Plan Commission OKs 1-year extension for conditional use permit at 3 Elliot Street

The Janesville Plan Commission on Feb. 17 authorized a one-year extension of a conditional use permit (CUP) for conversion of the single-family home at 3 Elliot Street into a two-family dwelling.

The extension was approved on a voice vote, 5 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 absence, after staff told the commission the new owner is working with a designer and building-division staff expect permit review to follow. "They thought there were certain work that they could do before they got their permits," Vicky Miller, Development Services Manager, told the commission, describing why a stop-work order had been issued earlier.

Miller said the property is on the corner of Boyd Avenue and Elliot Street, with one unit facing each street, and that the current owner purchased the property in December. Building-division staff determined some work had proceeded without required permits and issued a stop-work order; the owner then engaged Angus Young Associates to prepare final plans. "They are engaged with a designer, a local architectural firm here and have made progress in terms of moving in that direction," Miller said.

Colin Rakowski, who identified himself as representing the owner, told the commission his team has experience with residential renovation projects and that a nine-to-12-month extension would be realistic. "Nine-twelve is what I understand with optimism of little under that 9-month mark even, but, conservatively, wondering if up to that 12-month period were possible," Rakowski said.

Commission discussion focused on whether the extension request met the ordinance’s one-year filing requirement after the commission’s original approval. Staff advised the zoning ordinance allows the permit holder to request a one-year extension and that requests are evaluated on their merits. Commissioner Madair moved to authorize a one-year extension; Commissioner Jackson seconded. The commission conducted a voice vote. The clerk recorded: Commissioner Bowerman absent; Commissioner Madair, yes; Commissioner Dangara, yes; Commissioner Jackson, yes; Commissioner Bosco, yes; Commissioner Williams, no; Commissioner Mark Lane, yes. The motion carried.

The extension preserves the CUP while the new owner completes and submits revised building plans for review. Staff said the extension would allow the owner time to submit plans and for the building division to complete plan review and issue permits. No new or changed terms of the original CUP were adopted at the meeting.

The commission recorded the motion as: "Authorize a 1 year extension of the conditional use permit to establish a second dwelling unit within the existing single-family home at 3 Elliot Street." Staff will continue plan and permit review; if proposed construction substantially deviates from the approved CUP, staff said it would return to the commission for review.

No fines, bonds, or financial guarantees were discussed at the meeting. The new owner's plan submittal schedule and any inspections required to lift the stop-work order were not specified at the meeting.

Votes at a glance: Motion to authorize a one-year extension of the conditional use permit for 3 Elliot Street — approved by voice vote, 5 yes, 1 no, 1 absent.

What happens next: The building division will review the revised plans submitted by the owner’s designer and proceed with permitting if the plans conform to code and to the CUP terms. If staff determines the submitted plans substantially deviate from the previously approved CUP, the matter will return to the Plan Commission for additional review.