The development and execution of this chapter is based upon
the division of the City into districts, within which districts the
use of land and buildings, and bulk and location of buildings and
structures in relation to the land, are mutually compatible and substantially
uniform. However, there are certain uses which, because of their unique
characteristics, cannot be properly classified as unrestricted permitted
uses in any particular district or districts without consideration,
in each case, of the impact of those uses upon neighboring land or
public facilities and of the public need for the particular use of
a particular location. Such uses, nevertheless, may be necessary or
desirable to be allowed in a particular district provided that due
consideration is give to location, development and operation of such
uses. Such uses are classified as conditional uses.
Any person, firm, corporation or organization having a freehold
interest or a possessory interest entitled to exclusive possession,
or a contractual interest, and which is specifically enforceable in
the land for which a conditional use is sought may file an application
to use such land for one or more of the conditional uses in the zoning
district in which such land is located.
All requests for conditional uses shall be to the Planning Commission or the Council can, on its own motion, apply conditional uses when applications for rezoning come before it. Upon receipt of the application and statement referred to in §
450-31 above, the Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing on each application for a conditional use at such time and place as shall be established by such Commission. The hearing shall be conducted and a record of the proceedings shall be preserved in such a manner and according to such procedures as the Planning Commission shall, by rule, prescribe from time to time.
Notice of the time, place and purpose of such hearing shall
be given by publication of a Class 2 notice under the Wisconsin Statutes
in the official City newspaper. Notice of the time, place and purpose
of such public hearing shall also be sent to the applicant, the Zoning
Administrator, members of the Planning Commission and the Common Council
and the owners of record as listed in the office of the City Assessor
who are owners of property in whole or in part situated within 100
feet of the boundaries of the properties affected, said notice to
be sent at least 14 days prior to the date of such public hearing.
Failure to comply with this provision shall not, however, invalidate
any previous or subsequent action on the application. The Planning
Commission shall report its action to the Common Council within 45
days after a matter has been referred to it, after which the Common
Council shall take formal action.
When a decision of denial of a conditional use application is
made, the Common Council shall furnish the applicant, in writing when
so requested, those standards that are not met and enumerate reasons
the Council has used in determining that each standard was not met.
Any action of the Common Council in granting or denying a conditional
use permit may be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals, if a written
request for an appeal is filed within 30 days after the date of the
Council's action in granting or denying the permit. Such request
for appeal shall be signed by the applicant or by the owners of at
least 20% of the land area immediately adjacent extending 100 feet
therefrom or by the owners of 20% or more of the land directly opposite
thereto extending 100 feet from the street frontage of such opposite
land. The request shall be filed with the Zoning Administrator who
shall submit it to the Zoning Board of Appeals, at its next meeting,
together with any documents and other data used by the Council in
reaching its decision. The Zoning Board of Appeals may consider the
matter forthwith, refer the matter to a subsequent meeting or set
a date for a public hearing thereon. In the event the Zoning Board
of Appeals elects to hold a public hearing, notice thereof shall be
given by mail to the known owners of the lands immediately adjacent
thereto and directly opposite any street frontage of the lot or parcel
in question and by publication of a Class 1 notice in the official
newspaper at least 10 days before the date of the hearing. The Zoning
Board of Appeals may either affirm or reverse, by a two-thirds vote,
in whole or in part, the action of the Common Council and may finally
grant or deny the application for a conditional use permit.
The following provisions shall apply to all conditional uses:
A. Conditions. Prior to the granting of any conditional use, the Planning Commission may recommend and the Common Council may stipulate such conditions and restrictions upon the establishment, location, construction, maintenance and operation of the conditional use as deemed necessary to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the community and to secure compliance with the standards and requirements specified in §
450-34 above. In all cases in which conditional uses are granted, the Common Council shall require such evidence and guarantees as it may deem necessary as proof that the conditions stipulated in connection therewith are being and will be complied with. Such conditions may include specification for, without limitation because of specific enumeration:
(3) Construction commencement and completion dates;
(14)
Specified sewage disposal and water supply systems;
(18)
Any other requirement necessary to fulfill the purpose and intent
of this chapter.
B. Site review. In making its decision, the Planning Commission and
the Common Council shall evaluate each application and may request
assistance from any source which can provide technical assistance.
The Planning Commission and the Common Council may review the site,
existing and proposed structures, architectural plans, neighboring
uses, parking area, driveway locations, highway access, traffic generation
and circulation, drainage, sewerage and water systems and the proposed
operation/use.
C. Alteration of conditional use. No alteration of a conditional use
shall be permitted unless approved by the Common Council.
D. Architectural treatment. Proposed architectural treatment will be
in general harmony with surrounding uses and the landscape. To this
end, the Common Council may require the use of certain general types
of exterior construction materials and/or architectural treatment.
