Commission approves conditional use for Oscar Rental at 5955 Green Bay Road with parking conditions

The Kenosha City Planning Commission on Thursday approved a conditional-use permit for a vehicle rental facility at 5955 Green Bay Road (Oscar Rental), subject to the conditions the commission established at prior hearings and those in the staff memo.

Why it matters: The decision allows the proposed rental facility to proceed with final occupancy contingent on meeting the city—s parking-lot and site standards, including a parking plan for the entire site and routing to the fire department for emergency-access review.

At the meeting Jack Rose, a resident representing District 15, asked where the rental facility—s employees would park and raised concerns about parallel parking along the south side of the building. Bill Morris, the architect for the property owner (identified on the record as Mr. Atau), told the commission the site is tight and that the owner and tenant (Oscar Rental) are working on a plan. Morris asked the commission to defer final action until staff-level department review was complete so the applicant could respond to any department comments; staff said the engineered parking plan had been submitted and that departmental review (including routing to the fire department) would occur whether the commission approved the item at that meeting or deferred it.

Planning staff recommended approval with the previously agreed conditions. Staff said the parking plan must comply with city code (including maintaining two-way aisles typically at 24 feet) and that the final site plan might require the elimination of a few spaces to allow safe two-way vehicle movement and emergency access. Commissioners discussed whether to defer the item to give departments more time to comment; after discussion the applicant withdrew the deferral request and the commission approved the conditions as presented.

A public commenter (name recorded as Camacho) said the financial burden of meeting all staff-requested improvements could be onerous for a tenant without an ownership stake in the property. Commissioners suggested the property owner could negotiate cost-sharing with the tenant for required improvements.

The motion to approve the conditional-use permit and conditions passed on roll call. Commissioners recorded aye votes in the public roll call; the mover and seconder were not recorded on the transcript.

What remains: The applicant must submit a parking plan that meets the city—s parking-lot code and satisfy any departmental comments before final occupancy is granted. If the plan requires the removal of some spaces to maintain aisle widths, the applicant must comply before the city issues final occupancy.