November 7, 2024 – West Bend, WI – Neighbors from the town of West Bend packed the council chambers during Wednesday night’s City of West Bend Plan Commission meeting to voice their concerns about a proposed development of 95 single family homes on a 34-acre parcel northeast of 18th Avenue and CTH NN.
The public hearing came as members of the Plan Commission voted to rezone the land from business park to RS4 single family residential.
The land, which is within the city limits, is privately owned by Continental Properties. It is surrounded to the south and west by the town of West Bend. Neighbors from the town expressed concern about the development, particularly the density of the number of homes packed in 34 acres.
Bryan Lindgren of Delafield represented developer Neumann Homes of Pewaukee. “The reality is the city development will look different than the town,” he said.
The average size of home proposed for the development is over 1,900 square feet. According to Lindgren the ranch homes or 2-story homes are between 1,670 square feet and 2,200 square feet with a price range between $425,000 and $475,000.
“We feel it is a good fit and provides much needed housing, ” said Lindgren, who touted his ties to the community as a 2000 West Bend East grad.
For the next hour, neighbors from the town outlined their thoughts about how the development would affect traffic, safety on 18th Avenue, possibly affect the watershed, Silver Lake and Quaas Creek, drastically alter the rural feel of the town, and they were upset about the lack of notification. The city said notices were published and sent to people within 200 feet of the property.
Some comments from town residents are below:
- Ron Struck – “I’ve been a resident for 24 years and I moved here to escape the postage stamp properties so my family can enjoy the space. Now the development is encroaching. I don’t know if its greed that’s driving this.”
- Stacy Hafeman – “How can you pass this when you have an approximate number of acres, and the 2020 comprehensive plan was not included in the agenda? If you are requesting action what is actual acreage and what is the zoning, so we have better understanding. This development will drastically impact us with traffic on Silver Lake.”
- Nel Rice – “What these homes will be like are a big concern. It feels like large homes on little pieces of land. We have large concerns especially with the watershed and the lake property.”
- Beth Bensen – “We understand the need for safe and sustainable housing, but we have grave concerns about the development and environmental impact. We ask you not to rush into approving this. We ask for adequate data and to consider safety.”
- Town of West Bend supervisor Steve Lindley – “This was a complete surprise to the town board. There are numerous problems with the roads – to exit onto Hwy NN, it’s hilly and not a good line of sight. There are problems with excessive speed and there will be a lot of traffic on 18th Avenue. This land was annexed 30 years ago, and we do not have a boundary agreement with the City of West Bend; there hasn’t been any interest in the city for a boundary agreement.”
- Aron Rodman lives on 18th Avenue and will have 8 new neighbors surrounding his property. “I’ve lived there 25 years. I was told no access would be allowed by NN and 18th. The 2020 original plan shows greenspace down 18th Ave and the lot in the middle that green space has disappeared. I was told the green space would stay. My alderman was not aware of this plan and the town of West Bend was not notified. The people with the city say they’ve never seen anything pushed through this fast. Who will pay for the sidewalks. Multiple children have been hit by vehicles on 18th Avenue. The road is narrow and a danger. A development that size should have a park. I find it very alarming you will have 30 minutes to think of this and then vote. I’d encourage you to take a little more time.”
- Barb Hafeman – “Putting 95 homes on 34 acres isn’t compatible to out rural area. If we need more housing and we’re getting rid of Fair Park and Decorah School use that for housing. Put the housing down by Jackson. We’re trying to maintain a rural atmosphere but still provide for people no matter where they’re from. I oppose this completely.”
- Mary Hafeman – “We are from West Bend, and we are all West Bend East grads too.” Hafeman read from a submitted statement from a neighbor opposed to the plan who cited the ecosystem, the value of the lakes and the impact on the natural areas and groundwater resources.”
- Frank Carr – “You approve this evening for a developer to come in by changing zoning. Will there be another meeting so neighbors can review plans?” The answer was ‘no.’
- Pat Friess – “I didn’t see anything in the paper about this meeting and it seems like you’re trying to cover it up. Like it’s a secret.”
