A series of River Falls residents used the Nov. 11 public-comment period to press the City Council to uphold existing zoning and lot-size standards for the Woodridge area as developers pursue a denser neighborhood.

Cheryl Hoffman of the Woodridge Neighborhood Association said the developer's revised plan "only removed 1 house, which shows little effort to comply in good faith," and warned that increasing the proposal from an original 74 homes to 92 would harm neighborhood character if the council permits deviations to fit a developer's financial needs. Tom McNamara, who provided the city's R-2 zoning materials, said the proposed lots appear to deviate from the R-2 standard (75-foot width, 7,500-square-foot minimum) and said perimeter lots currently range from a half-acre to an acre, making the proposed density incompatible.

Other residents raised related concerns: Cheryl Johnson said smaller lots and crowding could worsen speeding on local streets; Gerald Gilbertson noted unresolved issues about emergency access, snow plowing and fire safety; and Eric Amundson called attention to the number of homes that would be added adjacent to existing properties.

Councilmembers and staff responded in later discussion on the Wildflower Meadows application: staff said the R-2 zoning designation was applied at annexation in conformance with the comprehensive plan and that the current PUD revisions increased perimeter lot widths and enlarged the central park. The council ultimately approved the PUD and preliminary plat after staff described the changes.

No formal motions resulted from public comment itself, but speakers' concerns were referenced during the subsequent PUD presentation and vote.