E. Sloped sites; unsuitable soils. Where slopes exceed 6% and/or where
a use is proposed to be located on areas indicated as having soils
which are unsuitable or marginal for development, on-site soil tests
and/or construction plans shall be provided which clearly indicate
that the soil conditions are adequate to accommodate the development
contemplated and/or that any inherent soil condition or slope problems
will be overcome by special construction techniques. Such special
construction might include, among other techniques, terracing, retaining
walls, oversized foundations and footings, drain tile, etc.
F. Conditional uses to comply with other requirements. Conditional uses
shall comply with all other provisions of this chapter, such as lot
width and area, yards, height, parking and loading. No conditional
use permit shall be granted where the proposed use is deemed to be
inconsistent or conflicting with neighboring uses for reasons of smoke,
dust, odors, noise, vibration, lighting, health hazards or possibility
of accident.
Where the Common Council has approved or conditionally approved
an application for a conditional use, such approval shall become null
and void within 12 months of the date of the Common Council's
action unless the use is commenced, construction is underway or the
current owner possesses a valid building permit under which construction
is commenced within six months of the date of issuance and which shall
not be renewed unless construction has commenced and is being diligently
prosecuted. Approximately 45 days prior to the automatic revocation
of such permit, the Zoning Administrator shall notify the holder by
certified mail of such revocation. The Common Council may extend such
permit for a period of 90 days for justifiable cause, if application
is made to the City at least 30 days before the expiration of said
permit.
The Common Council shall retain continuing jurisdiction over all conditional uses for the purpose of resolving complaints against all previously approved conditional uses. Such authority shall be in addition to the enforcement authority of the Zoning Administrator to order the removal or discontinuance of any unauthorized alterations of an approved conditional use and the elimination, removal or discontinuance of any violation of a condition imposed prior to or after approval or violation of any other provision of this Code. Upon written complaint by any citizen or official, the Common Council shall initially determine whether said complaint indicates a reasonable probability that the subject conditional use is in violation of either one or more of the standards set forth in §
450-34 above, a condition of approval or other requirement imposed hereunder. Upon reaching a positive initial determination, a hearing shall be held upon notice as provided in §
450-33 above. Any person may appear at such hearing and testify in person or represented by an agent or attorney. The Common Council may, in order to bring the subject conditional use into compliance with the standards set forth in §
450-34 or conditions previously imposed by the Common Council, modify existing conditions upon such use and impose additional reasonable conditions upon the subject conditional use as provided in §
450-37. Additionally, the offending party may be subjected to a forfeiture as set forth in this chapter and §
1-4 of this Code. In the event that no reasonable modification of such conditional use can be made in order to assure that Subsection
A(1) and
(2) in §
450-34 will be met, the Common Council may revoke the subject conditional approval and direct the Zoning Administrator and the City Attorney to seek elimination of the subject use. Following any such hearing, the decision of the Common Council shall be furnished to the current owner of the conditional use in writing stating the reasons therefor. An appeal from a decision of the Common Council under this section may be taken to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
[Added 8-17-2015 by Ord.
No. 2015-01]
A. Intent.
The intent of this section is to provide a means to accommodate a
small family home-based business or professional home office as a
conditional use without the necessity of a rezone into a commercial
district. Approval of an expansion of a limited family business or
home occupation at a future time beyond the limitations of this section
is not to be anticipated; relocation of the business to an area that
is appropriately zoned may be necessary.
B. Restrictions on home occupations. Except as provided in Subsection
C below, occupations are a conditional use in all residential districts and are subject to the requirements of the district in which the use is located, in addition to the following:
(1) The
home occupation shall be conducted only within the enclosed area of
the dwelling unit, garage, barn, pole building or shed.
(2) There
shall be no exterior alterations which change the character thereof
as a dwelling and/or exterior evidence of the home occupation other
than those signs permitted in the district.
(3) No
storage or display of materials, goods, supplies or equipment related
to the operation of the home occupation shall be visible outside any
structure located on the premises.
(4) No
use shall create smoke, odor, glare, noise, dust, vibration, fire
hazard, small electrical interference or any other nuisance not normally
associated with the average residential use in the district.
(5) Only
one sign may be used to indicate the type of occupation or business.
Such sign shall not be illuminated and shall comply with the district
sign regulations.
(6) The
use shall not involve the use of commercial vehicles for more than
occasional delivery of materials to or from the premises.
(7) The
Common Council may determine the percentage of the property that may
be devoted to the occupation but it shall not exceed 30% (defined
by a combination of total floor space and/or amount of time this space
is used for the home occupation).
(8) The
constant and continuous sale of items or products on the premises
is prohibited.
(9) The
types and number of equipment or machinery may be restricted by the
Common Council.
(10) Sale or transfer of the property shall cause the conditional use
permit to be null and void.
(11) Under no circumstances shall a vehicle repair or body work business
qualify as a home occupation.
C. Permitted use exception. A home occupation under this section may be maintained in any residential district as a permitted use, as opposed to a conditional use, if the standards of Subsection
B above are complied with and no sign is erected or maintained regarding the home occupation, no more than one family member works on the premises, no customers regularly come to the house, and the business is service-oriented and not engaged in retail trade and the City has been notified of its presence.