The Stevens Point Common Council rezoned the site of a Sept. 12 fire Monday night to make reconstruction more compatible with the neighborhood.
By a 6-4 vote with alderman Neal Nealis abstaining, the council supported rezoning the property owned by the Anthony Opiola Revocable Trust from M-2 heavy industrial to B-4 commercial, limiting the available uses.
Opiola had requested M-1 light industrial zoning and presented a site plan for the property on the north side of Park Street between Water and Prairie streets, excluding Ziebart Tidy Car, 916 Park St., the only structure remaining in that area.
The fire destroyed Automatic Fire Protection, Yang Oriental Food Store & Gifts and North Star Paint & Body Supply and damaged the Ziebart building.
Reid Rocheleau, 408 W. Cedar St., Whiting, who owns adjacent property, urged the council to delay action on the rezoning for further study, saying he feels there are other issues to be addressed first, such as rezoning the entire neighborhood and widening Water Street.
Alderman Elbert Rackow, 7th Ward, said the zoning will protect the neighborhood while also allowing the property owner to plan for use of his property and receive some kind of income from it.
The council should adopt the zoning first so the owner can prepare for the type of building the council wants as well as the setbacks the council desires.
Because the B-4 district allows a setback of 5 feet, John Gardner, director of planning/community development, said he wants to propose a greater setback between residential and B-4 districts to avoid incompatible situations in the future.
The council also acted on a number of committee recommendations:
CROSSING GATES: Approved agreements with the state of Wisconsin for crossing gates at the Wisconsin Central tracks on Water Street and W. Clark Street (Highway P).
Each project is estimated at $150,000, with the city responsible for $15,000 of the cost of each, a total of $30,000. The money will come from the undesignated capital project funds in the 1999 budget.
STATE ENHANCEMENT GRANTS: Approved applications for state enhancement grants from the state Department of Transportation for a city entrance information gazebo at the southeast corner of North Point Drive and Division Street, purchase of three small lots downtown, renovation of steam engine 2713 on the south side, sidewalks under the Church Street railroad viaduct and a sidewalk along the north side of Highway 10 and east side of Wildwood Drive to Bannach Elementary School
The land purchases involve parcels on the southeast corner of Clark and Third streets (former Clark Station) and the northwest corner of Clark and Second streets (former Dawg House and Upper Wisconsin River Yacht Club).
LIQUOR LICENSE: Approved a bartender's license for Jamie Lynn Cresca, 709 Vincent Court, although police recommended denial because of her juvenile record, including failure to provide information. Cresca received a bartender's license in Waukesha last summer.
LIMITED PARKING IN HOSPITAL AREA: Imposed a two-hour parking zone for a seven-month trial period between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily on the south side of Prais Street between Michigan and Clayton avenues and on Peck Street, a block north, between Michigan and Clayton.
TRAFFIC ORDINANCES: Approved no-parking on Jefferson Street at Worzalla Publishing, installation of traffic control signals at the intersections of Jefferson and Michigan Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard and Highway 10, installation of stop signs on Golla Road at Sandy Lane, and setting up 35 mph and 45 mph speed zones on Highway HH.
PAY RAISES: Approved a 3.5 percent wage increase for 2000 for all Stevens Point employees not represented by labor unions. Crossing guards will receive an equal increase, going from $6.97 per hour to $7.21.
CONDITIONAL USES: Granted extension of two conditional uses for group homes to Dec. 31, 2001. Those uses are for a home for unwed mothers at 824 Fremont St. and an Alzheimer's group home at 100 Green Ave.