The Shawano Common Council adopted the first complete overhaul of its zoning code in more than 30 years on Wednesday, along with a new zoning map, both of which will go into effect on Jan. 1.
The council’s vote, postponed from last month to allow for additional public comment, came after an unsuccessful effort by a Realtors’ group to gain another delay.
“This is a very complex ordinance,” said Jennifer Sundstrom, government affairs director for the Realtors Association of Northeast Wisconsin. “More importantly, this is a big change for the city of Shawano.”
Sundstrom recommended that city officials meet with local Realtors to go through the code to ensure the new rules don’t discourage businesses that might want to locate in the city or make it more difficult for small business to make improvements.
“I think those discussions would be worthy of more time,” she said.
Some council members questioned why those concerns weren’t brought forward previously during the two years that an ad hoc committee and a consultant were working on the zoning code rewrite.
“All of our meetings were open to the public and everyone was invited,” said Alderwoman Sandy Steinke. “Where was this feedback two years ago?”
The city received a lengthy memo from Realtor Terry Hilgenberg this week, detailing nearly 140 questions and concerns about the new zoning code.
The council and consultant Mike Slavney of Vandewalle and Associates spent about an hour Wednesday going through the points Hilgenberg raised. About 40 of Hilgenberg’s proposed changes to the code, mainly cleaning up or expanding on some of the language, were adopted by the council.
The city had not heard objections from anyone else, according to Mayor Lorna Marquardt.
“Other Realtors are apparently satisfied,” she said. “They didn’t come forward.”
Slavney also noted that the proposed new code has been available at City Hall and online since August and many of the proposals have been available to the public for review for more than a year.
Slavney said the new code was aimed at promoting growth and redevelopment, not at making it more difficult for property owners.
He said the new code provides more detail for property owners and will make it easier for city staff to work with property owners to accomplish their goals.
Slavney said the code can also be amended if necessary.
“This isn’t set in stone,” he said.
Among the biggest changes that will go into effect in January, the new code tosses the “legal nonconforming” designation for properties that don’t fit in with the zoning in their neighborhoods. The change would make the properties legally conforming and make it easier for property owners to get loans to make improvements or sell the properties.
The change applies only to physical characteristics, not unauthorized uses, such as a business being run out of a home, which would still require a permit and be subject to limitations.
One of the flaws in the city’s existing code, according to city officials, are a number of areas where existing property uses don’t match their zoning.
The code also puts a premium on landscaping for any new development, setting a score that proposed developments would have to meet. They would get points toward the score for various types of landscaping included in the site plan.
The requirement applies to new development and to those portions of existing properties that are significantly remodeled or expanded.
The code reserves its most rigid requirements for downtown Shawano, which under the proposed new zoning map would run from the 100 block of North Main Street to Presbyterian Street on the south and would promote two-story storefront buildings with no setback from the sidewalk.
Any proposed renovations, designs or projects in that area would be closely scrutinized by the city, down to which storefront colors would be appropriate.
The code was last adopted in October 1983. Though it has been frequently amended, this is the first complete overhaul in 31 years.
The city budgeted $50,000 for the project.
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