Plan commission adopts Unified Development Code changes to PUD overlay and downtown PUD sections
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Summary
The commission unanimously approved UDC text amendments (sections 13.02.032 and 13.02.034) to clarify PUD review criteria, reduce duplicative language, and change how common open space is treated; commissioners discussed whether language about considering traffic calming should be clarified rather than removed.
The Onalaska Plan Commission on Aug. 26 voted unanimously to approve amendments to the Unified Development Code (UDC) sections 13.02.032 and 13.02.034 that govern planned unit development overlay districts and the downtown planned unit development overlay district.
City planner Katie Aspenson said staff reviewed recurring PUD and PCID requests since the UDC's 2020 adoption and proposed code edits to reduce duplication, improve clarity and move review items (such as setbacks and height deviations) to a single location in the code. Aspenson said the change is intended to make the application process clearer and reduce repetitive language in staff reports.
The changes also address a commonly requested deviation: common open space. Aspenson said the city has routinely allowed less than the minimum common open space for commercial or industrial properties where typical park-style open space is not appropriate, and the proposed amendment is intended to better reflect that practice while preserving open-space requirements for residential developments.
Commissioner Eric Archer commended staff for implementing the Livana 2040 comprehensive plan through code updates, then asked specifically why contract language that required traffic calming design to be "considered" was being removed. Archer said removing a directive to consider traffic calming could reduce a safety prompt in review documents. "Traffic calming design, as I understand, is meant to help slow and regulate traffic within an area. So from a safety perspective, my question would be, is why would we take the requirement to think about safety out?" Archer asked.
Several commissioners and staff responded that traffic calming and street-design considerations are already reviewed through other submittals, such as preliminary plat and subdivision review, and that the phrase in the PUD section was vague. Commissioner Jared Holter said staff already examines such items during site-plan reviews and that leaving or removing the sentence did not materially change practice. Aspenson added that few PUDs in recent years have included street-calming requests and that the city addresses those issues through existing standards.
Jared Holter moved to approve the amendments; Jim Benash seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
The amendments clarify that properties larger than one acre may apply for a PUD (with up to five deviations allowed for the life of the development), require deviations to be listed in conditions of approval, and note that PUD deviations are recorded so future buyers are aware of them. Staff provided a redline version of proposed language in the commission packet. The amendment packet and recording practices were described but the meeting did not provide specific implementation dates.