Plan Commission approves AutoZone site plan, forwards related comp plan change to council

The Waupaca Plan Commission approved a site plan review for an AutoZone proposed at 702 West Fulton Street and 660 Hillcrest Drive and recommended Resolution 15-81 — a series of comprehensive plan updates affecting those parcels and others — to the City Council for adoption. Juliana, a city staff member, explained that one requested comp plan change would re-designate 660 Hillcrest Drive from neighborhood mixed use to community mixed use to align with adjacent properties on West Fulton Street and to accommodate a proposed AutoZone development. She said two parcels at 407 and 415 School Street would be relisted as civic and institutional to reflect the recreation center and its planned expansion, and three parcels east of Highway A and south of Highway 10 were being proposed for industrial land-use designation following a city feasibility study. The commission voted to forward Resolution 15-81 to the council; Commissioner Dana made the motion and Commissioner Angela Olson seconded it. The motion carried by voice vote. On the AutoZone site plan, Juliana said zoning-related questions and landscaping issues had been resolved and most outstanding staff comments had been addressed; a small number of public-works and technical items remained under review. She said the staff report includes conditions and that the commission added two additional conditions during discussion: that the DNR Notice of Intent permit be obtained as required, and that contractor documentation for a 15-foot retaining wall be provided before building permit issuance. Kimley Horn project manager Matt Schwartz said the design team had the site survey and understood existing utility easements. "We did design our site to avoid negatively impacting those easements," he said, noting one easement crosses the driveway and will remain accessible for the city’s water main. Commission and staff discussed access and parking. Schwartz said the plan proposes vehicle access from both West Fulton Street and Hillcrest Drive; Justin Behrens, identified in the meeting as the public works director, indicated city staff are comfortable with both entrances and do not anticipate conflicts with normal traffic. The applicant indicated the development shows roughly 32 customer stalls (staff referenced about 35 parking spaces in conversation) and estimated about 44 peak-hour trips during evening peak. Juliana said stormwater features on the site — a wet pond and biofiltration gardens — were designed to meet state stormwater requirements but that any changes required by DNR review would be resubmitted to the city. Staff also noted the certified survey map and the comprehensive plan/zoning updates must be completed as conditions of approval. A motion to approve the site plan, contingent on the listed conditions and the additional two items noted by staff, was made and seconded; the commission approved the site plan by voice vote. Decisions recorded: the commission forwarded Resolution 15-81 to the City Council for review and approval, and it approved the AutoZone site plan subject to conditions, including completion of comp plan/zoning updates, certified survey map approval, DNR permitting, and additional documentation for the retaining wall. Both items now move to administrative follow-up and, for the comp plan change, a council hearing.