Austin Straubel Commerce District

Brown County, which includes the Village of Hobart adjacent to Green Bay, is the fourth most populous and third fastest-growing county in Wisconsin. The county’s population of 255,000 is expected to grow 25 percent through 2030. The Green Bay MSA currently has a labor force of 173,000 and is only 20 miles from the Appleton MSA, with a labor force of 131,000. Brown County’s industry makeup is 20 percent transportation and 17 percent manufacturing. Notable employers include Schneider Logistics, Georgia Pacific and American Foods Group.

WORKFORCE READY

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, located in Green Bay, had an enrollment of over 10,000 students in 2014. Most students obtain technical degrees in the engineering and manufacturing fields.

QUALITY OF LIFE AND OPPORTUNITY INTERSECT IN WISCONSIN

The Green Bay MSA offers an excellent quality of life. Located at the mouth of the Fox River on Lake Michigan, Green Bay is home to art, history and science museums; university and college campuses; and Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. This Certified Site comprises 33.2 acres of developable land, with expansion potential on hundreds of acres of adjacent land. The site is located adjacent to Austin Straubel International Airport property, so it offers easy commercial and freight air access. The site is less than five miles from U.S. Highway 41.

Site Features & Contact

33.2 contiguous developable acres, with expansion potential of another 600 acres on and around airport property

Roadway access

No utility easements that would prevent development

Proximity to the newly designated U.S. Highway 41

33.2 continguous acres not affected by wetlands

Commercial airport access

No known environmental impediments to immediate industrial development

Freight airport access

No known archaeological/historical impediments to immediate industrial development

No direct rail access; however, rail network around Green Bay is extensive

No known impediments to immediate development related to endangered species

American Land Trust Association (ALTA) survey

Fire insurance classification rating is currently 10, but will become 5 when water is extended to the site

Site not located on or adjacent to flood plain

Industrial zoning

Flight path certifications fulfilled, with certain height restrictions and other FAA guidelines

Zoning of surrounding properties compatible with industrial development of site

No significant topography issues

Marty Piette, A.A.E.
Airport Director
Brown County Airport
2077 Airport Drive, Suite 18
Green Bay, WI 54313

920.498.4800

www.flygrb.com
WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Community Intro

Requirement Comments

Community overview

  • General community fit for industrial activity
  • Brown County, which includes the city of Green Bay, is the fourth most populous and third fastest-growing county in Wisconsin. County population: 255,000, projected to grow 25 percent through 2030. Green Bay MSA labor force > 171,000
  • Brown County’s industry makeup is 20 percent transportation and 17 percent manufacturing (with the Port of Green Bay, Austin Straubel International Airport and the county’s road/rail network)
  • Notable employers include Schneider Logistics HQ (2,580 employed), Georgia Pacific (2,200 employed) and American Foods Group (1,480 employed).
  • Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (Green Bay) 2014 enrollment > 14,000; most students obtain technical degrees in engineering and manufacturing fields

Site environment overview

  • General surroundings fit for industrial activity
  • The site is located adjacent to Austin Straubel International Airport, on land also owned by the airport
  • 600 acres of adjacent developable land in and around airport property
  • Airport and proposed site are part of a 2,300-acre Free Trade Zone
  • Site is located adjacent to the Oneida Tribe Reservation and within a designated a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) by the U.S. Small Business Administration, qualifying it for exclusive government contracts, accelerated depreciation and other benefits if an investor meets certain requirements

Roadway access

  • Proximity to interstate and other highways providing convenient access for labor and logistics
  • Access roads in place to site, or plans in place to extend access road(s) to site
  • Site is less than five miles from U.S. Highway 41, which is designated to become an interstate highway in November 2015 from Green Bay to Chicago
  • Access to U.S. Highway 41 via U.S. Highway 172, which also provides access to Interstate 43 (12 miles)
  • County Highway GE (a.k.a. Pine Tree Road) bounds the site on the east and would likely serve as primary access for trucks. Adam Drive could be used for employee traffic.
  • Potential need for turnoff build-out on GE/Pine Tree Road depending on traffic study

Rail Access (if applicable) – not required

  • Feasibility of service (if site is to be marketed as rail-served)
  • Not applicable; however, rail network around Green Bay is extensive

Commercial Airport Access – Access to airport(s) with commercial air service

  • Driving distance to proximate commercial airport(s) and overview of service available
  • Site is located just outside Austin Straubel Inernational Airport, on adjacent property also owned by the airport. American, Delta and United fly nonstop to Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit and Atlanta.

Freight Airport Access – Access to airport(s) with freight air service

  • Driving distance to proximate
    airport(s)
  • Description of the handling capacity of each proximate freight airport (e.g., current tonnage/year, runway length)
  • Site is located just outside Austin Straubel International Airport, on adjacent property also owned by the airport; capable of handling any cargo plane (e.g., 747’s)
  • The airport has customs agents that can clear corporate and private aircraft, but does not have Federal Inspection Stations for clearing commercial international flights.
  • UPS provides contract inbound carriage of letter mail. FedEx has a facility at the airport in Appleton, 33 miles away.

