Plan Commission initiates mapping update to apply environmental corridor and isolated natural-area overlays to zoning maps

Delafield’s Plan Commission on Aug. 27 authorized staff to proceed with a text amendment and mapping update that would apply the city’s environmental corridor overlay and isolated natural-area protections to the zoning map and revise disturbance standards to scale with actual lot sizes. City planner Amy Barrows described the current mismatch: the code contains environmental corridor protections, but much of the city’s zoning map does not display those corridors, and an older code provision references “15% of 5 acres” in a way that can be interpreted to allow the same disturbance area regardless of actual lot size. Barrows said the proposed change would limit disturbance to either 15% of the lot or a minimum of 15,000 square feet, capped at the 32,670-square-foot maximum for five-acre equivalents, and would map isolated natural resource areas that the comprehensive plan recommends protecting. Commissioners reviewed examples of parcels that would be affected, including small lakeshore lots and pockets of isolated habitat. They discussed whether to include the CTH C / I‑94 development area on the East Side of the city in the overlay maps; staff noted mapping it could restrict development potential and recommended the commission decide whether to exclude that commercial corner from the overlay. Commissioners asked staff to coordinate with SEH (consultant) and sewer-pack mapping, to produce targeted mailings or prominent notice to affected property owners, and to schedule the formal text-and-map amendment process (public hearing and council referral) after staff and attorney review. The commission voted to initiate the application and asked staff to prepare notification plans (newsletter, targeted postcards to affected parcels, news release) in addition to the required public-notice postings.