Verona council approves Phase 1 amendment for Whispering Coves; declines developer’s request for blanket early permits

The Verona Common Council on Feb. 24 approved a staff-drafted First Amendment to the Phase 1 development agreement for the Whispering Coves subdivision that sets firm deadlines for remaining public improvements and preserves the city’s ability to draw on the developer’s letter of credit if outstanding work is not finished.

The amendment, which the council approved on a voice vote after a lengthy public discussion, moves a short list of items into a Phase 1B category to be completed by June 30, 2025; requires temporary wet-well covers be secured within 10 days of the amendment’s execution; and requires the developer to deliver updated construction plans to the city engineer within 10 days. City staff said the action clarifies which improvements must be fully completed and accepted before final acceptance and preserves the city’s remedies if the work is not finished.

City staff framed the vote as a matter of standard contracting and public-safety practice. "I'm not aware of any municipality that accepts public improvements when we know that there are defects with them," City Attorney Kleinmeyer said during the discussion, pointing to identified defects such as broken curb and gutter and sidewalk sections listed in the staff addendum. Public works staff and the city engineer also told the council some items on the punch list…