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Plan Commission approves adaptive reuse at 322 Church Avenue to reestablish single‑family residence
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing an adaptive reuse converting an existing commercial building at 322 Church Avenue back to single‑family residential use, based on the building's history and minimal external changes.
The Oshkosh City Plan Commission voted 7–0 to approve a conditional use permit for adaptive reuse at 322 Church Avenue, permitting the conversion of an existing two‑story, early‑20th‑century building from commercial office use back to a single‑family residence.
Staff told the commission the building, constructed in 1913 and used as a single‑family home until 1974, has the infrastructure and parking to support the residential use and that the proposal includes no exterior changes to the building footprint. Assistant Community Development Director Sarah Rutkowski said staff revised its findings to include more site‑specific context to aid commission decisions.
Staff’s recommendation said the conversion would not create substantial or undue adverse impacts on nearby properties or on public services because the property has existing infrastructure and is surrounded by a mix of uses, including single‑family homes. The plan commission heard no public comments on the item.
Commissioners asked why the city was using an adaptive reuse conditional permit rather than rezoning the parcel. Staff explained rezoning would create an isolated “spot zoning” situation within an otherwise consistent urban mixed‑use (UMU) area, and adaptive reuse is the appropriate mechanism to reestablish a prior residential land use without changing the zoning map.
The commission adopted a motion to “adopt the findings and recommendations as stated in the staff report.” A roll‑call vote recorded seven ayes, no nays, and the motion carried 7–0.
The approval allows the applicant, owner Steven Lewis, to proceed with interior changes necessary to reestablish the single‑family residence without altering the building’s footprint or exterior.
