[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6271805,"mediaKeyId","3028579-a0813814b76c9d0b0fe54a26d308da32","parentId",3028579,"title","Votes at a glance: Oak Creek Common Council actions April 15, 2025","audioSeconds",3321,"startMs",79000,"endMs",3400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028579-a0813814b76c9d0b0fe54a26d308da32&start=79&end=3400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028579-a0813814b76c9d0b0fe54a26d308da32/thumbnail_79000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271805/Oak-Creek/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Votes-at-a-glance-Oak-Creek-Common-Council-actions-April-15-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271805-2cde07f077d289375f93866247521a7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178588&Signature=Qk9q~wKktFqbmDCuzNBN-MqSZV8gZBlybflarcUTxYjgIj5ewn1Opv3G58jascCP2HeS2GRmJ3s6qkmxwW20qmfCAgwYkk9deO6G~ESWQ-l4fvXSJyPsUzfsNARvvpXz1LvCH-04DgZYScoAsCLXU23I5rDkYX8XL3QSYLqWsONMi7nGN2LfaYmQMd-IJF-XvSWQXFJSqEbnwrh9IM0IU6lAktir5y~FH5NU-xFC0yfFUr6Jju315m8GhQAQFPl9d0vOi5KOtdQ-Dh3R98foIHXaUv4VkvKvWoIUKart8hDNz9dyYdGZfquirFroFRHw~B3lSAXa8H2cebrkzzsMjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Oak Creek, WI","date","2025-04-17T00:38:04.593Z","article","The Oak Creek Common Council on April 15 approved a series of motions and resolutions. Key outcomes from the meeting are listed below; motions and votes are described using the language read into the record.

Minutes and leadership
- Approval of minutes of March 18, 2025: Motion to approve by Alderman Lork; second and roll call yielded ayes and the minutes were adopted.
- Election of Common Council President: Alderman Ritz nominated Ken Gale for Common Council President; with nominations closed and a unanimous paper-ballot process described by the chair, the council cast a unanimous ballot and Ken Gale was declared elected.

Resolutions and proclamations (no action required where noted)
- Resolution of appreciation to Steven G. Kerkowski (Resolution No. 12571 as read): Adopted by roll call; council members offered remarks of thanks in recognition of Kerkowski’s service in the First District.
- Mayoral proclamations (no formal council action required): Earth Day (April 22, 2025), Front Line Workers Appreciation Month (May 2025), and Arbor Day (April 25, 2025) were read into the record and acknowledged by the council.

Capital purchases, contracts and studies
- Fire command vehicle: Motion to approve the purchase of a command vehicle (replacement for Battalion 18) and to authorize the Fire Chief to execute agreements for the purchase. The new vehicle was estimated at $108,829 with $100,000 funded in the 2025 CIP and additional funding from prior CIP lines; the motion passed on roll call (mover not specified in transcript; second: Lork recorded).
- MPR department office reconfiguration (CJ Associates): Motion to approve the proposal by CJ Associates to reconfigure the MPR department office space at a cost not to exceed $50,000 (proposal total read as $49,884.73). Motion carried on roll call (mover and second recorded in the minutes as read).
- Public Works & Utility facility and space-needs assessment: Motion to award the Public Works and Utility Facility and Space Needs Assessment Study to Cooney Architects in the amount read into the record (motion language as read); the motion carried on roll call.

Infrastructure and development
- Preliminary resolution to exercise special assessment powers (installation of 8-inch water main; project #25117): Motion (resolution number as read) declaring intent to exercise special-assessment powers under Section 3.2 of the municipal code for installation of an 8-inch water main in the right of way between 252 and 2636 East Sharon Drive; set a public hearing date. Motion carried on roll call (mover: Burke; roll call recorded ayes).
- Development agreement regarding tree preservation at 7655 South Sixth Street: See separate detailed coverage. The council approved an amended development agreement specifying a $25,999 payment by the developer, with the city authorized to use the funds for tree installation or other beautification projects consistent with preservation goals.

Other routine approvals
- License committee requests: Motion to approve various license requests as listed on the April 15 report; motion carried on roll call.
- Vendor summary: Vendor summary for 04/09/2025 in the amount of $712,725.59 was presented; motion to approve as part of the consent items carried on roll call.

Adjournment
- The clerk moved to adjourn; motion seconded and approved by roll call. The meeting was adjourned.

