Plan commission, board approve Buddhist temple shed replacement after engineers raise drainage questions

The Village of Waukesha’s Plan Commission and Village Board on June 12 recommended and approved a site plan and plan-of-operation amendment allowing a Buddhist temple at S46 W23214 Lonsdale Road to replace an existing 20-by-33-foot accessory shed with a larger 30-by-42-foot storage building, subject to village staff conditions and review by the village engineer.

Sean (staff member) described the project as a straightforward replacement: the existing accessory structure is deteriorating and will be removed and replaced with a metal storage building on a concrete slab. The new building will increase gross accessory area from roughly 660 square feet to 1,260 square feet and will be sited farther east so the new structure meets the zoning-required 20-foot offset from the lot line.

Village engineer Greg pointed out grading and drainage concerns at the proposed slab location. He noted a shallow drainage swale under the area where the new slab is proposed and said the petitioner should reroute runoff away from the slab, likely toward the west where the old shed sat. "I think it's needed. But ... there's kind of a shallow drainage swell right in the center of where they're proposing to put the concrete slab," Greg said. He requested revised grading details to show how the swale and approximately 4 feet of elevation change near the driveway would be addressed; he said the petitioner provided a revised grading plan just before the meeting for staff and engineer review.

A representative of the temple said the work would keep the existing slope and replace bare dirt with a concrete slab; the petitioner said, "Exact same slope. All we wanted to do was replace it with concrete." Commissioners asked follow-up questions about the orientation of the overhead door and whether retaining walls or grading adjustments would be needed; Greg said the issues appeared resolvable but required more detailed grading and drainage information.

The Plan Commission moved to recommend approval of the amendment subject to staff conditions and village engineer approval; the Village Board accepted that recommendation. The formal motion advanced the project with conditions that include revised grading and drainage plans, compliance with staff recommendations, and sign-off by the village engineer before final permits are issued.