City of Onalaska, WI Division 5 District Specific Standards

13.02.51 R-3 Medium-Density Residential and R-4 High-Density Residential Districts.

A. Building height standards.

1. Upper stories stepback. (See Figure 13.02.51-1.)

a. A new building/addition that is more than one story taller than directly adjacent buildings (non-historically designated) shall incorporate a minimum eight-foot stepback for the stories that are more than one story above directly adjacent buildings.

B. Building facade standards.

1. Facade horizontal articulation/divisions. (See Figure 13.02.51-1.)

a. A building facade fronting on a public street, park, or plaza shall have a minimum of two architectural features for two-story structures. A horizontal architectural feature is composed of a decorative, three-dimensional, horizontal element that projects out or is recessed in from the exterior facade of a building at least two inches.

2. Facade vertical articulation/divisions. (See Figure 13.02.51-1.)

a. Any ground-story facade fronting on a public street, park, or plaza that exceeds 40 feet in width shall be visually divided into smaller sections through articulation of the facade, every 40 feet at a minimum. Articulation techniques include vertical recesses or projections of the building facade, window bays, balconies, and changes in exterior materials.

b. For upper stories, facade articulation shall occur for facades exceeding 80 feet in width on a public street, park, or plaza, every 80 feet at a minimum.

3. Facade transparency.

a. A residential building facade fronting on a public street, park, or plaza shall have a minimum transparency of 20%.

b. Side and rear facades, which are clearly visible from a public street, park, or plaza, shall have a minimum transparency of 12%, unless otherwise prohibited by Title 15, Building Code.

c. Blank wall areas fronting on a public street, park, or plaza shall not exceed a rectangular area greater than 30% of a story's facade, as measured from floor to floor, and shall not exceed a horizontal distance greater than 15 feet of a story's facade.

4. Building entries.

a. A prominent entry is required on any building facade fronting on a public street, park, or plaza.

C. Open space standard.

1. For the R-3 and R-4 Districts, common open space shall comprise a minimum of 25% of the gross land acres which includes setback areas and shall not include:

a. Street right-of-way;

b. Parking areas and driveways;

c. Building sites; and

d. Inaccessible stormwater ponds.

Figure 13.02.51-1 Residential Building Height and Facade Standards

13.02.52 R-MMH Manufactured and Mobile Home District.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to establish, operate, maintain or administer or permit to be established, operated or maintained upon any property owned, leased or controlled by them a manufactured or mobile home community within the City without a valid, unexpired mobile home park license as set forth Section 7.03.12. of the City of Onalaska Code of Ordinances.

B. It is the intent of this section to recognize mobile homes constructed prior to October 1, 1974, as distinct and different from units designated as mobile home within the definitions of this Title and to prohibit units not meeting the requirements for mobile homes as defined herein. Units constructed prior to 1974 are prohibited. A site plan permit may be obtained only after approval by the Plan Commission and Common Council.

C. In addition to the definitions in Chapter 06, definitions contained in § 66.0435, Wis. Stats., as may be amended, shall also be applicable.

D. No person shall park, locate or place any manufactured or mobile home outside of a licensed manufactured and mobile home district in the City of Onalaska, except unoccupied manufactured or mobile homes may be parked on the lawfully situated premises of a licensed manufactured or mobile home dealer for the purposes of sale display; the lawfully situated premises of a vehicle service business for purposes of servicing or making necessary repairs; the premises leased or owned by the owner of such manufactured or mobile home for purposes of sales display for a period not exceeding 120 days, provided no business is carried on therein, or in an accessory private garage, building or rear yard of the owner of such manufactured or mobile home, provided no business is carried on therein.

E. No person shall construct, alter, modify or extend any mobile home community or mobile home community building or facility within the limits of the City without first securing a site plan permit from the City.

F. Minimum dimensional requirements for a R-MMH District consists of the following:

1. Where a R-MMH District is to be established for the development of a manufactured or mobile home community, the minimum area shall be 15 acres.

2. The minimum number of manufactured or mobile home spaces completed and ready for occupancy before first occupancy is permitted shall be established as 25% of total spaces permitted on a zoned site.

