Committee of the Whole Agenda & Packet (PDF)

CITY OF PLYMOUTH, WISCONSIN TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2026 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING, 6:15 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ROOM 302 CITY HALL, 128 SMITH STREET AGENDA 1. Call to Order and Roll Call 2. Approve the Minutes from February 24, 2026 3. DPW Expansion Project Update 4. Special Events Ordinance Update 5. Winter Parking Ordinance Update 6. Adjourn It is likely a quorum of members of other governmental bodies of the municipality may be in attendance at the above stated me eting to gather information. No action will be taken by any governmental body at the above stated meeting other than the governmental body specifically referred to above in this notice. Please note that, upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of disabled individuals through appro priate aids and services. For additional information or to request this service, please contact the City of Plymouth ADA Coordinator Leah Fe derwisch, located in the Plymouth Utilities office at 900 County Road PP, Plymouth, WI or call 920-893-3853. CITY OF PLYMOUTH, WISCONSIN TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING, IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ROOM 302 CITY HALL, 128 SMITH STREET UNOFFICIAL MINUTES 1. Call to Order and Roll Call: Mayor Pohlman called the meeting to order. On the call of the roll, the following were present: Angie Matzdorf, Diane Gilson, Mike Penkwitz, John Binder, Jeff Tauscheck, Dave Herrmann, and Kevin Sande. Also present: City Administrator/Utilities Tim Blakeslee, Director of Public Works Cathy Austin, Police Chief Ken Ruggles, and City Clerk/Deputy Treasurer Anna Voigt. 2. Approve the Minutes from February 10, 2026: Motion was made by Penkwitz/Gilson to approve the minutes for February 10. A unanimous aye vote was cast. Motion carried. 3. Mill Pond Dam Update from Ayres Associates: Adam Schneider from Ayres gave the committee an update of the Mill Pond Dam. 4. Adjourn: Motion was made by Tauscheck/Sande to adjourn the meeting. A unanimous aye vote was cast. Motion carried. 1 | Page City of Plymouth 128 Smith St. - P.O. Box 107 Plymouth, WI 53073-0107 Telephone: (920) 893-3745 Facsimile: (920) 893-0183 Web Site: plymouthgov.com DATE: March 27, 2026 TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Cathy Austin, P.E., Director of Public Works RE: 2026 Budget Item – DPW Yard Expansion In the 2026 Budget, dollars were allocated for the Department of Public Works expansion and modernization of the City Yard to improve operations, enhance resident services, and address increasing demand for disposal and recycling options. This project builds upon the existing yard facility and introduces new services while maintaining those currently offered to residents. The proposed improvements include new fuel (gas) tanks to support City operations, expanded DPW storage capacity and new areas for bulk waste and cardboard drop-off. Yard waste, brush/branch drop-off, used oil, battery, and scrap metal recycling drop-off services will continue. As part of the proposed changes, residents will be required to purchase an annual key card to access the facility. The site will be accessible seven days a week from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with access potentially limited during winter weather events. Residents will also be required to sign a User Agreement, maintained by the Clerk’s Office, outlining site rules and acceptable materials. The annual fee is intended to offset bulk waste disposal, cardboard recycling/disposal, and maintenance of the access control system. Similar programs have been successfully implemented in the Village of Belgium, Town of Cedarburg and the City of Cedarburg. A more detailed presentation of the City Yard Expansion will be provided at the meeting. Recommendation: Staff is seeking feedback and direction from the Committee of the Whole on proceeding with this project and implementation. Attached: Current Yard Layout Proposed Yard Layout 2 | Page & Cardboard City of Plymouth 128 Smith St. - P.O. Box 107 Plymouth, WI 53073-0107 Telephone: (920) 893-3739 Facsimile: (920) 893-0183 Web Site: plymouthgov.com DATE: March 27, 2026 TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Jack Johnston, Assistant City Administrator/Community Development Director RE: Special Events Ordinance Background: The City has many popular special events throughout the year. These events include numerous parades, the Mill Street Festival, Fallooza, among others. These events are currently approved through the Consent Agenda at the bi-monthly Common Council meetings after the applicants provide a completed “event application” to the City Clerk and pay a nominal fee. Some additional permits may also be required to be obtained depending on the scale of the event and use of City property. While this process is relatively well established, it is not explicitly written out in the City code. As Plymouth continues to grow and the interest in hosting more events in Plymouth grows, staff believes a more formalized process for these special events should be codified and established. The below ordinance would repeal and replace the “street use” permit ordinance and replace it with the more formalized “special event” ordinance in order to help formalize this process. Updated Ordinance Most of the