Plan Committee — Minutes

1 VILLAGE OF EPHRAIM PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 – 7:00 PM 9996 WATER STREET ACTION ITEMS: Thorp moved, McClean seconded, to approve the August 4 , 2026, Plan Committee Working Session minutes, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Thorp moved, Bartelt seconded to approve the August 25, 2026, Plan Committee Working Session minutes, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Thorp moved, Hart seconded, to approve the August 25, 2026, Plan Committee minutes, all ayes. Motion carried. McClean moved, Bartelt seconded, to approve the Addition Design Review application for Devin Wolf at 9815 Water Street as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Bartelt moved, McClean seconded to approve the Garage Design Review Application for 9992 Moravia Street, with the condition that the French drain/water runoff management system be subject to approval by the Chair of the Plan Committee in consultation with the Village Administrator, all ayes. Motion carried. Bartelt moved, Hoyreman seconded, to approve the Design Review Application for the exterior remodel specifically for the windows and doors, but not including the deck railing — at 9992 Moravia Street, all ayes. Motion carried. McClean moved, Thorp seconded, to approve the New SFR Design Review Application for Timothy Nelson at 10110 Norway Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Thorp moved, Hart seconded, to approve the New SFR Design Review Application for Gary & Lesley Houchin-Miller at 2888 Wilder Road, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Hoyerman moved, McClean seconded to adjourn at 7:43 PM; all ayes. Motion carried. Present: Andy Bartelt, Laird Hart, Rick Hoyerman, Monique MacClean, BD Thorp, and Ken Nelson – Chair. Absent: Grace Held. Staff: Brent Bristol - Village Administrator and Kim Roberts - Deputy Clerk. Guests in person: Gary and Leslee Houchin-Miller, David Olson - Van’s Lumber Representative, Marcia Ellis, Sandy Van Sickle, and Matt Meacham. Guests online: Brian Rosner (DeLeers Construction), Jason Reinhardt (DeLeers Construction), John Maher, Christi Weber, and “Paul”. 1. Call to order: K. Nelson called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. 2. Quorum: A quorum of the Plan Committee was present. 3. Approval of previous minutes: Thorp moved, McClean seconded to approve the August 4, 2026, Plan Committee Working Session minutes, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Thorp moved, Bartelt seconded to approve the August 25, 2026, Plan Committee Working Session 2 minutes, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Thorp moved, Hart seconded to approve the August 25, 2026, Plan Committee minutes, all ayes. Motion carried. 4. Changes in agenda: There were no changes. 5. Visitors’ Comments: There were no Visitors’ Comments. 6. Devin Wolf – 9815 Water St – Addition – Design Review: Bristol explained that the project originated similarly to other cottage renovation work contractor Jack Opitz has undertaken along the shoreline — lifting the existing building in place, installing a new foundation beneath it, and setting it back down. During the course of construction, a desire emerged to add a small addition to the backside of the building. Survey work was conducted to confirm proximity to the ordinary high watermark, and the project was confirmed to be setback-compliant. From a dimensional standpoint, Bristol noted no issues with the application. The design details — including green trim, asphalt shingles, and log siding to match the existing structure were reviewed. Bristol clarified that the addition would use a more vertical wood sidi ng, as opposed to the horizontal interlocked logs of the existing building. The project had previously gone before the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Thorp conveyed the HPC's recommendation of approval, noting the Committee had no significant issues and appreciated the effort to rehabilitate and preserve the existing building rather than demolish it. Thorp also noted confidence in the contractor's qualifications. Hoyerman expressed support for the project, stating it was very consistent with the Committee's ongoing discussions about the value of retaining and reusing old structures. McClean moved, Bartelt seconded, to approve the Addition Design Review application for Devin Wolf at 9815 Water Street as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 7. John Maher – 9992 Moravia Street – Garage & Remodel – Design Review This item covered two component pieces: (1) the proposed garage, and (2) the exterior remodel, including windows, doors, and a proposed second-floor deck railing. Garage Bristol described the property as being immediately north of the Bethany Parsonage. The proposed garage is approximately 25 by 25 feet, to be located on the east side of the property. The propane tank would be relocated. Bristol noted that approximately ten (10) to twelve (12) cedar trees would need to be removed and that, given the slope of the site, a retaining wall would be required on the north side. From a dimensional standpoint, the project met all requirements. The application had previously been reviewed by HPC. Thorp relayed HPC's recommendation of approval and summarized the key discussion points from that meeting. Drainage concerns were raised; the question of whether the propane tank would be buried; the siding on the upper portion of the garage was initially