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ccm19670411COMMON COUNCIL CITY OF MUSKEGO MINUTES OF MEETING HELD APRIL 11, 1967 Acting Mayor Donald E. Wieselmann called the meeting to order at'7:57 P.M. l PRESENT - Acting Mayor Donald E. Wieselmann, Aldermen Edmund A. Budish, Sivier L. Joost, Jr., S. Robert Lentini, Roland Linck, Myron Weaver and Walter Wollman. Also present were City Clerk Bette Bowyer and Attorney Hippenmeyer. Mayor Jerome J. Gottfried was-absent. l MINUTES - Alderman Budish moved to accept the Minutes of the meeting held on March 28, 1967. Seconded by Alderman Wollman, motion carried. COMMITTEE REPORTS Finance Committee - Alderman Linck presented the report of the Finance Committee meeting held on April 5, 1967, and moved that the report be accepted and placed on file. Seconded by Alderman Joost, motion carried. Public Works Committee - Alderman Budish presented the report of the ' Public Works Committee meeting held on April 6, 1967, and moved that th& report be accepted and placed on file. Seconded by Alderman Wollman, motion carried. l Public Welfare Committee - Alderman Budish presented the report of the Public Welfare Committee meeting held on April 5, 1967, and moved that the report be accepted and placed on file. Seconded by Alderman Lentini, motion carried. I Rules, Laws & Ordinance Committee --Alderman Joost presented the report o of the Rul;es, Laws & Ordinance Committee meeting held on April 6, 1967, and moved that the report be accepted and placed on file. Seconded by Alderman Wollman, motion carried. Plan Commission - The Common Council was in receipt of the Plan Commission Minutes and same will be placed on file. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE The Clerk read a communication from Mayor Gottfried directed to the Aldermen urging them to vote in favor of the adoption of the amendments to the Subdivision Control Ordinance. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Ordinance #63 - The Clerk read Ordinance #63, entitled, An Ordinance Repealing and Recreating an Ordinance Entitled, Subdivision Control Ordinance for the City of Muskego. Alderman Weaver moved for the adoption of Ordinance #63, seconded by Alderman Joost. Alderman Lentini moved to defer action on Ordinance l/63 until the next Council meeting, seconded by Alderman Budish, motion carried. Resolution $128-67 - The Clerk read Resolution 928-67, entitled, Accepting the Offer of Francis Henneberry to Purchase Certain Lands in Sec. 17. @ Alderman Budish moved for the adoption of Resolution #28-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman. In discussion, Alderman Budish commented that due to the fact that the property in question is not of legal lot size it could not be sold to anyone other than the abutting land owner. Upon a~ roll call vote, the motion to adopt Resolution 828-67 carried unanimously. a * Page 2. NEW BUSINESS Resolution $138-67 - The Clerk read Resolution f/38-67, entitled, Authoriz- ing Final Payment to Elsie Spitzner - Sec. 17, Woods Road. Alderman Budish moved to suspend the rules that would interfere with the adoption of Resolution i/38-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman. The motion to suspend l the rules carried. Alderman Budish moved for the adoption of Resolution 838-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman. Upon a roll call vote the motion to adopt Resolution #3S-67 carried unanimously. Resolution 931-67 - The Clerk read Resolution #31-67, entitled, Authorizing the City Engineer to Advertise for Bids for the Construction of Sewerage Lagoons. Alderman Weaver moved for the adoption of Resolution 831-67, seconded by Alderman Budish, motion carried. Resolution #32-67 - The Clerk read Resolution 1132-67, entitled, Authorizing the City Engineer to Advertise for Bids for Sewer Interceptor. Alderman Weaver moved for the adoption of Resolution #32-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman, motion carried. Resolution l/33-67 - The Clerk read Resolution 1133-67, entitled, Transfer of $2,250.00 From the General Fund to Account f/:747, Leased Land for Sewers. Alderman Linck moved for the adoption of Resolution $133-67, seconded by Alderman Joost. Upon a roll call vote the motion to adopt Resolution #33-67 carried unanimously. Resolution-#34-67 - The Clerk read Resolution #34-67, entitled, Allowing Claim for Unused Building Permit. Alderman Joost moved for the adoption of Resolution j/34-67, seconded by Alderman Budish. In discussion, Alderman Lentini indicated that it was his feeling that if Resolution $134-67 were adopted it would set a bad precedent for the City. It was also Attorney Hippenmeyer's advice not to adopt the Resolution. Alderman Joost withdrew his motion to adopt Resolution #34-67. Resolution #35-67 - The Clerk read Resolution #35-67, entitled, Granting Gission to the Public Works Committee to Advertise for Bids for the 1967 Road Improvement Program. Alderman Budish moved for the adoption of Resolution 1135-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman, motion carried. Resolution #36-67 - The Clerk read Resolution #36-67, entitled, Resolution Initiating Proceedings to Take Over Farm Drainage Dist. No. 6 in the City of Muskego. Alderman Wollman moved for the adoption of Resolution 836-67, seconded by Alderman Budish. Acting Mayor Wieselmann briefly reviewed the meeting he had attended in the Milwaukee City Attorney's office re- garding the dissolving of the Farm Drainage Board. The motion to adopt Resolution 1136-67 carried. Resolution #37-67 - The Clerk read Resolution 837-67, entitled, Authorizing the Wisconsin Natural Gas Company to Install Gas Mains Along the Right-of- Ways of Streets in the City of Muskego. Alderman Budish moved for the suspension of rules that would interfere with the adoption of Resolution #37-67, seconded by Alderman Wollman. The motion to suspend the rules carried. Alderman Wollman moved for the adoption of Resolution i/37-67, seconded by Alderman Budish. In answer to a question from Alderman Joost as to whether or not the Wisconsin Natural Gas Company has been fulfilling their obligations of repairing streets and roads, Alderman Wollman answered that a Gas Company representative has been in the area for the past several days investigating their previous work. The motion to adopt Resolution l/37-67 carried. Page 3. License Approval - None Voucher Approval - Alderman Joost moved that