- Jim Bender – “We built our home 26 years ago. We liked the rural aspects, and our lots are 1 acre up to 2 acre lots. I can see where a developer wants to populate this area There will be 5.4 homes on 1 acre of land. The intersection on 18th and NN is high traffic and adding more traffic; it is a small road. Why not change it to 1-acre lots with 34 homes. The current plan is way too dense.”
- Carol Strzok _ “Would you want 90 homes in your back yard?”
- Dr. Paul Rice – “It seems everyone is objecting to the density, and I understand there is a situation with the person selling land and it won’t be industrial area. There are other areas in the city for high density housing. When you put properties that are 1.5 acres in town, and you compare that to high density it looks strange. How will this impact the Silver Lake Sanitary Sewer and the five pumps.”
- Roger Struebing – “Neumann Homes is here and we wonder if you were willing to reconsider and add a bit of green space and have some consideration for us towners. You heard 100 residents in the area with concerns about this unique development. Most of us are not opposed but there are usually considerations for green space. What is the need to slam this through so quickly. Why not do studies on traffic to ease our minds. Why not 70 homes instead of 90. This is just so quick and seems kept under the rug. It would be a good of your gigantic organization to consider the neighbors who have been out here for 60 years.”
- Bethany Thiede Wray – “I drove down 18th Ave at 35 mph and a truck passed me on a double yellow. That road is not safe and all the homes would put people at risk. The rate at which things are happening and what people are paying in taxes it would be kind to take a little time. To make a decision tonight it seems very quickly and it’s unsettling.”
After the public hearing closed members of the Plan Commission weighed in. Some were leery of 90 homes, others talked about improvements to 18th Avenue, the size of the homes was discussed again, the process of a zoning change, traffic impact analysis, and stormwater plan.
Eventually a vote was taken and both rezoning motions passed.
The item will next go before the common council.
Approached after the meeting Lindgren was asked for his response to the public comments.
“It’s important to note there are differences between the town and the city from a zoning perspective. You will never find the same size lots or same density in an unincorporated town that you do in an incorporated municipality that provides sewer and water, emergency services and things a city provides and that drives the need for smaller lots.
“Ultimately the common council and plan commission will have a chance to review the plans and if they disagree, we as the developer would have a choice to move forward with their recommendations or abandon the project.”
Below is an initial story published two weeks prior to the public hearing.
West Bend, Wi – A public hearing will be held November 6, 2024, in the council chambers at West Bend City Hall, 1115 S. Main Street, on a proposal to change the land use and zoning on 34 acres just north of CTH NN and east of 18th Avenue in West Bend. The future plan, should this be approved, is a 90+ unit housing development.
Jim Reinke with Community Development outlined the request for the change of land use.
“This is necessary for us to facilitate the redevelopment of the property. Right now, it’s the business park. It was included originally in TID number 8 which has closed since 2022. This is outside of the TID now so we’re actually requesting a change for the land use to residential.
“There’s a potential developer that’s looking at changing this and we’re looking at the overall uses in the area and feel that the use from the business park um is an old, dated use for the area considering we do have a large amount of business Parks still to
the north open for development.
“So, the request to change this to the single family seems reasonable considering we have residential to the south and to the west. So, we ask that the commission review this and if they feel this would be an acceptable change for the land use that we set the public hearing for the next available meeting… we’d also be doing the zoning amendment at the same time; we would change it from the three industrial to the RS4 single family residential.”
Referencing the residential development on the south side of CTH NN in the Town of West Bend, town chairman Troy Zagel said he had no idea this proposal was on the table. “The town knew nothing about it,” he said. “We were led to believe the land was going to be used for industrial development and not housing.”
West Bend District 3 alderman Brett Bergquist said he too was not aware of the scope of the housing project and first heard about it after the October plan commission meeting.
Details of the proposed zoning change and a first look at the proposed housing development are below.
B. Comprehensive Plan & Zoning Amendments
1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment #32, Discussion and recommendation to set a public hearing for a land use change to the City’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan for approximately 34 acres of land located at the northeast corner of S. 18th Avenue and County Trunk Highway “NN” (Tax Key # 1119-263-0002).
2. ZA-24-009, Discussion and recommendation to set a public hearing for a zoning change for approximately 34 acres of land located at the northeast corner of S. 18th Avenue and County Trunk Highway “NN” (Tax Key # 1119-263-0002).
