Janesville plan commission approves Abitec expansion at 1530 S. Jackson St.

The Janesville Plan Commission on May 5 approved a conditional use permit amendment allowing Abitec Corporation to construct a 1,900-square-foot exterior addition to its existing chemical-manufacturing facility at 1530 South Jackson Street.

The amendment, approved unanimously by roll call vote, authorizes a shell addition atop an existing 26,000-square-foot production and distribution building on a roughly 5.25-acre site and includes a proposed exterior finished primarily in metal siding and new landscaping. City staff recommended approval subject to the conditions listed in the Planning Division memorandum dated 05/05/2025.

Trey Meyer, planner, described the site to the commission as bounded on the north and west by a Union Pacific Railroad corridor (zoned M-2), by Abitec’s office and laboratory facilities to the south (zoned M-2) and a mobile home park to the east (zoned R-3). Meyer said the property includes a rail spur and multiple production plants and that the chemical manufacturing use predates the current zoning and is therefore a grandfathered conditional use. He said the applicant proposes to build a new exterior envelope around the existing plant and to remodel the interior in sections over the next four to six years, and that the applicant has indicated the expansion would not increase the number of employees at the facility.

Project representatives were present. "I don't have anything to add to Trey's report, but we are here," said Joe Stadelman, president of Angus Young Associates, who gave his address for the record as 555 South River Street, Janesville. Staff reported that required public-notice mailings were sent and that no public comments had been received on the project.

Commissioner Paul Williams moved to find the proposal compliant with standards for conditional-use approval under the Janesville zoning ordinance and to approve the conditional use permit amendment subject to the conditions listed in the Planning Division memorandum dated 05/05/2025; Commissioner Madair seconded. The commission then conducted a roll call vote; Commissioners Squire, Bauer, Madera, Dangara, Vasco, Williams and Markland voted yes and the motion carried unanimously.

The proposal calls for a building height of up to 24 feet at its tallest point, metal exterior siding with a short wainscot on portions of the building, and approximately 1,900 square feet added to the building footprint. New landscaping is included in the plans to meet applicable landscape standards. City staff noted the addition is intended to help Abitec acquire new business and modernize the facility but said it would not add employees.

The commission also handled consent items earlier in the meeting (approval of minutes from April 21, 2025, and final plat/certified survey map and easement release for "Cinder Fields"); those consent items were moved and approved with no public discussion. An unrelated agenda item, "declare a surplus and disposition of city-owned property at 214 East Wall Street," was removed from the agenda and will not be discussed at this meeting; any submitted comments on that item will be forwarded to city council with the minutes, the commission chair said.

The plan commission approved the Abitec conditional use amendment by unanimous vote and recorded the approval in the meeting minutes along with the Planning Division memorandum dated 05/05/2025 that lists the conditions for approval.