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Council reviews initial plan for 240 apartments and 20 townhomes near Blue Ice Pass
Summary
Verona Common Council reviewed an initial proposal to build 240 apartment units and 20 townhomes west of County Highway M and east of Blue Ice Pass. Planning commission recommended general support; the project will require annexation, rezoning, a comprehensive plan amendment and a traffic impact analysis before formal review.
The Verona Common Council on May 12 reviewed an initial concept to build 240 apartment units and 20 townhomes on land west of County Highway M and east of Blue Ice Pass, with no formal motion taken.
Planning commission members who reviewed the concept on May 5 recommended general support for the proposed land uses, said Alderman Swanson, who presented the summary to the council. The developer will need to seek annexation into the city, a zoning map amendment and a comprehensive plan amendment if it proceeds.
The project would require a traffic impact analysis (TIA) to evaluate how the new units would affect nearby roads. “That would look at where the potential impacts of the additional transportation [are] on the local transportation network and what improvements would need to be made,” said Mister Zubertson (staff member). He added that a TIA is typically completed before site-plan review and conditional-use permit review but not necessarily before annexation.
Council members generally signaled support for multifamily housing at the location. “I do support multifamily here, and I really like to see the townhomes mixed in as well,” Alder Tucker said. Several council members asked the developer to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle connections to the nearby Kettle Creek subdivision and the stormwater trail, to consider building siting and landscaping to buffer adjacent neighborhoods, and to limit curb cuts and driveway conflict points along Blue Ice Pass.
Council members also discussed parking and design details: some commissioners preferred under-building parking rather than surface lots; others recommended more vibrant building colors and visual interest rather than plain white or beige facades. Staff told the council moving apartments closer to Blue Ice Pass could allow more landscaping and fewer curb cuts.
No formal action was taken; the council’s comments were framed as guidance to the applicant. Next steps identified by staff include annexation, rezoning, a comprehensive-plan amendment and a TIA before the project can return for formal approvals.
