Council holds first reading on annexation of 38.28 acres for future single‑family subdivision

The Port Washington Common Council held a first reading on March 4 of Ordinance 2025‑04, a petition to annex roughly 38.28 acres from the town of Port Washington for development of a proposed single‑family subdivision of about 95 lots. There was no council vote during the first reading.

Bob Harris told the council the landowners had recorded two certified surveys creating the lots needed for the subdivision and that the town had passed a detachment resolution consistent with the city‑town boundary agreement (2004). The plan commission recommended temporary RS‑4 single‑family zoning pending permanent zoning; the state Department of Administration reviewed the petition and recommended it met statutory requirements.

Council members and staff discussed several implementation items the annexation will require: an amendment to the city sanitary sewer map (under review), an amendment to the comprehensive plan (a public notice and a 30‑day comment period have already been started), and review by parks staff for open‑space needs. Harris said the annexation would place the parcels in Ward 4 and in the Port Washington‑Saukville School District, but the ZIP code for the area will remain a Grafton postal code.

Councilors also raised practical questions: who will maintain East Sauk Road and how to handle a triangular "island" created by the boundary agreement. City legal counsel (Mister Nugent) explained the boundary agreement allows the island to exist and that it will remain unless the agreement is changed. The council explored whether road names could be changed to reduce confusion between similarly named streets in different parts of the city.

Ending — next steps: because this was a first reading, no vote was taken; staff will continue sewer coordination, comprehensive plan amendments and prepare the annexation ordinance for a second reading.