Plan Commission approves site changes, recommends conditional use permit for Lester Landscaping at 6880 County Highway M

The Verona Plan Commission voted Dec. 1 to approve a site plan amendment and to recommend a conditional use permit for Lester Landscaping’s property at 6880 County Highway M.

Staff described the proposal as an amendment to an approved contractor office and workshop to add paved parking, outdoor storage, a salt storage building and a shipping container. Staff recommended conditions including dimming site lighting to 50% overnight, requiring white-noise alarms on backup devices, protecting preserved trees during construction and replacing trees that die.

During discussion commissioners asked whether Lester Landscaping conducts winter plowing and whether lighting should be permitted to operate at full power while crews are actively working at night. The chair’s motion replaced the standard lighting condition with a locally vetted clause: "Lighting shall be dim to 50% between the hours of 06:30PM and 06:30AM, unless the business is in operation." The commission approved the site plan amendment by voice vote.

The commission then voted to recommend to the common council approval of the conditional use permit for permanent outdoor storage; that item will be on the council agenda next Monday.

Staff noted specific landscaping and screening commitments in the materials: preservation of 19 trees on the east property line with additions of eight canopy and 15 ornamental trees; preservation of nine trees on the north with additions of six canopy and nine ornamental trees; and 19 additional canopy trees along the southwest line. Staff also noted that trees in the right-of-way do not count toward the applicant’s required credits, and that a retaining wall and new site lighting are proposed.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing on this item. The commission’s recommendation to the council is advisory; the council will consider the conditional use permit next week.