Watertown planning commission approves Ordinance 25-02 to create Commercial Lake District for Lake Compaska

The City of Watertown Planning Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 20 to approve Ordinance 25-02, revising the city’s Commercial Lake zoning for Lake Compaska. The measure closes the existing CL (Commercial Lake) district for future applications, preserves the three properties currently zoned CL, and establishes two new districts (referred to in the ordinance as CL 1 and CL 2) plus a discretionary overlay labeled CLX to govern higher-impact uses.

The ordinance aims to allow limited lake-oriented commercial activity while protecting Lake Compaska’s largely residential character. Planning staff told commissioners the lake area is roughly 93 percent single-family residential and that the new districts and design standards are intended to enable “cohesive and complementary” commercial uses near the water while limiting impacts on adjacent neighborhoods.

Under the adopted framework, CL 1 (lake-adjacent) and CL 2 (lake-proximity) define where new commercial rezoning requests may be considered; a map presented by staff shows areas within approximately a half-mile of the shoreline where each district would apply. The existing CL properties retain their current zoning and are not subject to the new restrictions. Staff said properties beyond the city limits would require action by the county–city Joint Jurisdiction Board for commercial uses.

Permitted and special-permitted uses in…