3. The two limitations above shall not apply where expansion of an existing manufactured or mobile home district is concerned and where such expansion will not increase variation from requirements that apply to manufactured or mobile home districts, as set forth herein.

4. The maximum number of manufactured or mobile home spaces shall be 10 per acre and individual spaces shall not be less than 4,000 square feet in area and arranged to afford ample area for a variety of units.

5. The minimum dimensions of a manufactured or mobile home space shall be 40 feet wide by 100 feet long, and no manufactured or mobile home shall cover more than 25% of the space. Accessory structures, such as awnings, cabanas, storage cabinets, carports, garages, windbreaks or attached porches, shall be considered part of the manufactured or mobile home unit for purposes of determining compliance with this provision.

6. A minimum setback of 25 feet from all public rights-of-way and 10 feet from any park drive or common area, including common parking areas for newly established districts.

7. Minimum side and rear lot setbacks of 10 feet, 15 feet from any other unit.

G. In manufactured or mobile home districts, recreational vehicles shall not be occupied as living quarters and sales lots shall not be permitted, but dwellings may be sold on spaces they occupy in residential use.

H. No manufactured or mobile home space shall be rented for a period of less than 30 days.

I. State Uniform Dwelling Code § SPS 321.40 and Ch. SPS 326 and the State Electrical Code Ch. SPS 316, as may be amended, are hereby made a part of this section and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth, except that such regulations shall not be deemed to modify any requirement of this section or any other applicable law or ordinance of the state or City.

J. All drives, parking areas and walkways shall be of hard-surfaced material [bituminous concrete or similar material capable of carrying a wheel load of 4,000 pounds] and there shall be two such surfaced automobile parking spaces for each manufactured or mobile home space.

K. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of every manufactured or mobile home district shall be paved or covered with stone screenings or other solid material or protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion and eliminating objectionable dust.

L. All manufactured or mobile home districts shall have a greenbelt or buffer strip not less than 10 feet wide along all boundaries. Unless adequately screened by existing vegetative cover, all manufactured and mobile home districts shall be screened by a vegetative buffer in the form of evergreens and/or deciduous plantings so arranged that within 10 years they will have formed a screen equivalent in opacity to a solid fence or wall, except where the adjoining property is also a manufactured or mobile home district. Compliance with this requirement shall be made prior to granting occupancy permits. Permanent plantings shall be grown and maintained at a height of not less than 15 feet.

M. Single-family nondependent manufactured or mobile homes and approved accessory structures included in the original plans and specifications or revisions thereof, parks, playgrounds, open space, off street parking lots, one park office and service and/or storage buildings for exclusive use of residents shall be the only permitted uses in manufactured or mobile home districts, provided the Common Council may approve the following uses when designed and limited to exclusive use of residents:

1. Laundromats;

2. Clubhouses and facilities for private, social or recreation clubs; and

3. Swimming pools.

N. Park occupants shall be responsible for proper placement of their manufactured or mobile homes on its space and proper installation of all utility connections in accordance with the instructions of the park management.

O. New manufactured or mobile homes constructed after April 1, 2007 shall adhere to the Manufactured Home Installation Manual in accordance with Ch. SPS 321, Wis. Adm. Code, as may be amended, provided by the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.

P. Inspection Department. No person shall construct, alter or add to any structure, attachment or building in a manufactured or mobile home district or on a manufactured or mobile home space without a permit from the Inspection Department. Construction on, or addition or alteration to the exterior of a manufactured or mobile home, shall be of the same type of construction and materials as the mobile home affected. This subsection shall not apply to addition of awnings, antennas or skirting to mobile homes.

Q. Common recreational facilities.

1. In all manufactured or mobile home districts, there shall be one or more recreation areas easily accessible to all residents.

2. No less than 10% of the total area of any manufactured or mobile home district established under these regulations shall be devoted to common recreational areas and facilities, such as playgrounds, swimming pools, community buildings, ways for pedestrians and cyclists away from streets and play areas for small children for other recreational areas in block interiors. At least one principal recreation and community center shall contain not less than 5% of the total area of the district. No single recreation area shall contain less than 2,500 square feet unless each manufactured or mobile home space is provided with contiguous common recreational area not less than 20 feet wide at the narrowest dimension.