draft ordinance simply codifies our current process, however, there are a few changes worth highlighting. One change to the process is including a pre-event meeting with City staff and the event organizers to understand the scope of any new event and any changes from the prior year for a repeat event. Further, the City would provide an estimate to the event organizer on the additional City costs to facilitate the event and the event organizer is required to pay this to the City prior to issuing a permit for the event. There is a carve out that the Council may waive these fees for event organizers at their discretion. Additionally, updating the insurance requirements for these events is important to mitigate risk for the City. The below ordinance is in draft form. Staff has had input from department heads as well as the City Attorney to get it to the point it is now. Should the Council support this ordinance update, staff will continue to refine the ordinance and clarify insurance requirements before bringing it back for action. Recommendation: Staff requests the Committee of the Whole provide direction on this ordinance and ask questions. Should there be support for the ordinance, staff would further refine the ordinance for final consideration at a future meeting. Attachments: • Draft Ordinance CITY OF PLYMOUTH, WISCONSIN Ordinance No. _____ of 2026 AN ORDINANCE REPEALING TITLE 7, CHAPTER 8, STREET USE PERMITS AND RECREATING TITLE 7, CHAPTER 8, SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCES WHEREAS, community residents, visitors, non-profit organizations, and businesses have legitimate public purposes in requesting use of public property to offer events open to the public; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 62.11(5) the City wishes to allow such uses of public property for the good order of the City, and for the health, safety, and welfare of the public, subject to the terms of this ordinance. NOW, THEREFORE, the Common Council of the City of Plymouth, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1. Repealing Code. Title 7, Chapter 8, Street Use Permits, is hereby repealed in its entirety. Section 2. Recreating Code. Title 7, Chapter 8, Special Event Permits, is hereby created to read as follows: “TITLE 7 CHAPTER 8 – Special Event Permits Sec. 7-8-1 - Special Event Permits. (a)Purpose. It is the purpose of this chapter to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of special events and to regulate the use of public property for events. It is to maintain public safety, order, and accessibility. It facilitates successful and enjoyable events for all participants in the City of Plymouth. (b)Definitions: (1)Applicant. The organizer of a special event, who applies for a permit. (2)Special Event. Any organized gathering or activity on public property and open to the public within the City of Plymouth or that requires Public Services. This includes, but is not limited to, festivals, parades, races, and large public gatherings. (3)Permit. An official document issued by the city authorizing the holder to conduct a special event Page 2 of 6 (4)Public Property. Any property owned, leased, or maintained by the City of Plymouth, including but not limited to streets, sidewalks, parks, public buildings, and other spaces intended for public use. (5)Public Services. Services provided by the government to benefit the public and designed to meet the needs and improve the quality of life for the community. (6)Recurring Event. Any special event that occurs or is intended to occur on a regular basis such as weekly, monthly, annually or seasonally. This includes, but is not limited to: festivals, parades, races, markets, and large public gatherings. (c)Permit Requirement. (1) No special event can occur without first obtaining a permit issued by the city. (2) Certain events are exempt from these permit requirements. If an event is private and does not require public services, it is exempt from the permit requirements of this section. The rental of city-owned facilities, such as a park shelter, for private events are subject to the requirements of City Code Section 12-1-1. Street closures for private events, such as neighborhood block parties that are not open to the general public, are subject to City Code Section 7-8-1. (d)Application Process. Applicants shall provide the completed event application and required supporting documentation to the City Clerk. The following information shall be required: (1) Applicant Name, Address, Phone Number (2) Non-Profit Status (including 501(c)(3) designation and Tax-Exempt Number, if applicable) (3) Type of Event (e.g., Public, Athletic Activity, Parade/Street Closing, Runs/Walks, Community/Park Event, Fundraiser, Business/Organization Event, or Other) with brief description (4) Event Name, Date(s), and Start/End Time (5) Proof of Insurance as required in subsection (k) below. The common council may require additional insurance depending on the nature of the special event. (6) Authorized Agent Information and Point of Contact at Event (if different) (7) Assembly and Dispersal Areas, Estimated Attendance, Parking Locations and Number of Parade Units (if applicable) Page 3 of 6 (8)Additional Information. (e.g., Admission/Entry Fee, Parking Plans, Fireworks, Amusement Rides, Concession Sales, Tents, Vendor Displays/Sales, Amplification Equipment, Electricity, Musical Bands, Portable Toilets, Horses/Animals, Street Closure, Snowmobiles/ATVs, Barricades, Alcohol Sales) (9) A pre-event meeting with city staff is required for all new events. Recurring events may be required to have a pre-event meeting at the discretion of the City Administrator. (10)Indemnity Agreement. The applicant must agree in writing to indemnify and hold harmless the city, its officers, employees, and agents from any liabilities, claims, or costs including attorney fees, arising from the event. (e)Application Timing. