Plan Commission recommends rezoning and preliminary plat for Winterberry Reserve, approving mixed-size single-family subdivision

The Waukesha City Plan Commission on Feb. 26 recommended that the Common Council approve rezoning and a planned unit development overlay for Winterberry Reserve, a proposed single-family subdivision north of Summit Avenue east of Meadowbrook Apartments. The commission also approved the subdivisions preliminary plat.

The proposal revises an earlier 54-lot plan to add smaller "carriage-lane" lots in an interior block while retaining larger perimeter lots adjacent to existing single-family neighborhoods. Staff described the rezoning request as a change from straight RS-3 single-family zoning to RS-3 with a PUD overlay to permit lots as small as roughly 4,520 square feet and minimum lot widths of about 40 feet for interior parcels. "To allow those smaller lots, we'll have to go to a PUD that will need to be included," said Doug, planning staff member.

Why it matters: Staff said the change responds to the citys adopted land use plan and a housing study that identified a shortage of housing variety; the PUD is intended to add more attainable single-family housing types while protecting existing perimeter lots and tree lines.

Developer Veridian Homes presented renderings and said the carriage-lane product aims at buyers in a certain income band and that architectural and anti-monotony standards would be recorded in covenants. Ben, a Veridian Homes representative, showed examples of a similar carriage-lane neighborhood and said the developer plans to limit repeat facade/plan combinations across adjacent homes.

Discussion points included tree preservation along the north and east boundaries, stormwater management, rock blasting to be handled in an early phase, private-alley maintenance and required HOA responsibilities for snow removal and garbage pickup, and lamppost maintenance and easements. Alderman Rick Lemke urged the developer to include HOA language allowing easement access for lamppost repairs if homeowners do not make timely repairs; Lemke also raised concerns about snow storage in carriage-lane areas and asked that HOA documents address maintenance responsibilities.

Staff and the developer agreed to additional standards: a 15-foot street-yard setback for the narrower lots (with porches allowed to encroach up to 3 feet), 5-foot side-yard setbacks, a minimum 18-foot rear setback for garages with 20-foot alley pavement, and a minimum of four off-street parking stalls per lot (two of which may be inside garages), with vehicle access from the private alley. The commission also recommended a prohibition on driveway aprons from the street for those narrower lots.

Actions and votes: The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning to RS-3 with a PUD overlay based on the specifics discussed and to approve the preliminary subdivision plat with an engineering-driven minor revision to make one intersection a three-way stop for safety. Both recommendations will go to the Common Council for final action.

Key technical items: Engineering staff requested a minor roadway adjustment to create a straight north-south approach and a three-way stop to address sightlines where the alley intersects; that adjustment will slightly alter one lot configuration. Stormwater and tree-preservation plans were addressed in the submission, and the developer said any required blasting would be completed in the first phase rather than stretched across multiple phases.

Ending: The commission recommended both the rezoning and preliminary plat with conditions that will be carried forward to the council packet; staff said the final plat and any engineering comments must be addressed before recording.