Site Intro

Requirement Comments

Master Site plan and/or site plan illustrating exact dimensions and number of parcels for the specific site being submitted for certification

  • Minimum of 20 contiguous developable acres
  • Site is 33.2 acres, with expansion potential of an additional 600 acres on and around airport property.
  • Due to the site’s proximity to airport runway, there are clearly documented height restrictions for construction on the site. The current height restriction is 61’4” on the portion of the site closest to the runway (a potential runway extension could reduce that to 52’2” at the very lowest). Additionally, the FAA will need to approve certain parts of the site development plan, including lease rates, building materials, lighting, etc.
  • Industrial use is explicitly permitted on the site, per the airport zoning overlay.

Aerial photograph illustrating the specific site being submitted for certification as well as the surrounding properties

  • Aerial views illustrating site and surroundings submitted
  • Fallow fields to the north; agriculture to the south and east; airport to the east; forest and industrial developments to the west
  • The airport has developed a comprehensive plan illustrating an industrial/commercial corridor along County Highway GE (Pine Tree Road)

ALTA Survey (American Land Trust Association) inclusive of site being submitted for certification

  • ALTA Survey completed in May 2015 on the entire site as well as substantial additional acreage to the north and west of the site evaluated in the program

Flood Plain map (FEMA-produced FIRM map)

  • No part of the site may be located on (or directly adjacent to) a flood plain
  • FEMA-produced FIRM map submitted – no flood plains in proximity to the site

Flight path specifications (if site is within 2 miles of an airport)

  • Documentation (letter or map from FAA) indicating any restrictions related to airport proximity
  • Chapter 23 (Airport Overlay Zoning) of the Brown County Code of Ordinances identifies industrial uses as allowable on the site and the areas surrounding it west of County Highway GE (Pine Tree Road).

Ownership – entire site must be wholly controlled by a single owner with documented willingness to sell to an industrial user

  • Site is owned by Brown County; certificate of title submitted
  • As the site is on the property of Brown County Airport (a.k.a. Austin Straubel International Airport), it is not permitted to be sold to any other entity, but can be leased to an industrial end user
  • County anticipates lease term of 25 years with a 25-year extension plan

Asking Price – current asking price for sale or lease of the land must be indicated

  • Documentation of asking price on a per-acre basis
  • FAA restrictions require land to be leased and are also likely to require an appraisal prior to an ultimate rate offer
  • Current rate established and approved by the FAA is $2,616 per acre per year

Topography – no significant topography issues that could present major obstacles to industrial development of the site

  • Topographic map with clearly defined contour intervals of 2’ or less
  • Topographic map submitted illustrating 2’ contour intervals
  • Site is generally flat with an approximate elevation change of 16’-18’ across the entire site

Easements – site not intersected by utility or any other easement that would prevent development of 20 contiguous acres of the site

  • Maps of all utility infrastructure directly proximate to (or intersecting) the site
  • All utility easements are located in road right-of-ways at eastern and southern boundaries of the site
  • Maps of all utility infrastructure provided and utility easements included in ALTA Survey

Wetlands – demonstrate that a user can utilize 20 contiguous acres that are not affected by wetlands

  • Wetlands delineation report conducted on the site, demonstrating that impacts to be protected waters will be avoided (or approved mitigation plans)
  • Wetland Delineation Study completed on the site in May 2015 identified no wetlands on the 33.2-acre site. A few existing natural drainage conveyances were delineated in the additional acreage directly north and west of the site, but that land is not included in the 33.2-acre site evaluated.

Environmental Assessment – no known environmental impediments to immediate industrial development

  • Phase I within the past 2 years; remediated sites provide completed Phase II and documentation of liability protection
  • Phase I ESA completed February 2015
  • No RECs identified on site or surrounding land

Geotechnical – minimum of 5 soil borings (for 50-acre site); no presence of sink holes or limestone caves; suitable water content / water table depth

  • Geotechnical study completed on the site and immediately surrounding parcel since January 2015; study included six borings to 20’ dept
  • Water table 7.5’ to 13.5’

Archaeological/Historical – no known archaeological/historical impediments to immediate industrial development

  • Archaeological investigations conducted in May and July of 2015 identified a potentially protected historical homestead in an area to the southwest of the site. This area, as well as a buffer deemed suitable for protection of the potential historical site by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, is all outside of the boundaries of the site evaluated within the program.

Endangered Species – no known impediments to immediate industrial development related to endangered species

  • Completed by Mead & Hunt in May 2015
  • No actions are required with regard to the industrial development of the subject property.