Votes listed above reflect the roll-call outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript. Where a mover or a full roll-call name list was not clearly read into the record, the article indicates the motion text and notes that the mover or full tally was not specified in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Common Council April 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A roundup of roll-call votes and formal actions taken by the Oak Creek Common Council on April 15, 2025, including approvals of minutes, several proclamations, a vehicle purchase, facility studies, and a special-assessment resolution for water main installation.","taxTitle","Oak Creek, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin","taxId",66971,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":46,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271810,"Oak Creek council approves development agreement allowing $25,999 mitigation for trees or beautification at 7655 S. Sixth St.",1433,1967000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028579-a0813814b76c9d0b0fe54a26d308da32&start=1967&end=3400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028579-a0813814b76c9d0b0fe54a26d308da32/thumbnail_1967000.jpg","/articles/6271810/Oak-Creek/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Oak-Creek-council-approves-development-agreement-allowing-25999-mitigation-for-trees-or-beautification-at-7655-S-Sixth-St","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271810-0db6a37835583b1341ca79a978a41cc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178588&Signature=fPO33c-6pIfOUJpKX8zUnz9egywNC1G8h~gGjqpgmYIq0t04TMYab5jjb1-aUoQQJWHVwUtJVzkmUCmHyON54dERKDd74cZpDxAGMmhDOQpjquw6NcSqpriwGNEiQXqOIjDsvjtmt9iSQb~Jfvw60EpkaRJR0S8Rkc-DlU0nZ--o-BK7FuFYOnMhUjVa1LY5tmnJuzKXgy8AOaeV2XOf5zL3hXMKwQAbwPOOjrA8dwqCbZaD91wmc5VHB3YxNuoxNuybmIIsrL-Y15RUYc5bgaiL6j8wL9fOiWNNN7IknmCWcBDjWY~UMX2UMcinCc-UXg9qO~g33KZU4bF9Z~xawA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oak Creek Common Council on April 15 approved a development agreement with 7655 South Sixth Street LLC that accepts a $25,999 payment from the developer in lieu of meeting the municipal tree-replacement ratios on a heavily wooded parcel at 7655 South Sixth Street.

The payment, which council members amended into the agreement as section A.3, will be payable to the city and may be used \"for the installation of said trees or to be used for other beautification projects by the City at locations that are consistent with the preservation and replacement of trees and woodlands in the City,\" the motion states. The motion to approve the development agreement as amended was made by Alderman Florek and seconded by Alderman Fritz and carried on a roll call vote.

The council heard from Christie Lane, the City of Oak Creek’s Community Development Director, who said the northern portion of the parcel is densely wooded and that complying with the city’s 2022 tree-preservation rules (which require replacement at a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio depending on diameter) is not feasible on-site. Lane said the applicant expects to build an approximately 71,000-square-foot light industrial/warehouse building on the northern half and can only plant about 10 trees on the site; the ordinance’s 1:3–1:4 replacement would have required hundreds of new trees.

Lane said the developer’s offer would pay for the purchase of 164 trees (at smaller sizes), but would not cover the city’s estimated labor and equipment costs to install that many trees. City staff estimated installation labor and equipment costs at roughly $67,000 to $74,000 if the city were to plant the full replacement number.

A representative for the developer, Bridal Fisher (address provided on the record), told the council the developer will purchase 164 smaller-caliper trees and also plant 10 larger-caliper (about 2.5 to 3 inches) trees on site; Fisher confirmed the developer’s offered payment to the city is $25,999 and said the higher line-item total in the offer materials reflected those 10 higher-cost on-site trees.

Several alderpersons pressed staff and each other on how the money would be used. Alderman Greg suggested the council consider using funds for public art or other beautification projects rather than planting and maintaining hundreds of new trees, noting maintenance and long-term care costs. Mayor Daniel J. Bukkiewicz, council members and staff said the approval would likely require the city to revisit the tree-preservation ordinance to provide clearer alternatives for unique development situations.

City staff and the developer also discussed that the developer’s payment would not meet the original code’s 1:3 or 1:4 replacement ratios; instead, the payment equates to a roughly 1:1 replacement in purchased trees. Lane told the council the developer is offering 64 replacement trees by a 1:1 calculation in some of the documents, and elsewhere the materials reflected 164 smaller trees; staff clarified to the council that the developer’s final offer and the amount to be placed in the agreement is $25,999 and that will be captured in the amended section A.3.

Council members noted the city’s forestry and parks department would have to decide whether to use the funds to buy trees and absorb installation costs, to apply the funds to a broader mitigation or beautification fund, or to leverage the city’s existing annual tree CIP (capital improvement program) budget. Director Chobitoski confirmed the city generally places tree orders annually and that staff could work to coordinate timing and use of funds if the council wanted to delay tree purchases to accommodate a larger mitigation plan.

The agreement approved by the council allows the city discretion to apply the payment toward planting or other beautification projects consistent with replacement and preservation goals. Council members and staff said the approval is likely to prompt a review of the tree-preservation ordinance to clarify acceptable mitigation options in future cases.

The motion’s formal language (as read into the record) amended section A.3 to state the species and payment amount of $25,999 and authorized the city to use that sum for tree installation or other beautification projects in locations consistent with the city’s preservation and replacement policies.

The council’s vote concluded the matter for this meeting; staff said the city will update the development agreement text to reflect the clarified $25,999 amount and return records to show how the funds are used.

","The Oak Creek Common Council approved a development agreement with 7655 South Sixth Street LLC that accepts a $25,999 payment in lieu of full on-site tree replacement for a proposed 71,000-square-foot industrial building; council members debated whether funds should buy trees or be used for public art or other beautification.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Oak Creek Common Council actions April 15, 2025

Oak Creek council approves development agreement allowing $25,999 mitigation for trees or beautification at 7655 S. Sixth St.