3. To be countable as common recreational area, interior blockways for pedestrians or cyclists shall form part of a system leading to principal destinations. Such ways may also be used for installations of utilities.

4. Common recreational area shall not include streets or parking areas, shall be closed to automotive traffic except for maintenance and service vehicles, and shall be improved and maintained for the uses intended.

5. Recreation areas shall be so located as to be free of traffic hazards and convenient to mobile home spaces that they serve.

R. Exterior yards for manufactured or mobile home districts; minimum requirements; occupancy. The following requirements and limitations shall apply to yards at the outer edges of mobile home districts:

1. Along public streets. Where R-MMH Districts adjoin public streets along exterior boundaries, a yard at least 25 feet in minimum dimensions shall be provided adjacent to such streets. Such yard may be used to satisfy open space depth requirements for individual dwellings but shall not contain carports, recreational shelters, storage structures or any other structures generally prohibited in yards adjacent to streets in residential districts. No direct vehicular access to individual lots shall be permitted through such yards, and no group parking facilities or active recreation areas shall be allowed therein.

2. At edges of R-MMH Districts (other than at streets or alleys). Where R-MMH Districts are so located that one or more boundaries are at the edges of R-MMH Districts and adjoining neighboring districts without an intervening street, alley or other permanent open space at least 20 feet in width, an exterior yard at least 20 feet in minimum dimension shall be provided. Where the adjoining district is residential, the same limitations on occupancy and use of such yards shall apply as stated above concerning yards along public streets. Where the adjoining district is nonresidential, such yards may be used for group or individual parking, active recreation facilities or carports, recreational shelters or storage structures.

13.02.53 MC Medical Campus District.

A. District intent.

1. Encourage the development of medically related uses which, by their interrelationship, benefit by proximity;

2. Provide an appropriate and healing setting for delivering high quality health care services;

3. Encourage the preparation of campus master plans that enable adjacent neighborhoods and the broader community to understand the levels of development being proposed, their likely impacts, and appropriate mitigation measures;

4. Create well-designed development with a unified feel while providing flexibility in placement and clustering of buildings, use of open space, provision for pedestrian and traffic circulation, parking, transit facilities and related site design and safety considerations; and

5. Ensure future capacity for the placement of medical facilities to meet the evolving health care needs of the City and region.

B. Preexisting standards.

1. Any development, lot of record, or structure legally operated prior to February 11, 2020, shall be considered a permitted use and legally conforming within the MC District. Any redevelopment or addition to a development, lot of record or structure shall be required to conform to the forms and functions and development standards found within the MC District. Any change in form or function shall conform to permitted and permitted with standards form and function standards as described in the MC District.

C. Architectural review.

1. Architectural review shall be in conformance with the requirements of this subsection and the following standards, and will follow site plan permit procedures in Section 13.05.21.

a. The intent of the architectural review is to ensure that architectural features and building designs contribute to a cohesive image and identity for the MC District.

b. Exterior materials, colors, accents, styles and rooflines shall be compatible with the purpose and intent of this district.

c. All exterior building and accent materials shall be of a color(s) compatible with other buildings within the district and have comparable color intensity/value. Acceptable colors consist of neutral earth-tone colors such as brown, gray, tan, umber, mahogany, terra cotta, forest green, burgundy or dark blue. Glass, brick or decorative stone or high-quality architectural concrete panels for exterior building materials shall be required.

d. To prevent long, monotonous, uninterrupted walls; recesses, projections, columns, offsets, or change in building wall plan or material and/or color shall be required, at a minimum, every 75 feet of wall length. Projections, recesses and decorative columns shall be a minimum of one foot wide and one foot deep.

e. To prevent, long monotonous, uninterrupted pitched roof planes; dormers, gables or roof offsets shall be required, at a minimum, every 75 feet of pitched roof length.