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the date of the event to allow for sufficient time for review and coordination with relevant City departments. After review, the application will be placed on the next available Common Council agenda for approval/denial. (f)Application Fees and Costs. Following departmental review, the City shall provide the applicant with a written estimate of the costs for public services associated with the event. These costs may include staffing, traffic control, equipment rental, trash collection, and other direct expenses. (1) The applicant shall pay the estimated costs in full prior to the issuance of the permit, unless such costs are waived by the Common Council. (2) The Council may consider waivers based on following criteria and the specifics of each event: a. The event is hosted by a local charitable institution or civic-minded organization. b. The event is hosted by an organization in partnership with/or by the City of Plymouth, Plymouth School District, Sheboygan County, or Lakeshore College. (g)Application Approval Process. Once the application has been completed and received by the city clerk, it shall be distributed to the appropriate city departments for review and coordination as needed. New events shall require approval from the Common Council. Recurring events may be approved by the City Administrator after receiving initial approval from the Common Council. Applicants will be notified of the decision to approve or deny the application, with reasons provided for any denials. (h)Applicant Responsibility. The applicant is responsible for any damage to city property that occurs arising from the special event. (i)Health and Safety. Applicants shall be responsible at the applicant's sole expense for ensuring that facilities are available for contacting emergency Page 4 of 6 services, for crowd control and for pedestrian safety, according to the following: (1) Applicant shall be responsible for ensuring that activities conducted at the special event comply with all applicable health and safety laws. Applicant must ensure that there is adequate access for emergency services. (2) Crowd control and pedestrian safety measures will be dependent on the circumstances of the particular event. The permit will be reviewed by the police department for adequacy in light of all circumstances. Applicants shall provide information in addition to that provided on the application, as the police department reasonably requests. (3) At the discretion of the City staff, city may require that additional sanitation, health, safety and security measures be provided by the applicant. All additional measures shall be provided at the sole expense of the applicant. (4) In the event the applicant fails to comply with the health and safety requirements of this subsection, the applicant shall reimburse the City for any costs the City incurs to meet such requirements. (j)General Regulations. (1) Special events are permitted to operate between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM, unless otherwise approved by the Common Council. (2) Special events must be open to the public. However, organizers have the option to charge entry fees or require advance ticketing. (3) Sound levels must be controlled to avoid disturbing the peace as defined in City Code section 11-2-7. (4) Event organizers are responsible for the proper disposal of waste and debris. The event area must be restored to its original condition within two hours after the event. (5) The City of Plymouth, through the City Administrator/Utilities Manager, reserves the right to cancel or modify the event in case of emergencies, such as severe weather or public safety concerns. (6) Event organizers and participants must comply with all directions and orders given by police officers. (k)Additional Requirements. (1)Insurance. Applicants must provide Commercial General Liability coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. If vehicles are used, Automobile Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 per accident is required. Workers Compensation and Employers Liability coverage must comply with Wisconsin State Statutes, including $100,000 per accident, Page 5 of 6 $500,000 disease policy limit, and $100,000 disease per employee. If alcoholic beverages are sold, Liquor Liability coverage with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate is required. The City of Plymouth, its officers, council members, agents, and employees, must be named as additional insureds on all relevant policies. Proof of insurance must be provided to the city before the event commences and must remain in force throughout the event, including the cleanup period. All insurance must be primary and non-contributory to any insurance or self-insurance carried by the city, and all policies must include a waiver of subrogation in favor of the city. Proof of all required