Middleton Planning Commission approves Greenway Station sign change, reviews Madison Liquidators concept with FAA RPZ concern

The Middleton Planning Commission on July 8 approved a modification to the sign design review for Greenway Station and provided feedback on a concept plan for a new Madison Liquidators building in the Airport Road Business Park.

Abby, a city planning staff member, told commissioners that the Madison Liquidators proposal will require a conditional use permit and design review and that concept review is voluntary and nonbinding. "This applicant is requesting, will be requesting a conditional use permit and design review," Abby said, adding that staff has done only a limited review so far and that engineering staff had not yet completed a review. Abby also flagged technical constraints: "there is a runway protection zone covering a small portion of this site and it does look like a portion of the building would encroach within the runway protection zone, and that would require coordination between the city and the FAA." She noted a "small section of FEMA floodplain on-site" and asked that all easements be shown on forthcoming submittals.

Commissioners offered design guidance and site concerns. Commissioner Kurt Paulson, who said he had driven by the site, praised the existing buildings and urged the applicant to "stay in keeping with those design standards," calling the site "very visible." Another commissioner raised the potential for drainage issues around loading docks, saying docks at grade could slow drainage and should be addressed in the design.

Lisa asked about the status of a city request to move the runway protection zone. Abby said the city administrator had recently met with the Bureau of Aeronautics and that "these processes take quite a bit of time to negotiate," and she offered to include an update in the staff report.

Separately, the commission approved, by voice vote, a "specific implementation plan modification for sign design review for Greenway Station." The motion to approve was made by a commissioner and seconded by the chair; the chair later announced the motion carried. No roll-call vote or individual vote tallies were recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: staff will include the RPZ and floodplain details and any updates on RPZ relocation in the forthcoming conditional use permit and design-review staff report. The concept review generated feedback but no formal action; the applicant must submit formal applications for the conditional use permit and design review for staff and commission review. The commission adjourned shortly after the discussion.