By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer

ASHWAUBENON – A wording change related to allowable home occupation uses was approved Jan. 26 by the village board.

Community Development Director Aaron Schuette asked the board to eliminate the phrase “but is not limited to” from the code because it opened up allowable home occupations in the village and created “gray areas” in administration.

“I’m looking to eliminate the ‘but is not limited to’ language to just identify those listed home occupations as allowable,” he said. “If someone has another home occupation they’d like to participate in, that would actually come through Plan Commission and village board for an ordinance amendment separately.”

The village code’s list of 11 acceptable home occupation uses includes: child care operation; computer sales and consultation; computerized sign making; day care/home care operations; draperies, tailors and the like; home offices; insurance office; licensed gunsmith; real estate agent offices; telecommunications office; and telemarketing office.

Trustee Steve Kubacki said wording change “makes a lot of sense.”

“It clarifies things,” he said. “If in fact we do have a situation that is unusual, it can be brought back to Plan Commission or the village board for discussion, debate and modification as appropriate.”

Wall panel fasteners

The board also approved revisions to the village’s site plan and design review requirements.

The amended language will allow the limited use of semi-concealed metal wall panel fasteners on additions to non-street-facing elevations of existing buildings within the I-1 Light Industry, I-2 Heavy Industry and I-P Industrial Park zoning districts.

“In reviewing that, I know that the Site Plan Review Committee and Plan Commission, for that matter, did not want to open up the village for the use of semi-concealed fasteners (throughout Ashwaubenon)…,” Schuette said. “So you would still not see any exposed fasteners, say on Oneida Street, the commercial areas, things like that.”

He said additions within the I-1, I-2 and I-P zoning districts of 75 percent or greater of the building existing footprint will require fully concealed fasteners and must follow requirements for new buildings.

Schuette said other language changes are intended to clarify the village code to avoid any misinterpretations, so that developers can determine from the site plan review requirements what is expected.