MONROE - During a meeting Wednesday, The City of Monroe Plan Commission:
• Approved and recommended to council to approve a resolution petitioning the Secretary of Transportation for airport improvement aid. The council set a public hearing for the resolution for Jan. 20 at its last meeting Jan. 6.
• Approved changes to the exterior of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter. The changes are deemed to be minor adjustments and need no council approval.
Hank Gempeler, representing Walmart, explained the changes included a change of color for the roofing and awnings, from green to copper brown; darkening the color of the Walmart brand name wall section; and using the new Walmart brand logo on a brown background for the monument sign. Walmart's new uniform brand name logo eliminates the five-point star in the middle of the name and adds a six-section goldenrod yellow star burst at the end. The name also is written as one word with no capitals in the middle.
• Recommended to council to approve a certified survey map and outlot change for Walmart. The map shows the outlots as two undivided areas. Division of the outlots will require approval by the Plan Commission as they occur.
• Recommended to council to set a public hearing and adopt a change in zoning for property located at 1221 13th Ave. from light industrial (M-1) to medium density residential (R-2). The new owner of the building is interested in returning it to a residence. Rezoning may involve rezoning adjacent property.
• Recommended to council to accept an easement from J3 Investments to retain access to sanitary sewer on lots along an abandoned railroad corridor.
• Discussed a possible addition to the Angelus Retirement Community of Monroe, 616 Eighth Ave., which is zoned Planned Unit Development (PUD). The main issue was how the PUD plan will be handled. City Attorney Rex Ewald told the commission that PUD additions and changes should be kept on file for future reference. Ewald also recommended the plan be approved in phases. The original plan was one of the earliest PUDs created by the city. The plan will come back to the commission as needed.
• Approved and recommended to council to approve a resolution petitioning the Secretary of Transportation for airport improvement aid. The council set a public hearing for the resolution for Jan. 20 at its last meeting Jan. 6.
• Approved changes to the exterior of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter. The changes are deemed to be minor adjustments and need no council approval.
Hank Gempeler, representing Walmart, explained the changes included a change of color for the roofing and awnings, from green to copper brown; darkening the color of the Walmart brand name wall section; and using the new Walmart brand logo on a brown background for the monument sign. Walmart's new uniform brand name logo eliminates the five-point star in the middle of the name and adds a six-section goldenrod yellow star burst at the end. The name also is written as one word with no capitals in the middle.
• Recommended to council to approve a certified survey map and outlot change for Walmart. The map shows the outlots as two undivided areas. Division of the outlots will require approval by the Plan Commission as they occur.
• Recommended to council to set a public hearing and adopt a change in zoning for property located at 1221 13th Ave. from light industrial (M-1) to medium density residential (R-2). The new owner of the building is interested in returning it to a residence. Rezoning may involve rezoning adjacent property.
• Recommended to council to accept an easement from J3 Investments to retain access to sanitary sewer on lots along an abandoned railroad corridor.
• Discussed a possible addition to the Angelus Retirement Community of Monroe, 616 Eighth Ave., which is zoned Planned Unit Development (PUD). The main issue was how the PUD plan will be handled. City Attorney Rex Ewald told the commission that PUD additions and changes should be kept on file for future reference. Ewald also recommended the plan be approved in phases. The original plan was one of the earliest PUDs created by the city. The plan will come back to the commission as needed.