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Oshkosh Plan Commission approves bronze pig statue and fountain in State Street right-of-way
Summary
The Oshkosh Plan Commission approved a privilege-in-the-street request to install a bronze pig statue with a fountain at 224 State Street, permitting an encroachment in the public sidewalk with conditions and coordination with Public Works; the vote was unanimous.
The Oshkosh Plan Commission unanimously approved a privilege-in-the-street request to install a bronze pig statue and fountain in the sidewalk adjacent to 224 State Street, adopting staff findings and conditions by a 7-0 roll call vote.
Staff said the applicant, Team SNW LLC, proposes to install the statue and associated utilities within the State Street right-of-way east of State Street between Wagyu Avenue and Otter Avenue; staff recommended approval with standard privilege-in-the-street conditions and coordination with the Department of Public Works.
According to the staff presentation, the statue will sit on a base that projects from the building facade and will leave approximately 5 feet of clear walkway north of the statue and roughly 1 foot between the base and the street at the sidewalk level to preserve an ADA-compliant path to the restaurant entrance. Staff noted there are no conflicts with city utilities that cannot be addressed through conditions in the staff report.
Applicant Kelsey Lally described the installation as “an exact replica of Il Porcelino Tartufo, which is the bronze pig of Florence,” and said the base will be concrete block wrapped in limestone to match the building facade. Lally said the fountain requires underground electrical work running from the building to the statue.
Commissioners asked technical questions about the statue’s projection from the building, sidewalk widths and ADA clearances, and whether vehicle doors could open alongside the base; the applicant said there is about 18 inches of space from the west side of the base to the street to allow car doors to open. Public Works staff noted typical Main Street sidewalks are about 7 feet wide and confirmed the proposed configuration would leave a 5-foot public sidewalk adjacent to the statue.
Commissioners also discussed insurance and additional protections in the conditions; staff explained the privilege is elevated over an ordinary encroachment because the installation includes private underground electrical for a fountain, which triggers more stringent review.
The motion to adopt the staff findings and recommendations carried 7-0. The commission directed that final installation coordinate with the Department of Public Works and comply with the conditions in the staff report before work proceeds.
