Plan commission recommends approval of Sanctuary at Pike River plat after debate over road connections, wetlands and deed restrictions

The Village of Mount Pleasant Planning Commission voted March 19 to recommend approval of a zoning map amendment (ZMA 25-2) and the associated preliminary subdivision plat (PSP 25-1) for the 34.28-acre Sanctuary at Pike River development, but the commission attached conditions addressing road connections, ownership of outlots and deed‑restriction language after extensive public comment and staff discussion.

The recommendation came after a three-hour public hearing and a separate discussion of an exception the developer requested from the village’s adopted transportation plan. The commission’s action forwards the zoning amendment and the plat to the Village Board with conditions including correction of a typographical reference in staff materials, required deed‑restriction language or restrictive‑covenant documentation for specified single‑family lots, and HOA/common‑ownership provisions for outlots and stormwater facilities.

Why it matters: the project would convert 34.28 acres between Old Green Bay Road and Royal Oaks Drive to Residential Low Density 1 (RL1) and plat roughly 103 buildable lots (57 duplex lots and 46 single‑family lots as described in the developer’s submittal). Commissioners, residents and environmental advocates debated how the subdivision’s streets would connect to existing neighborhoods, how much wetland to preserve, and whether the village should accept parkland dedication or collect impact fees instead.

Key facts and actions - Site and proposal: Primestone Residential applied to rezone 34.28 acres from AG1 to RL1 and to record a preliminary plat that, as submitted, divides the parcel into about 103 buildable lots; the developer said a fourth lot exists as a driveway easement and likely would not be used for a dwelling. - Wetlands: the applicant reports about 3.5 acres of wetlands on the site and said it will preserve roughly 2.5 acres; some small wetlands are proposed for filling with state Department of Natural Resources permits where allowed. - Road layout and exception request: staff and the developer offered competing interpretations of an adopted neighborhood road layer that dates to the 1990s. The developer asked the commission to waive literal application of that layer to allow a plan with three public entrances instead of the older plan’s more numerous internal connections; staff said some of the proposed connections would require severe easements, cross wetlands or run through existing homes. - Public comment: neighbors repeatedly urged limiting new cut‑through traffic onto Providence Drive and asked that lots adjacent to existing single‑family yards be restricted to single‑family homes. Environmental groups urged more open space and preservation consistent with the Pike River watershed recommendations. - Commission action: the planning commission voted to recommend approval of the preliminary plat subject to the staff conditions in the commission packet and three additional items requested by commissioners: (1) demonstrate a roadway connection to Braun Road by removing Lots 103–104 as submitted and substituting a public right‑of‑way, (2) provide the deed‑restriction or restrictive‑covenant language that identifies which lots are to remain single‑family as the developer stated in meetings with neighbors, and (3) revise HOA/ownership documents so common outlots and stormwater facilities are held as undivided, proportionate interests consistent with village ordinance 74‑2.6. The commission recorded the motion and second and approved the recommendation by voice vote; specific roll‑call tallies were not provided in the transcript.

What commissioners and speakers said - Tom McLean, developer representative: "We have reduced the density...from 213 units to now 103 lots," and described moving two Providence Drive entrances to reduce cut‑through traffic and enlarge stormwater facilities. - Residents: Ted Snagowski (Providence Drive) said, "I oppose the change to the zoning as it sits now," arguing RL1 without further restrictions would permit two‑unit buildings that do not fit the neighborhood. Anne Zog (Royal Oaks Drive) asked the village to record deed restrictions so lots facing existing single‑family yards remain single‑family. - Dave Giordano, executive director of the Pike River Watershed Initiative Network, urged more open space and noted the parcel appears in watershed planning as environmentally valuable.

Staff context and next steps Staff advised the commission that the most recent park and open‑space plan (adopted as part of the comprehensive plan in 2021) does not recommend preserving the entire parcel as public open space, though older watershed materials recommended greater preservation. Staff also noted that a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required for plats larger than 100 lots; that study is normally completed between preliminary and final plat stages and could recommend layout adjustments.

Because the planning commission’s recommendation moves both the zoning amendment and the preliminary plat forward, the Village Board will consider the items at its public meeting. If the board makes different findings on the exception to the adopted transportation layer or requires different lot or road geometry, the plat could return to the commission for additional review. The commission’s conditions require submission of the revised HOA/restrictive‑covenant documents and engineering details as part of final‑plat review.

Ending: The village’s next step is Village Board consideration; the commission’s recommendation provides a road map of technical changes and legal documents the developer must supply before final approval and recording.