the Common Council approve payment of vouchers in the amount of $23,209.90, payable to April 11, 0 1967. Seconded by Alderman Linck. Upon a roll call vote to pay the vouchers the motion carried unanimously. CITY OFFICIAL'S REPORT The Clerk presented the Financial Report showing a cash balance as of l March 31, 1967, of $457,145.41. Same to be placed on file. The Clerk read the Building Inspector's Report for the month of March, 1967, same to be placed on file. COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Acting Mayor Wieselmann stated that a communication from Val Halbrucker and Sylvester Ksobiech directed to the Common Council has been received in regard to the petition for variance of land division. Connaunication to be referred to the Plan Commission. Acting Mayor Wieselmann announced that a communication directed to Mayor l Gottfried from Mrs. John Guy, County Mobile Chairman, Waukesha Blood Donor Club, thanking the City of Muskego for accommodations provided at the recent Muskego Blood Mobile had been received-;- Communication to be placed on file. Alderman Budish moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Alderman Joost, motion carried. The meeting adjourned at lo:04 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Bette ?I. Bowye Ci!ty Clerk CITY OF MUSKEGO 0 je 416167 TO THE HONORABLE ALDERMEN - COMMON COUNCIL - CITY OF MUSKEGO Gentlemen: Muskego's first Subdivision Control Ordinance was adopted by the Town Board in 1960. Its purpose was to help insure the orderly growth of the community and the best use of its land and to place upon the subdivider an obligation to bring to the community an asset not a liability. In considering the Subdivision Control Ordinance the Town Board was concerned over the community's ability to cope with the problems that uncontrolled growth can bring. They felt time was needed to permit commercial and industrial growth to catch up with residential growth. The Subdivision Control Ordinance was one of the instruments they felt the community needed to accomplish this. It would be of little value to debate the pros and cons of this philosophy. However, if one reviews the growth of this community over the past several years, it can readily be seen that though our residential growth has not been as fast as other communities it has been steady and the taxpayers of the City of Muskego have not been faced with a burdensome tax rate. In 1960 the population of the City of Muskego was 8,888, in 1965, through a special census, it was determined that the population had risen to 10,500. It is estimated that the population on January 1, 1967, was 11,500. The taxes paid by the citizens of this community over the same period of time were as follows: 1960, $30.00 - 1964, $33.91,- 1966, $32.78 per $l,OOO.OO. It is my firm conviction that had the Subdivision Control Ordinance not been adopted in 1960 we would be paying the high price of uncon- trolled residential growth now in 1967. 1 We are now faced with the decision of whether or not the Subdivision Control Ordinance, adopted in 1960, is in need of updating. It is a paradox that a sanitary sewer program, whitih-- this community needs more than anything else, could also bring us problems which we must be prepared to cope with. The proposed amendments to the Sub- division Control Ordinance are not particularly unusual or unreasonable as can be evidenced by the fact that the majority of the communities around us have adopted Subdivision Control Ordinances which encompass similar requirements. Several months ago you received an inventory of land develop- ment regulations required by communities in southeastern Wisconsin. From this it can be seen that many of the changes in our Subdivision Control Ordinance are not new inovations, but are, in fact, accepted regulations throughout the region. In passing, it might be well to remember that should Muskego fail to update its Subdivision Control Ordinance, making it comparable to the several communities around us, it could mean extensive development as the land developers turn to the community where he can subdivide at the lowest cost. One might ask the questions, is it fair to make the sub- divider and in turn, the new residents of the City who would be buying lots in that subdivision, pay for the lot improvements? Is it fair to make them pay for road pavement, storm water provisions, sanitary sewers, erosion control, street signs, etc.? Is it fair to require them to help pay for the additional school needs which the particular sub- division has created? -2- To find the answer, consider the subdivisions developed prior to the adoption of our present Subdivision Control Ordinance. They tell the story of inadequate drainage, inadequate lot grading, erosion of slopes, home erected on questionable soils that cannot adequately support private ceptic systems and roads that left much to be desired. It has cost this community a great deal of money to correct these deficiencies. If our Subdivision Control Ordinance, As Amended, can prevent these deficiencies from happening it will save this City and its taxpayers money which can be put to use for other needs. If there are any feazs among the aldermen that the adoption of these amendments to the Subdivision Control Ordinance would further slow down the residential growth of the City, I need only to remind them that it is much better to grow slowly than to have one or two thousand people move into the City within a few years. No one can deny that people cost money and that the required police service, road service and administrative service increase as the population increases. We know that it costs an average of $500.00 per year to properly educate one student. An unexpected large influx of children could impose upon the City of Muskego taxpayer a burden most of us could not carry, particularly the aged and retired who are living on a fixed income. It is the responsibility of the land developer to bring to the community a finished product, including sewers (where available), paved streets, underground wiring, properly drained lots, street trees, open space for recreation and funds to help defray the cost of addit- ional school facilities generated by the subdivision. I would urge you to help insure a stabilized tax base, a realistic tax rate and continued controlled growth through the adoption of the amendments to the Subdivision Control Ordinance. JJG/je