March 7, 2022 at 1:57 p.m.
Rhinelander Planning Commission takes first step in annexation request
Commercial development eyed for vacant land along Highway 17 bypass
Rhinelander Planning Commission takes first step in annexation request
The Rhinelander Planning Commission met March 1 and took the first step in the process of granting that petition.
The action came during a public hearing on the petition in which no member of the public addressed the commission either for or against the matter.
After closing the hearing portion of the meeting, the commission discussed the matter before voting to send the matter on to the full City Council with its approval.
The parcel is the largest of six on the west side of Chippewa that are still under Pine Lake jurisdiction after the bypass was built, according to city administrator Zach Vruwink.
The owners are also seeking to have the property zoned B3, a commercial-use designation, when it comes into the city, and indicated that they are also purchasing an adjacent city parcel that is already carries that designation. The land is current zoned as recreational.
Zoning administrator Robbie Davister said that after reviewing the application, "zoning has no issue with it whatsoever."
"The city needs it," Davister said. "It would be a wonderful addition to the city."
Vruwink said this is the first such action that has come up since the city completely overhauled its zoning ordinance last year, and the process has changed.
"This is the first of a number of steps associated with the new ordinance," Vruwink said. "The attachment of property will have to be in a subsequent petition that will appear before the Common Council post a request at this level."
He said the process is further complicated by the need to rezone the parcel during the annexation process. He noted this will save the petitioner time and legal expenses and the city the time involved with having to do it at a later date.
Commissioner Sandy Bergman asked Vruwink exactly what was the purpose of the public hearing if it wasn't going to lead to a vote on the petition.
"The purpose of the public hearing is to provide adequate notice to the public that there has been a request for a map amendment and a rezoning," he replied. "Our new ordinance calls for upon annexation, the next step would be rezoning, which the applicant is requesting that the zoning be changed upon annexation."
"So that's why we packaged the two, the map amendment and the annexation procedure," Vruwink added.
The public hearing, with the requirements for legal publication of the notices of the meeting far enough in advance to alert the public, is called for under state law, it was further pointed out.
Bergman asked how many more times will the applicant be required to come before the plan commission.
"Well, I anticipate that they will be developing the land, so depending on what sort of development will occur there, there might be a site plan and certainly amendments to the official map if they are putting in public street infrastructure," Vruwink said. "There are probably a number of ways that they would be required to come back before the planning commission, but this is the first step to follow up with the ordinance that was created by the Common Council for the actual annexation of the property."
Under either the old or new procedure, the commission would still have to approve the petition for annexation and send it on to the council for final action.
"The commission has the authority to amend the official city map, and the zoning that is subsequent to that," Vruwink pointed out. "That will occur here tonight."
He said that state statutes spell out how the process works, which ends with the council formally granting the petition for annexation. He said he doesn't expect any objection to be raised when the matter comes before the council.
"This is a direct annexation, unless other parties become part of the annexation, or the city wants to take its police powers to pursue annexation," Vruwink said. "The agent or property owner is who is pursuing annexation into the city, so it is straightforward in that regard."
The commission voted unanimously to approve the petition for annexation and recommend B3 zoning upon its addition to the city map to the Common Council.
After the meeting, Vruwink said the whole area around the petitioning party is a textbook example of an "island" that was left in Pine Lake when the bypass was built that became the de facto boundary of the city over time.
Adding the property into the city will add it to the tax base.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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