By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – The village board gave final approval Tuesday, Oct. 22, to a site plan for making exterior improvements to the former Team 2 building at 2160 Holmgren Way.
The Ashwaubenon Site Plan Review Committee and the Plan commission both recommended site plan approval for the building to be known as The Revolution and now owned by Travis and Jessica Ullmer.
Community Development director Aaron Schuette said the building will be renovated for use as a new hair salon and a couple of leasable spaces.
Schuette said the planned building improvements include painting the brick exterior and replacing an existing overhead door with a glass overhead door that could be opened up for seating, such as for a coffee shop or an eatery.
He said the building would also have a storefront door with windows, adding three steel façade panels with the lighting directed downward over the business entrances.
Schuette said the conditions of approval include screening the rooftop mechanical equipment from view, which is required by the village, as well as having an adequate turning radius into the parking lot from Marvelle Lane for public safety access and a recommendation to include bicycle parking for customers and/or employees.
The site plan required final approval by the village board because the property is in the Village Center zoning district.
Required approval
Board members discussed the merits of requiring board approval of site plans for properties in the Village Center or Sports and Entertainment zoning districts when the Site Plan Review Committee is able to give final approval for properties not in those districts.
Village President Mary Kardoskee said an ordinance to require that was enacted to allow the board to review proposed projects with the expectation there would be different design standards and different things in those two zoning districts.
Schuette said the site plan approval process is something that should be looked at again, given the extent the committee reviews site plans.
“What I’ve seen, just in my two years here, is that basically when these projects come through site plan review – in the Village Center or Sports and Entertainment – site plan has really addressed any issues, and they go through (the) Planning Commission and village board just kind of as a matter of course,” he said. “So, I certainly see a benefit in leaving (final approval) at site plan, just like the rest of the community.”
Trustee Ken Bukowski said he favors having the board look at some of the site plans, such as projects with a certain dollar amount.
“I can’t see a $500,000 or $750,000 or $1 million project going up there without this board looking at it,” Bukowski said.
In response to the board’s comments, Village Manager Allison Swanson said she will present the board with options this month for possible ordinance amendments related to site plan approval.