D. Site design elements.

1. Landscaping, lighting, and other site design elements shall be in conformance with the requirements of this section and shall contribute to a cohesive image and identity for the MC District. Internal and external sidewalks and/or trail connections shall be provided for safe and convenient pedestrian movements. Provision for existing or future transit service shall be provided where appropriate.

a. Distance between buildings. Minimum distance between buildings is 20 feet.

b. Building height. Buildings in excess of the district's maximum height limitation may be allowed, provided that setback requirements from shared parcel boundaries shall be increased by at least one foot for each additional five feet of building height above the maximum building height allowed by this district, with recommended vegetated or nonvegetated screening. Maximum building height cannot exceed the AOZD height limitations.

c. Screening and fencing. Screening via berms and landscaping is required for any side yard or rear yard immediately adjacent to a residential district. A landscaped buffer zone of not less than 20 feet wide and five feet in height at the time of installation shall be established and maintained, consisting of evergreens, shrubs, or other screening vegetation. Other nonvegetated screening may also be required. Nonvegetative screening to comply with screen and buffer standards set forth in Chapter 03, Division 5.

d. Environmental design. Development within the MC District shall be designed to preserve existing vegetation and topography where practical and shall be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Onalaska Comprehensive Plan and La Crosse County Sanitary Sewer Agreement.

e. Parking. Off-street parking for separate uses may be provided collectively if the total number of spaces is not less than the sum of the separate requirements for each such use unless a reduction in required parking is allowed as part of the Campus Master Plan. See Section 13.03.21 for parking requirements.

f. Streets, utilities and drainage. All publicly dedicated streets, utilities and stormwater facilities shall be designed in accordance with City ordinances, policies and standards. The City may consider flexible standards during site plan review for streets if the developer has demonstrated that the proposed design and layout warrants varying standards and the design meets the provisions of this section.

g. Open space. Overall site to provide a minimum of 10% open space which may include courtyards, grassed areas, pedestrianways, accessible stormwater ponds, etc.

h. Landscaping. Refer to Section 13.03.31. Recommended additional landscaping along pedestrianways.

i. Accessory building. No accessory buildings shall exceed the height, floor space or footprint of a principal building or exceed 40 feet in height.

j. Outdoor display, sales area or tent. No outdoor display, sales area or tent shall be allowed per Section 13.02.68, Subsections M and N.

k. Outdoor storage. All outdoor storage is subject to the standards in Section 13.03.52A.2.

l. Refuse and recycling. All waste material, refuse, garbage or recycling shall be kept indoors, or if kept outdoors will be subject to Chapter 03, Division 1.

m. Other requirements. The Plan Commission and Common Council may apply additional requirements as necessary to implement the purpose of this district and the Comprehensive Plan.

13.02.54 MU-C Mixed-Use Community and MU-N Mixed-Use Neighborhood Districts.

A. Building siting standards.

1. Building street frontage. (See Figure 13.02.54-1.)

a. In the MU-C District, the minimum percentage of the street frontage for each lot that must be occupied by a building facade, as measured at the required maximum front yard setback, shall be 75%. This standard applies to the front property line street frontage and, for a corner lot, one exterior side property line frontage. Recesses in a building facade do not qualify as meeting the minimum building street frontage standard. In the MU-N District, the minimum building street frontage for each lot shall be 60%.

b. The portion of a lot's front property line that does not have a building facade located at the maximum front yard setback, up to 25% of the lot's front property line in the MU-C District and up to 40% in the MU-N District, shall be designed and used for outdoor seating or dining, building entries, landscaping, pedestrian pathways, driveways, or parking areas.

Figure 13.02.54-1 MU-C and MU-N Building Street Frontage

2. Off-street parking location.

a. Off-street surface parking shall not be allowed between a building and a sidewalk.

b. Parking area entrances and exits shall be located on secondary streets or alleys where possible.

c. The number of driveways shall be limited in order to maximize the amount of on-street parking spaces.

d. A parking structure shall meet all building siting, height, and facade standards.

B. Building height standards.

1. Building height.

a. A new nonresidential building/addition shall have a minimum building facade height of 1.5 stories and a new mixed-use or residential building/addition shall have a minimum building height of two stories.

b. A new building/addition that is more than one story taller than directly adjacent buildings (non-historically designated) shall incorporate a minimum eight-foot stepback for the stories that are more than one story above directly adjacent buildings.

