Oak Creek resident Shirley Schmid stood in front of the crowd and said she was shaking she was so upset.

She had come to the city's library on Jan. 28 for a public hearing organized the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regarding a wetland fill permit as part of the U.S. Postal Service's plan to build a huge new mail facility in the city. It was the first — and thus far only — chance residents have had to comment on the project.

Schmid said residents need to stand up to the Postal Service, possibly even through legal means.

She wasn't alone. Numerous other residents from Oak Creek, Cudahy and South Milwaukee expressed concerns with traffic increases, environmental impacts, lights and noise that the facility could bring.

Darcy McDaniel said trees at or near the project site have already gone down. She said she moved to the area for the park nearby.

“We’re mourning the loss of what we already had,” she said.

Residents who live near the facility site were also concerned with potential flooding. Gloria Babcock said her home and four others are on well water. She was concerned what effect filling the wetlands on the Postal Service property could have on her drinking water.

State Representative Jessie Rodriguez, who represents the 21st District, which includes Oak Creek, attended the meeting. She asked the DNR representatives what the next steps will be for the project, but did not receive a direct answer.

Later, Ryan Pappas, a water management specialist for the DNR, and Michelle Scott, a field supervisor for the DNR, told Now News Group the public has until Feb. 7 to submit any additional questions or concerns to the DNR regarding the requested wetland permit.

After that point, the DNR has 20 days to issue its ruling on the permit.

Plans not yet finalized

In July 2019 the U. S. Postal Service Informed Oak Creek about its intent to construct a 423,900 square-foot mail processing annex at 2201 E. College Ave. The facility will replace the existing facility at 7620 S. 10th Ave.

The new facility will include 76 dock stalls, according to Joseph Ceci of the U.S. Postal Service, with all truck traffic on the west side of the building. Additionally, “ornamental steel” fencing will surround the entire facility and be illuminated, Ceci said.

Although work at the facility site has already begun, final plans for the project are not yet complete. Ceci said the Postal Service will have the final plans in about two weeks and will forward them to the city of Oak Creek.

A mail processing and distribution facility was originally proposed for the same location in 2008 and received city approval for a general development plan. However, the facility never materialized.

Ceci said the new facility is designed to meet the requirements of the 2008 planned unit development, despite the PUD expiring a few years ago.

A second phase of the current project includes a 511,100 square-foot processing and distribution center. That facility is expected to replace the facility at 341 W. St. Paul Ave. in Milwaukee.

City officials speak out

Oak Creek city officials have repeatedly expressed frustration with the U. S. Postal Service’s approach to the project.

City Administrator Andrew Vickers said Oak Creek replied to the Postal Service immediately after getting the letter about the project in July. He said the city never received a response. Instead, the Postal Service began clearing the land in October.

Vickers said the city has implored the Postal Service to hold more public meetings regarding the project, however, “(the DNR public hearing) is the only one.”

“We can’t get answers,” he said.

Oak Creek Alderman Steve Kurkowski thanked the DNR for “doing what the city has been trying to do” in setting up a meeting with the Postal Service. He said it’s frustrating to tell constituents he doesn’t have answers to their questions about the project.

Kurkowski called the situation the “epitome of the federal government doing what it wants and saying, ‘We don’t care what you think.’”

South Milwaukee rescheduled its regular plan commission meeting to allow representatives to attend the Oak Creek meeting.

“This would never be allowed in the private sector,” said South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks. “I ask the post office to step up here.”

Brooks also expressed concern about how the development’s wetland fill could affect the Oak Creek watershed restoration work.

Previously, both Oak Creek and South Milwaukee passed resolutions asking the Postal Service to honor previous agreements and to be open for discussion.

Recently, both municipalities fully opposed the plan after the Postal Service’s apparent refusal to collaborate.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at (262) 875-9467 or erik.hanley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.