Plan commission approves Blackstone Creek PDD amendment and certified survey map; Culver’s site plan tabled after design questions

The Village of Germantown Plan Commission on Oct. 13 approved amendments to the Blackstone Creek planned development district (PDD) and a related certified survey map to create a 1.27‑acre commercial pad and a 133‑acre remainder for the former Lake Park/Blackstone golf course. The commission’s actions permit a mixed-use redevelopment concept that includes up to 205 multifamily dwelling units in a roughly 20.55‑acre multifamily area and two commercial pads along Mequon Road — one of which is being proposed for a Culver’s restaurant with drive‑through service.

The applicant, Jim Sedgwick / HyMet Capital LLC acting for Blackstone Creek LLC, presented an updated general development plan that shows 135 units in up to seven two‑story “garden‑style” walk-up buildings, a separate building that could hold up to 70 units (and optional first-floor retail), seven detached garage structures, internal walking paths and two commercial pads on Mequon Road. One pad is captioned for a drive‑through restaurant (the Culver’s proposal), the other is a 1–1.3‑acre commercial site with no anchor identified.

Why it mattered

The proposal generated sustained public comment. Many neighbors — including condominium owners in Lake Park West and residents who live along the golf course — urged the commission to preserve the course and to reject the plan, citing flooding history, concerns about traffic and school capacity, and potential loss of a recreational asset. A group of golfers and long-time users of Blackstone also submitted letters urging the village to preserve the course. Despite the controversy, the commission concluded the proposed mix of uses is consistent with the village’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan village-center guidance and approved the PDD amendment.

Key details of the approvals

- PDD amendment: The commission voted to amend the Blackstone Creek PDD to add restaurants with drive-through service, to permit RM‑3 multi‑family development at up to a 10‑unit-per‑acre density (with a 205‑unit cap on the 20.55‑acre parcel), and to add architectural guidance and specific conditions to guide future development. Staff recommended and the commission approved codifying the amendments and consolidating prior PDD conditions into a single resolution.

- Certified survey map: The commission approved a CSM that splits the golf-course parcel into Lot 1 (the 1.27‑acre pad for the proposed Culver’s), Lot 2 (a roughly 133‑acre golf-course remainder), and an outlot comprising floodplain/wetland area that will be available for potential transfer to the Fairway Knoll/Persbyterian Homes property. Staff noted technical survey corrections to be addressed before recording.

- Culver’s site plan: The Culver’s team presented building renderings and a site layout for a 4,403‑square‑foot drive‑through restaurant sited at the Mequon/Division Road corner. Commissioners and staff praised many design elements but asked for modifications to make the building more consistent with the village’s “Germanic” corridor guidance on Mequon Road: specifically, a less-flat roofline (a pitched or hip variant was suggested), adjustments to metal roofing/cladding, and additional articulation of the elevation that faces Division Road. The commission tabled the Culver’s site plan to allow the applicant to revise architectural drawings and align materials and elevations with the PDD design direction.

Financial and infrastructure notes

Staff and the applicant discussed utility extensions, stormwater and grading, and required traffic improvements. The developer provided a traffic impact analysis that identified intersection and driveway improvements (turn lanes and restriping) as mitigation measures; the consultant’s projection concluded intersections would generally operate at level-of-service D or better with the project. The developer will be responsible for site utility extensions, restriping and driveway work tied to the Culver’s pad and future residential phases. The village engineer provided technical review comments to be addressed in subsequent site plans.

Public comments and commission concerns

Opponents argued that the golf course is a long‑standing local amenity, that recent flooding makes portions of the property ill-suited for redevelopment, and that the school district and emergency services could be strained by new multifamily units. Supporters of redevelopment or of the Culver’s pad argued the plan will return taxable value to underused land, provide walkable connections to Mequon Road and help activate the village center concept in the 2050 plan. Commissioners asked for architecture that ties into the village vision, stronger landscaping buffers along the east property line adjacent to existing multifamily residential, and technical commitments on utility extensions and public amenities such as a reserved area for a neighborhood “gateway” element.

Votes at a glance

- PDD amendment (general development plan and list of permitted uses including restaurants with drive-through and multifamily up to 205 units): APPROVED (Plan Commission motion passed on Oct. 13). - Certified survey map (create 1.27-acre Culver’s pad, 133-acre golf-course remainder, outlot): APPROVED (Plan Commission motion passed on Oct. 13). - Culver’s site plan for a 4,403 sq ft drive-through restaurant: TABLED (applicant to revise architecture/roofline and return to the plan commission).

What’s next

The PDD amendment will be codified by a village-board resolution consolidating prior conditions. The Culver’s team must revise building elevations and demonstrate compliance with PDD architectural guidance before the plan commission will take final action on the site plan; the developer’s multifamily site and building plans will need separate, later review and approvals. Several commissioners asked staff and the applicant to supply more detailed landscaping plans along the eastern property line to protect adjacent residents’ views and privacy.