West Bend plan commission approves amendment to TID No. 16 to add Indiana Avenue reconstruction; several permits and annexation recommended
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Summary
The West Bend Plan Commission on Sept. 3 approved an amendment to the project plan for Tax Increment District No. 16 to add a roughly $2.44 million Indiana Avenue reconstruction project and advanced multiple permits, site plans and an annexation recommendation to the council, all by voice vote.
The West Bend Plan Commission approved a resolution on Sept. 3 to amend the project plan for Tax Increment District No. 16 to add a reconstruction of Indiana Avenue, a project consultant said, and the panel approved a series of conditional-use permits, site plans and an annexation recommendation by voice votes.
Phil Kosin, a consultant with Ehlers who joined the meeting remotely, told the commission the amendment would add one capital project — the reconstruction of Indiana Avenue — to the existing project list and would not change the district boundaries. He said the Indiana Avenue work is estimated at about $2,440,000, bringing projected TID expenditures from roughly $9.2 million to about $11.6 million while incremental valuation from new development has increased by an estimated $43 million since the district’s 2022 creation. "Even though this could be allowed up to 27 years, it looks like it will close out after about 16 years," Kosin said, attributing the earlier payoff to higher-than-expected development valuations.
The amendment is intended to finance the Indiana Avenue reconstruction with TID funds when the council and joint review board approve the revised project plan. Kosin said the Indiana Avenue design is targeted for 2025 with construction in 2026 and TIF increments projected to appear on the tax roll in 2027. He summarized development assumptions in the project plan that underpin the cash-flow forecast, including about $5 million of value created in 2023 and larger prospective values for Charter Senior Living ($18 million), Esteban Village ($20 million) and a combined $28 million for Decorah Flats and Iron Horse.
Commission members opened a public hearing on the TID amendment; no members of the public spoke. The commission closed the hearing and voted to approve the resolution. The chair said the approved resolution will move to the Common Council for its approval and then to the joint review board for final action.
In a single meeting the commission also handled several local land-use items. The panel approved: a conditional-use permit for an outdoor sculpture at 109 S. Main St. near Mountain Outfitters; a conditional-use permit for food-truck sales at 1285 W. Paradise Drive (Vortex Pickleball Club); and a conditional-use permit allowing accessory retail sales at 2800 E. Progress Dr. for Crane and Arrow LLC. All three hearings drew no public comment and were approved by voice vote.
The commission approved multiple site plans: exterior remodeling at 303 Water Street for the Volunteer Center of Washington County; a facade/material change at 111 N. Main St. for TRS Property Management, where staff recommended replacing failing Cream City brick with copper panels contingent on a zoning permit; and a garage replacement at 261 S. Main St. for Excess LLC. For the 261 S. Main project, Mackenzie Swerdout of ParaServing Engineering told the commission the replacement garage and planned upper-level seating will substantially improve the appearance and function of the parcel. "The renderings show very well how much nicer this will look once these improvements are done," Swerdout said. Staff noted fire-access and permit conditions must be addressed before building permits are issued.
The commission approved a two-lot certified survey map to adjust a parcel boundary between an AmeriCraft LLC building and an adjacent lot to accommodate a National Guard purchase; a clerical correction in the contract (changing "West Allis" to "West Bend") was spotted and staff confirmed the fix would be made. Finally, the commission recommended annexation of approximately 65 acres from the Town of Barton (north of Patricia Drive and Green Tree Road, west of North Main Street) for future development; staff said sewer and water are available and future land-use and zoning applications will return to the commission and council.
All motions recorded in the meeting were approved by voice vote. The commission adjourned after completing its agenda; items requiring further legal or council approval (notably the TID amendment and the annexation) will be acted on by the Common Council and, where applicable, the joint review board.