insurance must be submitted to the city no later than 10 days prior to the event. (2)Alcohol Licensing. For obtaining a license required for serving alcohol, applicants must adhere to City Code Section 11-4-1 and all other related sections of City code related to alcohol licensing. (3) Applicants must provide sufficient clearly marked waste and recycling bins, placed strategically based on anticipated attendance. A collection schedule should ensure timely disposal. (4) Designate accessible and well-marked emergency contact points. Implement crowd control measures like barriers and signage, and ensure safe, well-lit pedestrian pathways with accessible routes for individuals with disabilities. (5) Applicants must reimburse the city for expenses related to health, safety and security. This includes signing an agreement detailing cost estimates, payments timelines, and penalties for noncompliance. (6) Additional permits may be required such as a park rental permit. (l)Street Use Permits. (1) Individuals wishing to use City streets for private events, such as a block party, shall submit a special event permit application completed with such information applicable to the private request for closure. The application shall be accompanied by a petition signed by not less than 75% of the residents over 18 years of age residing along the portion of the street requested for closure.” Section 3. Severability. Should any portion of this Ordinance or the affected Municipal Code Section be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder shall not be affected. Section 4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect the day after posting. Page 6 of 6 Enacted on March _______, 2026. CITY OF PLYMOUTH By: DONALD O. POHLMAN, Mayor Date: _________________________, 2026 CLERK’S CERTIFICATE OF ENACTMENT I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was duly enacted by the City of Plymouth Common Council and approved by the Mayor on the dates indicated above. Dated: ____________________, 2026 ____________________________ ANNA VOIGT, Clerk C:9431\436459.docx City of Plymouth 128 Smith St. - P.O. Box 107 Plymouth, WI 53073-0107 Telephone: (920) 893-3745 Facsimile: (920) 893-0183 Web Site: plymouthgov.com DATE: March 27, 2026 TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: Tim Blakeslee, City Administrator/Utilities Manager RE: Winter Parking Ordinance Update Background: The City Code of the City of Plymouth currently prohibits parking on City streets and alleys between December 1 and March 15 of each year. As written, the code does not allow for flexibility to lift these restrictions during periods of mild weather (for example, late in the season) or around holidays. While staff has generally applied a common-sense approach to enforcement, it is preferable for the municipal code to reflect how the ordinance is implemented in practice. The proposed ordinance would allow the City Administrator/Utilities Manager to temporarily lift winter parking restrictions when conditions warrant. Any such change would be publicly noticed. Staff Recommendation: Provide Direction on the proposed ordinance. Attachments: 1. Draft Ordinance. CITY OF PLYMOUTH, WISCONSIN Ordinance No. _____ of 2026 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 10-1-50 OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCES RELATED TO WINTER ALL-NIGHT PARKING WHEREAS, the City Code of the City of Plymouth currently prohibits parking on City streets and alleys between December 1 and March 15 of each year; and WHEREAS, depending on weather conditions, such restrictions may be unnecessary; and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Plymouth wishes to create flexibility for winter parking restrictions depending on then current weather conditions. NOW, THEREFORE, the Common Council of the City of Plymouth, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1. Amending Code. Section 10-1-50, Winter All-Night Parking, is hereby amended to read as follows (deletions indicated by strikethrough; insertions by underline): “Sec. 10-1-50 - Winter all-night parking. From December 1st to March 15th inclusive of each year, no person shall permit any vehicle to be parked on any street or alley in the City of Plymouth between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. This section does not apply to licensed physicians or surgeons engaged in the treatment of patients on any emergency basis. The City Administrator/Utilities Manager may allow winter parking that would otherwise be prohibited under this code section. The City Administrator/Utilities Manager shall publish the dates and times of the relief from such restrictions on the City of Plymouth’s official website, www.plymouthgov.com.” Section 2. Severability. Should any portion of this Ordinance or the affected Municipal Code Section be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder shall not be affected. Section 3. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect the day after posting. Enacted on March _______, 2026. CITY OF PLYMOUTH By: DONALD O. POHLMAN, Mayor Date: _________________________, 2026 CLERK’S CERTIFICATE OF ENACTMENT I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was duly enacted by the City of Plymouth Common Council and approved by the Mayor on the dates indicated above. Dated: ____________________, 2026 ____________________________ ANNA VOIGT, Clerk C:9431\436459.docx