Franklin planning panel backs school expansion but narrows access, preserves buffer after neighbors protest

FRANKLIN, Wis. — The City of Franklin Plan Commission on Aug. 21 approved a conditional use permit and a natural‑resources special exception that allow parts of the Franklin High School expansion to move forward — including tennis courts, a practice field and parking — while limiting how the project can use adjacent woodland and a residential access road.

The commission approved the conditional use, with a 4‑1 vote, directing that the Highview Drive connection be limited to emergency vehicles and that lighting for the new tennis courts be turned off at 8 p.m. except for school‑sponsored events. The panel later approved a natural‑resources special exception, also 4‑1, that clears specific wetland and woodland impacts in exchange for mitigation and a 150‑foot setback from the east and south property lines for most new development.

The decisions came after nearly four hours of public comment and questioning from commissioners and city staff, with dozens of neighbors speaking against removing woodlands and some students, parents and school officials urging approval so the district can complete facilities funded by a citizen‑approved referendum.

Why it matters: Voters approved a roughly $145 million referendum in November 2024 that included high‑school additions and athletics. School officials say those improvements are needed to serve about 4,700 district students and to upgrade athletic and career‑technical spaces; neighbors say the plan unexpectedly calls for cutting roughly 6–8 acres of protected woodland and disturbing wetlands established under a conservation easement.

What the commission approved and limited - Conditional use: The commission approved the conditional use with the caveat that the Highview Drive access be restricted to emergency access only, and that tennis‑court lighting be turned off by 8 p.m. except for school‑sponsored matches and events. The motion passed 4–1 (Commissioner Haley dissenting). - Natural‑resource special exception (NRSE): The commission approved impacts to about 0.27 acres of wetlands, 0.66 acres of wetland buffer, 0.55 acres of wetland setback and 6.74 acres of woodland as modified in the applicant’s revised plans. The approval requires mitigation on‑ and off‑site and includes a condition preserving a 150‑foot vegetated buffer along the south and east property lines; the vote was 4–1. - Site plan: The commission tabled the detailed site plan for a later regular meeting so the applicant can incorporate the commission’s conditions and provide final technical details. The applicant will return to the commission after revisions.

What proponents said School district officials said the renovation and addition respond to long‑running programmatic needs. “I have the honor of advocating tonight on behalf of 4,700 students enrolled in Franklin Public Schools,” said Mike Sprague, president of the Franklin Board of Education, urging approval of the project as planned and noting the referendum’s voter support.

Assistant Superintendent Andy Cromie and District Administrator Annalene Bennett presented site changes made after neighbor meetings: reductions in the number of future tennis courts, a smaller practice‑field footprint, an added 1.4 acres of preserved woodland in one revision and lowered, shielded lighting to limit off‑site glare. The district also described a multi‑phase construction schedule: the new field house and internal building work are early phases, with tennis courts and associated parking scheduled later (district representatives said those later elements are not expected until 2028).

What opponents said Neighbors and conservation advocates urged denial or significant revision. “Just because you could do something doesn’t mean you should,” said Willie Dusky, summarizing residents’ objections to removing an established forest and filling wetlands. Several neighbors said the conservation easement covering the woodland — recorded about 10 years ago — should be honored “in perpetuity,” and they questioned whether appropriate alternatives had been examined.

Commissioner Haley, the sole dissenting vote on both approvals, said the applicant had not met the ordinance standard for a natural‑resources exception and described much of the situation as self‑imposed by the district. “I don’t believe that you’ve made a compelling argument for you us to give you that special exception,” Haley said during deliberations.

Traffic, safety and construction staging A major focus of the hearing was motor vehicle access. The district had proposed a staff/tennis parking access from the dead‑end of Highview Drive to the east; neighbors said the change would direct traffic through a narrow, residential street. The commission’s conditional‑use vote limits routine access from Highview to emergency vehicles, while the site plan will include an engineered hammerhead/turnaround to city standards. The district said it would assign the roughly 70 staff parking spaces behind the school and enforce parking‑permit rules to limit driveway circulation.

Construction staging and phasing were discussed at length. District and contractor representatives said they plan to use the upper site area as a construction laydown area during the later phases; they said major heavy deliveries would come from 50th Street and Ryan Road to the west and south, not through neighborhood streets, and estimated a construction workforce of about 50 people per day during peak phases.

Environmental mitigation and permits The commission’s NRSE approval requires mitigation ratios spelled out in the City of Franklin Unified Development Ordinance; the district proposed on‑site mitigation parcels and an off‑site planting and wetland mitigation area on Hilltop Lane. City staff and the applicant noted that state and federal approvals may also be required (the DNR and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were referenced by commenters and staff), and commissioners asked that the district provide documentation and detailed mitigation plans when the site plan returns.

Next steps The site plan was tabled so the district can revise drawings to reflect the commission’s conditions, provide final construction and stormwater engineering, and produce any required permit documentation. The district will notify staff when it is ready to be placed on a future Plan Commission agenda.

The commission’s actions split local stakeholders: proponents, including student athletes and some parents, said the upgrades will expand opportunities and safety; opponents said the proposal would permanently remove mature woodlands and increase flood risk and neighborhood traffic. The school must now reconcile those concerns in the revised site plan and in subsequent permitting with the city and any state or federal reviewers.

— Reporting by the City of Franklin Plan Commission meeting, Aug. 21, 2025. Quotes and outcomes are from the public record of that hearing.