questioned but confirmed to match the house color; and windows were discussed, with the owner indicating they would be replaced and updated with mullions to create a consistent look. Thorp also noted that the garage would extend approximately eight feet (8’) beyond the north edge of the existing house to allow for a turnaround to exit the garage and head back down the driveway. Thorp raised concern about ensuring that runoff did not impact the neighboring property to the south (Van Sickle Property) or the Pioneer School archive records housed nearby. John Maher, the owner of 9992 Moravia, added that the existing shed, which contains a small powder room, would be demolished as part of this project, as it is the only current on-site storage. He also confirmed that all new windows would feature mullions to match the character of the original house, and 3 that architectural details such as cedar shake and structural elements visible on the driveway side of the existing building would be replicated on the garage façade. A discussion was held regarding how to handle the drainage concerns. The contractor, Brian Rosner ( of DeLeers), addressed the drainage question, explaining that gutters matching the house would discharge to the north side of the property. He also described plans for one or two French drains near the top of the driveway to capture water coming down the bluff, though their exact placement was noted as still to be determined. Hoyerman asked for clarification on what a French drain is. Rosner, from DeLeers, explained that it involves digging out areas and filling them with gravel to direct water into the ground rather than allowing it to run along the surface. Hoyerman followed up by asking whether this would involve additional tree clearing or be visually apparent from Moravia Street. Rosner confirmed that soil would be placed back on top and it would not be visible. Hoyerman also asked whether a catch basin would be involved. Rosner indicated it was not standard but could be incorporated. Bartelt expressed uncertainty about whether the proposed drainage measures would be sufficient and stated that the Committee needed to be satisfied on that point before the project could proceed fully. Thorp echoed this concern. McClean also acknowledged the drainage issue, expressing hope that Macher would address it adequately. Maher offered that he and Rosner had discussed after the HPC meeting the possibility of engaging a civil engineer from DeLeers to conduct a deeper review of drainage options and to formally articulate both any existing issues and the proposed remediation. K. Nelson acknowledged this offer and proposed that the Committee could approve the garage with the condition that he and Bristol would work with Maher and the DeLeers engineer to review and approve a drainage plan ensuring no additional runoff would leave the property. He further noted that the Village's concerns centered on preventing increased runoff both to the south (neighboring properties) and to the east (the historic schoolhouse). Bartelt moved, McClean seconded to approve the Garage Design Review Application for 9992 Moravia Street, with the condition that the French drain/water runoff management system be subject to approval by the Chair of the Plan Committee in consultation with the Village Administrator, all ayes. Motion carried. Exterior Remodel – Windows, Doors, and Deck Railing Bristol described the second component of the project involving the west (Moravia Street) façade of the existing house. The flat roof area above the front of the building currently has a single off-center door with no railing. The applicant proposed replacing this with a centered sliding patio door flanked by mullioned windows, and adding a railing around the flat roof area for safety, particularly given the owner's young grandchildren. The existing door and adjacent window would be consolidated into a centered arrangement, which Maher noted would be a visual improvement. Bristol explained that while the flat roof space already exists, the new railing constitutes new work subject to current dimensional standards, specifically the forty-foot (40’) road setback requirement. Until the exact figures can be verified, Bristol stated he could not confirm whether the railing would meet the setback requirement. He noted that if it falls short of forty feet (40’), setback averaging, a tool the Committee has used in similar situations on Moravia Street, including for the Bethany Church project and a neighboring property, could potentially be applied. However, he did not have sufficient information to approve the railing element that evening. Maher confirmed the railing would match the recently installed railing on the existing front deck. He also noted that the proposed portico/pergola structure along the side of the building, intended to cover the walkway between the new slider door and the garage, was part of this remodel package as well. 4 Given the need for verified setback measurements before the railing could be approved, but noting the applicants' urgency to order windows (which have an eight (8) week lead time), the Committee agreed to separate the railing from the window and door approvals. Bartelt and others expressed support for allowing the windows and doors to move forward independently so as not to delay the project heading into winter. Bartelt moved, Hoyreman seconded, to approve the Design Review Application for the exterior remodel specifically for the windows and doors, but not including the deck railing — at 9992 Moravia Street, all ayes. Motion carried. The deck railing item will return to the Plan Committee at the next meeting, pending verification of setback measurements. 