Plan Commission approves GDP and SIP for industrial storage at former Lawrence Truck Plaza site

The Oshkosh Plan Commission voted unanimously Oct. 15 to approve a general development plan and a specific implementation plan that repurposes the former Lawrence Truck Plaza site at 1911 West Snell Road for a steel construction company and industrial storage uses.

Staff said the new owner cleaned up the site and requested several base standard modifications (BSMs): to retain existing gravel and asphalt surfacing, to increase the lot’s impervious surface to 85.3% where code allows 80%, to reduce front and street‑side setbacks, and to allow 8‑foot solid fencing within front yard areas where the code generally allows 4‑foot, 50% opaque fencing. Staff supported the BSMs on the grounds the site footprint is not expanding and the owner proposed landscaping to offset impacts.

Applicant Jesse Houle told the commission the business will be a home base for steel erection crews, not a fabrication operation, and that utilities planned in the near term were electrical only. “To be very clear, we're not a fabricator. We are steel erectors,” Houle said. He also said he was not aware of environmental cleanup requirements at the site.

Neighbors asked whether environmental cleanup had been required and questioned the condition of existing fencing and whether future site structures would be improved; staff said the site would remain a legal nonconforming building but that condition and landscaping improvements were planned. The staff report requires conditions in the findings and the SIP was approved with the recommended findings and conditions.

Both the GDP and the SIP were adopted on roll call votes of 8–0.