Plan Commission advances text amendment to allow additional nonresidential access points with director review

The Village of East Troy Plan Commission on March 10 directed staff to prepare ordinance language and a public hearing to amend village code so that, upon petition and for good cause, the Plan Commission may allow additional access points for nonresidential uses on a street frontage.

Planning staff presented proposed text to add at the end of the existing access standards (cited as Section 5-10-91). The provision would permit the commission to approve extra access points where the commission finds they are warranted given the context of a particular property. The draft text explicitly retains that access approvals require review by the Director of Public Works so applicants must still address jurisdictional or county/state roadway approval where applicable.

Commissioners discussed whether traffic control measures (stop signs, turn lanes) should be explicitly required in the text; staff replied that the Director of Public Works review provides the opportunity to require traffic control or refer issues to the appropriate village committee.

The commission voted to send the language to ordinance form and schedule a public hearing for April. The motion carried on a voice vote; individual roll-call votes were not recorded.

Next steps: staff will prepare ordinance language and materials for the April meeting and publish the required notice for a public hearing. The Director of Public Works will remain the point of contact for jurisdictional questions and traffic-control recommendations.

Ending: commissioners said the change is intended to give flexibility for institutional and industrial properties that may need more than two access points, while preserving public works review.