8. Timothy Nelson –10110 Norway Street– New SFR – Design Review Bristol explained that this new single-family residence is being built on a newly created building site resulting from a certified survey map that Timothy Nelson recently completed on his larger parcel. From a dimensional standpoint, Bristol reported no issues with the application. A completed design review checklist, site plans, and elevation drawings were submitted. Material samples were passed to Committee members. David Olson of Vans Lumber Builders presented the material samples for the New SFR Design Review Application for 10110 Norway Street: • The roofing material proposed is Owens Corning Duration "Peppercorn" asphalt shingles, described as a newer product with an earthy, sandy aesthetic that complements the siding choices. It was noted that a metal roof had originally been considered but was set aside for budget reasons, with shingles now covering the entire house. • Windows will be Marvin Elevate in a bronze finish, featuring grills on the front elevation. • Siding will be vertical board and batten in an LP Diamond Kote “seal”, a brown color, with LP Diamond Kote “French gray” trim color. • Cedar woodwork accents on the front elevation will be finished with a clear/natural treatment for weather resistance. • The stone accent on the front elevation will be thin-cut real masonry in a Door County fieldstone style. • The overhead garage door will be in a bronze color tone. McClean moved, Thorp seconded, to approve the New SFR Design Review Application for Timothy Nelson at 10110 Norway Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 9. Gary & Lesley Houchin-Miller – 2888 Wilder Road – New SFR – Design Review: Bristol introduced the project as a new single-family home on Wilder Road. He noted that the applicants had previously constructed an outbuilding/shop on the property, and that the new home's architectural details and colors are designed to match that existing structure. Bristol confirmed no dimensional issues with the project and stated he had been monitoring impervious surface calculations throughout the planning process, with all numbers falling within the required parameters. Project architect Christie Weber was noted as available online to answer any questions. Gary and Lesley Houchin-Miller presented the project in person. The primary siding will be a horizontal, thermally modified southern yellow pine. The same product was used on the existing outbuilding. Lighter-colored vertical thermally modified hemlock, mounted vertically, will be used in select areas, including adjacent to the entry and within the screened porch. Houchin-Miller explained 5 that thermal modification involves kiln-drying at higher temperatures for a longer period, which burns off sugars that attract insects and significantly increases weather resistance. The roof will be a standing seam metal roof in a dark slate color, matching the existing shop on the property. Windows are black-framed units, a mix of casement and fixed picture windows. The overhead garage door will be in a similar dark color to complement the overall palette. The front entry door will differ from the white oak wood door on the existing shop. The new home's front door will be primarily glass to allow a visual sightline through the mudroom entry area to the opposite side of the house. Thorp asked for clarification on the address, noting a discrepancy between "2888" and "2889" seen on one of the presented slides. The applicants confirmed the correct address is 2888 Wilder Road. McClean commented that the material samples were far more representative of the finished product than the computer-generated renderings, and asked for a brief re-explanation of the siding. Houchin-Miller confirmed it is real wood, thermally modified, and highly durable. K. Nelson asked about the two-year construction timeline noted on the application. The applicants explained this is a standard permit duration rather than a firm schedule. They indicated plans to begin site clearing in the fall and winter of 2026, with foundation work beginning in the spring of 2027. Thorp moved, Hart seconded, to approve the New SFR Design Review Application for Gary & Lesley Houchin-Miller at 2888 Wilder Road, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 15. New business for next meeting / next meeting date: The next meeting date of the Plan Committee is October 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM. K. Nelson reminded the Committee that the next meeting would include both a noon working session and the regular evening meeting. The working session's primary topic will be the sign ordinance, and members were asked to come prepared. Hart reminded the Committee that the open public hearing for the Protected Waterfront Ordinance would be held at the next Village Board meeting on October 13, 2026, at 7 PM. K. Nelson encouraged as many Plan Committee members as possible to attend the October Village Board meeting to demonstrate the Committee's unanimous support for the Protected Waterfront Ordinance and its recommendation to the Village Board. 16. Adjournment: Hoyerman moved, McClean seconded to adjourn at 7:43 PM; all ayes. Motion carried. Recorded by Kim Roberts – Deputy Clerk