Plan commission approves Honey Creek height increase, tables final development plan amid questions on RV electrical service

The East Troy Plan Commission voted to recommend that the Village Board approve an amendment to the Honey Creek Plan Development District to raise the maximum building height for Lot 2 from 20 feet to 30 feet.

The amendment was proposed by applicant I 43 Investments LLC and presented by Paul Van Henkelm, the applicant’s agent. The commission’s recommendation on that ordinance change passed after a public hearing and motion to forward the draft ordinance to the Village Board.

The commission then discussed the companion final development plan for the same Honey Creek site and decided to postpone action until the next meeting. Staff and the applicant told commissioners the final plan as submitted raised several issues that must be resolved before final approval, including zoning-code limits on electrical service to individual self-storage units, additional impervious surface from redesigned buildings, and fire-department access and hydrant placement.

Why it matters: the general development plan amendment changes a prior height limitation that had been set below the underlying zoning standard. The final development plan determines whether the detailed site and building plans conform to the village requirements and the previously approved general-development framework.

Details of the amendment and remaining questions Paul Van Henkelm, agent for Toronto Builders, said the proposed change would accommodate buildings with an 18-foot wall and a 3/12 roof pitch and noted that some buildings on the site would reach “maybe 24 feet-ish” under the village definition and that the 30-foot cap would permit the proposed design. He told the commission the developer wants to start construction “this fall” and hoped to get foundations in soon.

Commission and staff discussion focused on several remaining technical and policy items in the final development plan. Village staff said the zoning standards for self-storage facilities prohibit providing electrical service to individual storage units. The developer’s revised plans propose climate-controlled units and electrical service to some RV-storage bays to allow vehicle charging and internal climate control.

Village staff said permitting electrical service to individual units would require going outside the standard self-storage provisions and that the general development plan would need a separate amendment and a noticed public hearing if the commission and village board wished to permit the proposed electrical service. Staff recommended tabling the final development plan to allow time to draft and notice that amendment and to resolve engineering and fire-protection details.

Fire, access and site-configuration concerns Commissioners and the developer discussed hydrant locations and turning movements for emergency vehicles. The developer and staff noted existing hydrants near the site but acknowledged the village fire chief had raised concerns about hydrant placement and whether new hydrants would create a public water main and associated easement through the site. The developer said the site would use access-control key fobs and cameras and argued those measures would reduce the risk of longtime occupancy; staff and commissioners said they would want the fire chief’s input before final approval.

The developer also described changes in building footprints and impervious area: two buildings (11 and 12) would be climate-controlled, buildings 17 and 18 were reconfigured to add end-cap RV bays, and other buildings had minor footprint changes. The applicant said some buildings already approved remain unchanged and that, if necessary, the project could begin with non-electrical buildings while the village and applicant resolve the electrical and fire-protection questions.

Next steps The commission agreed to postpone final action on the final development plan until the next meeting so staff and the applicant could resolve fire-department and technical comments and, if needed, prepare a separate, noticed general development plan amendment on electrical service to individual units. The earlier amendment raising the maximum building height will be forwarded to the Village Board for final action as recommended by the commission.

Ending note: Commissioners and the applicant said they expect to return next month with revised materials and, if necessary, a noticed amendment to the general development plan to address electrical service to individual units.