2. Story height.

a. The ground story of a new building/addition shall have a minimum interior clear (floor to ceiling) height of 12 feet.

b. Minimum interior clear height for upper stories shall be nine feet.

C. Building facade standards. (See Figure 13.02.54-2.)

1. Horizontal facade articulation/divisions.

a. A building facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley shall have a minimum of two architectural features for two-story structures. A horizontal architectural feature is composed of a decorative, three-dimensional, horizontal element that projects out or is recessed in from the exterior facade of a building at least two inches.

b. A nonresidential or mixed-use building facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley shall have a flat or low-slope roof with a parapet or cornice cap. A residential building is allowed to have either a pitched roof typical of residential buildings or a roof form that complements existing roof forms in the MU-C District.

2. Vertical facade articulation/divisions.

a. Any ground-story facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley that exceeds 40 feet in width shall be visually divided into smaller sections through articulation of the facade, every 40 feet at a minimum. Articulation techniques include vertical recesses or projections of the building facade, window bays, balconies, and changes in exterior materials.

b. For upper stories, facade articulation shall occur for facades exceeding 80 feet in width on a public street, park, or plaza, every 80 feet at a minimum.

Figure 13.02.54-2 MU-C and MU-N Building Facade Standards

3. Facade transparency. (See Figure 13.02.54-3.)

a. A ground-story facade of a nonresidential or mixed-use building fronting on a public street, park, or plaza shall have a minimum transparency of 60%; residential buildings shall have a minimum of 20%.

b. Upper-story facades fronting on a public street, park, or plaza shall have a minimum transparency of 20%.

c. Side and rear facades, which are clearly visible from a public street, park, plaza or downtown alley, shall have a minimum transparency of 12% unless otherwise prohibited by Title 15, Building Code.

d. Tinted or reflective glass is prohibited for windows and doors on ground story facades fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley. Non-tinted, clear low-E window coatings are permitted. Glass block is prohibited on all facades, ground and upper stories, fronting on a public street, park, or plaza.

e. Blank wall areas fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley shall not exceed a rectangular area greater than 30% of a story's facade, as measured from floor to floor, and shall not exceed a horizontal distance greater than 15 feet of a story's facade.

Figure 13.02.54-3 MU-C and MU-N Facade Transparency

D. Facade materials.

1. In the MU-C District, dominant materials, constituting a minimum 75% of a facade (excluding glass windows), fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley, shall consist of higher quality, more durable materials characteristic of traditional downtown buildings, including masonry (clay or concrete brick, natural or textured cast concrete stone). Other modern materials will be considered by the City if they provide similar visual character, color, and quality to that of traditional downtown building materials.

2. In the MU-C District, prohibited materials on a facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley are lower quality, less durable finish materials that do not complement materials characteristic of traditional downtown buildings, including nontextured cast concrete, cement-based stucco, synthetic stucco or EIFS (below the third story), glass block, vinyl, aluminum, and other materials resulting in similar visual character. These materials may be used on rear and side building facades.

3. In the MU-C District, accent materials, constituting a maximum 25% of a facade (excluding glass windows), allowed on a facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley may include dominant facade materials, as well as glass, architectural or decorative metal, architectural exposed concrete panels, decorative tile, and stucco/EIFS (above the second story).

4. The facade materials standards above shall apply to all facades of buildings for stories above the second story, which are clearly visible from a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley.

E. Building entries.

1. A prominent entry is required on any building facade fronting on a public street, park, plaza, or downtown alley.

F. Additional standards.

[Amended 7-12-2022 by Ord. No. 1736-2022]

1. Open space standard. See Section 13.02.51.C for minimum open space requirements if proposed development will only include residential uses.

2. Site and lot dimension standards for residential uses. See Tables 13.02.24-1 and 13.02.25-1 for minimum lot dimensions and site dimensions if proposed development will only include residential uses. The Zoning Administrator shall determine which residential zoning district standards are appropriate based upon the proposed development.

13.02.55 A-1 Agricultural District.

A. Farm dwellings for those resident owners and laborers actually engaged in the permitted uses are accessory uses and shall comply with all of the provisions of the R-2 Low-Medium Residential District.