Fire Protection

  • Fire Insurance Classification Rating
  • Distance to the nearest servicing fire department
  • Currently rated at 10, but will become five when water is extended to site
  • Site is 4,100’ from Hobart Fire Station (volunteer); 4.5 miles from Ashwaubenon Fire Station (permanently staffed)

Zoning

Requirement Comments

Industrial zoning (or equivalent) currently in place, or zoning change procedure underway as of field investigation

  • Zoning certificate and relevant ordinance; or, letter from municipal authorities communicating status of zoning change procedure as of field investigation date
  • Site was rezoned in June 2015 from Agricultural (A1) to Industrial Park District (I2)

Surrounding area zoning – zoning of surrounding properties compatible with industrial development of site

  • Comprehensive plan of area (if applicable)
  • Zoning map of area including site (if applicable)
  • Existing/planned zoning of surrounding land
  • Codes, covenants, and restrictions on site and surrounding sites, as applicable
  • Village of Hobart’s comprehensive plan indicates that the site and adjacent properties should be developed as industrial
  • Brown County and municipalities spent two years aligning on desired land use for parcels around airport to align on goals and expectations
  • A representative from the Oneida Tribe Development Branch (which owns the land adjacent to the site on the west and the north) expressed support for industrial development of the site. The tribe’s long-range vision for the area is to maintain the rural characteristics of the Oneida Reservation in balance with the built environment.

Electric & Gas Utility Infrastructure

Requirement Comments

Proximate electric power infrastructure availability and capacities

  • Utility maps indicating location and current size/capacity of proximate transmission lines, distribution lines, and substations; available capacity that could be provided to the site for each of the above
  • WPS has a single-phase 14kV line at the site boundary now, as well as a three-phase 24.9kV line at the intersection of Pine Tree Road and Mason (2.5 miles north of the site)

Detailed description of dual feed potential (current or proposed redundant service)

  • Overview (and map) illustrating dual feed electric service routes, including location, size and capacity of each node of delivery (substation, distribution line, etc.)
  • WPS has two substations in the area: Glory Road (~4 miles away) has ~13mVa available capacity (26 mVa installed total) and is served by three distribution sources; Mason Road substation (5.5 miles away) has 26 mVa of total capacity and is served by four distribution sources
  • Dual feed to the site from separate substations would be possible from Glory Road and Mason Road substations
  • If an end user wished to receive transmission-level service, WPS indicated that it sees no obstacles to extension of a transmission feed from the ATC line two miles west of the site.

Introduction of any proposed improvements to/extensions of electric service to the site

  • Cost, timing and funding responsibility of any improvements required to provide proposed service to the site
  • Extension of three-phase service from Pine Tree Road and Mason (2.5 miles north of the site) would enable delivery of ~5MW to the site
  • WPS estimates a cost of ~$92,000 to extend 3 Phase line from Pine Tree and Mason Road
  • Load-based credits to the end user could offset some or all of the cost of the extension
  • This proposed extension could be completed during the initial phases of construction at the site.

Proximate natural gas infrastructure availability and capacities

  • Utility maps indicating location and current size/capacity of proximate transmission lines, distribution lines, delivery points, etc; available capacity that could be provided to the site for each of the above
  • WPS has natural gas distribution lines in place both north and south of the site, but these are all 2” lines without capacity to serve an industrial user
  • WPS could extend a 6” distribution line to the site boundary from the intersection of Orlando Drive and County Highway U, where an existing 6” system is currently in place providing service at pressures on the higher end of the system’s 15-60 PSI range.

Introduction of any proposed improvements to/extensions of natural gas service to the site

  • Cost, timing and funding responsibility of any improvements required to provide proposed service to the site
  • 6” line extension is likely to come from Orlando and County Highway U due to more available capacity relative to the line at Orlando and Packerland; would take 3 to 6 months and cost between $70,000 and $100,000
  • End user demand-based credits from WPS could offset the cost to fund the service line extension

Proximate water and wastewater infrastructure availability and capacities

  • Village of Hobart Water has a 12” water line in place at the airport emergency response station, located near the airport runway less than one mile from the site boundary; Village of Hobart purchases water supply from the Village of Ashwaubenon system, and there is reportedly ample capacity to supply industrial development in this area
  • Village of Hobart Sanitary has an 8” wastewater system terminating ~1.5 miles southeast of the site; Green Bay region’s NEWWater sets service prices for municipalities to apply to end users

Introduction of any proposed improvements to/extensions of water and/or wastewater service to the site

  • Village proposes water service to the site by extending a loop by which to connect distribution north of the airport and south of the airport along County Highway GE; the village estimates this loop extension will cost ~$850,000 and require ~6 months
  • Extension of an 8” wastewater line to the site would reportedly require installation of a lift station ~1700’ east of the site at a total cost of $440,000 and estimated time
    of ~6 months.