterns, noise, lighting and property values.

Jeannie Newbold, 411 McMillen St., owns a home located behind two of the hospital-owned houses slated to be moved. 

“I am asking all of you, put yourself in my shoes,” she told the commission. “I am unable to sell my home, except to the city or Fort HealthCare. My property value has been destroyed and my quality of life has been taken. My backyard, which was my oasis, peace and tranquility, will be gone. I will have to listen to the sound of coming and going of vehicles, who are slamming doors, and alarms, inhaling and smelling their toxic fumes or see their lights shining through my window. I will have no privacy.”

Newbold continued: “I foresee my flower and vegetable gardens being polluted from the toxic runoff of heavy metals, the metals that accumulate from car batteries and airborne fumes. Parking lot pollution is a real thing, and other parking lot pollutants. I respectfully ask you to require the placement of a solid fence along the entire length of the north side of the North Fourth parking lot. This would at least give me and (neighbors) some privacy and reduce some of the noise and lights.” 

She also requested restricted parking in front of her house, just as the city has restricted parking on McMillen Street right off of Sherman Avenue/State Highway 106.

“Again, I just feel like the sacrificial lamb. I understand that this is a big wheel that’s turning.,” she concluded.

Also speaking was Elliott Larson, who has resided at 415 McMillen St. for four decades.

“My wife and I are grateful that Fort Atkinson has a hospital for our city. I personally don’t understand the reasoning that they proposed to block off Fourth Street between McMillen and Armenia. That hospital has plenty of other options to consider for parking rather than just continuing that portion of Fourth Street.”

Larson said the proposal carries with it many concerns.

“Examples are the traffic patterns, the safety, the efficiency issues with the police and fire departments, etc. This situation not only affects the residents in the surrounding area, but also many others because it is such an important part of Fort Atkinson,” he said. “With the traffic situation, I ask you not to block that off. You can use other places for more parking.

“I urge you, as a Planning Commission, to deeply research and take your time to realize what an impact this will have on all of us if you block off that area. This area is vital to leave open for the people surrounding the hospital,” he added.

Commission discussion

During the plan panel’s discussion, Commissioner Loren Gray asked whether Selle thought there would be a pedestrian safety problem were the street not vacated and the lot expansion was split in two.

“Any time pedestrians are crossing the street, that’s not ideal,” the city engineer said. “Obviously, we can’t avoid that. … Fort HealthCare has indicated it is not an ideal situation for them and they currently have that occurring with their remote parking lot, and this project is intending to try to eliminate that interaction.”

Commissioner Davin Lescohier brought up a hospital campus consolidation study undertaken in September 2021. It reported that Fort Memorial Hospital itself measures about 310,000 square feet, and logs 325 average daily patient visits. Outpatient services such as labwork, urgent care and ambulatory surgery account for about 275 patient visits and rehabilitation/physical therapy services account for the remaining 50. 

The report states that there are approximately 225 employees on-site during the peak shifts. The three clinics north of the hospital that might be relocated to the main campus have approximately 170 visitors per day. All of the services provided at these clinics are outpatient non-rehabilitation services. 

“There is a dizzying amount of data in there to try to pull together all of the different locations that we’re talking about and there’s no timing specific to when some of these things are,” Lescohier said, asking what projects are considered short term and what are long term.

“The difference between vacating a section of North Fourth and not vacating is 28 parking spots. So I guess I’d like to be convinced that everything has been done to accommodate an alternative plan or plans for 28 parking spots,” he said.

What would be the bare minimum of parking stalls needed for Fort HealthCare to undertake the project?, he asked.

The commission invited Fort HealthCare Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jim Nelson to address that question.

“Our previous discussions centered around our ability to render the remote parking lot unnecessary, which would potentially provide development of that area,” City Manager Rebecca Houseman LeMire pointed out while Nelson was walking to the podium.

Nelson, meanwhile, said that while the document indicates 28 stalls, a newer version shows Fort HealthCare actually will net 40 parking spots between the two different options.

“If the lot isn’t done, we’re estimating we’ll need another 40 spots,” he said. “One of our long-term goals is to eliminate that remote parking lot altogether, so if we’re not able to get that (expanded) lot, what we most likely will have to do is take the area that was formerly 426 McMillen St. and have it become our remote lot. So we would move the parking closer to the hospital, but not resolve the issue (of a split lot).

“One of our goals is trying to not have a street through the hospital campus,” Nelson said, citing pedestrian safety concerns.

He recalled that planning that dates back two decades designates potential hospital growth to the north, and in 2005, Fort HealthCare started the houses that direction. It has acquired about eight so far.

“So long story short, yes, we do need the additional parking in order to resolve all the parking for us …,” Nelson said.

He also said that while Fort HealthCare does not have plans for building additions in the future, the north area would be where they would be built if that were to change. That likely would require vacating North Fourth Street.

Nelson said that it no longer is financially feasible to relocate the hospital, which is why it abandoned plans to construct a future facility along Madison Avenue, west of the State Highway 26 bypass.

‘“It’s not really practical to build another hospital at a cost of a quarter of a billion dollars. It’s not feasible … plus we have a perfectly good facility here right now, so to abandon it would be foolhardy on our part,” Nelson said.

Lescohier asked how many off-site structures might be relocating to the hospital campus.

Nelson reported that details are still in the works, but Fort HealthCare eventually would like to move its services now offered at 512 Wilcox St. and Internal Medicine and Pediatrics to the main hospital campus. 

“Part of the parking feasibility study took that into account: to make sure that we have the parking for both staff and patients,” he said.

That, however, would be a longer-term effort requiring remodeling, he said. The original 1949 hospital building no longer meets code requirements for hospital services; however, clinic services would be allowed.

“The type of investment we’re looking at making is at least a 20-year investment, so getting in … and remodeling the building would be probably a $15 million or $20 million remodel of the 1949 building for clinic services,” Nelson explained.

He also mentioned that Fort HealthCare hopes to create opportunities for some high-density senior housing to the north if in the future and when the clinics move.

Lescohier asked if there were shorter-term needs.

“Everything I’ve described to you right now we need to happen so we can work on these other projects,” Nelson responded. “So we need to get the parking and all that in place before we starting moving those services back to the hospital campus.”

He said the goal is to have the new parking lot done by Thanksgiving.

Lescohier, however, was not swayed.

“As noted in our packet, over the years, there has been tremendous compromise, conflict and resolution in the hospital neighborhood and I’d like to think that there’s still some room for further compromise that may not require vacation of this street,” he said.

“I don’t know how we can accomplish the long-term goals … without vacating Fourth Street,” Nelson replied.

He said the hospital campus growth plan has been in the works for many years, and if the street is not vacated now, the issue will not go away.

“This has been part of what we have been working toward,” Nelson said. “We can (plan) for the short-term now and have a couple of parking lots in the area, only to come back and visit this topic again in a couple of years.”

Commissioner Jill Kessenich asked Nelson to clarify whether Fort HealthCare wants to expand parking into the Fourth Street area to allow for the consolidation of clinics.

“Yes, the parking study took into account consolidating those clinics into the hospital campus,” Nelson said.

Commissioner Eric Schultz asked about greenspace planned for the small southeast parking lot. Nelson said it is there because the city requires that 20% of the hospital’s campus be greenspace. 

“We were willing to sacrifice that parking lot,” he said, noting that it is small and difficult to maintain. 

Commissioner Loren Gray asked whether parking would be limited on the 300 block of McMillen Street if North fourth Street is vacated. Selle said there is no such plan right now, but that does not mean there could not be.

“I would assume that McMillen, in that block, is going to become a busier street if Fourth Street isn’t operating. Plus, it’s narrow now, much narrower than McMillen is in the 400 block,” Gray commented.

“I think (whether) regardless of the recommendation from this body is to proceed with the vacation or to deny it, it’s going to go to the city council and that body will repeat this process, regardless of where we’re at,” Lescohier said. “So I intend to vote against it only because I am not convinced that we have done, we’ve exhausted, everything to find 28 more spots.”

Kessenich echoed that sentiment.

“I guess I would agree with Davin,” she said, suggesting consideration of a pedestrian bridge over North Fourth Street or a parking structure.

Nelson said Fort HealthCare did look at building a parking structure, but the cost — at about $25,000 per space for construction — was prohibitive, not to mention maintenance.

LeMire made a motion to recommend that the city council approve vacating North Fourth Street between Armenia and McMillen streets. Schultz seconded it “so that this can move to a vote.”

The commission approved the motion 5-2, with Lescohier and Kessenich casting the “no” votes.

The public may send questions or comments on the street vacation program to Selle by email at aselle@fortatkinsonwi.gov; phone, 920-397-9901, or by letter, at 101 N. Main St., Fort Atkinson, WI, 53538.