Madison Plan Commission approves two‑lot division at 7021 Cottage Grove Road with access and fire‑safety conditions

The Madison Plan Commission on May 11 recommended approval of a certified survey map (Legistar 92589) to split a roughly 20‑acre parcel at 7021 Cottage Grove Road into two 10‑acre residential lots, subject to conditions from planning, engineering, mapping and the fire department.

Planner Tim Parks told commissioners the site is landlocked and that staff recommends using a planned multi‑use site construct with recorded easements and reciprocal agreements with the adjacent parcel at 7049 Cottage Grove Road to guarantee perpetual access. "The goal here is to create perpetual access for proposed lots 1 and 2 to Cottage Grove Road," Parks said, and staff recommended approval conditioned on formalizing that access and mapping natural features.

Why it matters: the parcel sits about a quarter‑mile from Cottage Grove Road and contains a regulatory floodway, floodplain and wetlands. Parks said those features must be shown on the certified survey map and that staff will work with the applicant to locate building envelopes on upland, developable portions of the lots so new structures avoid sensitive areas.

Commissioners asked how building envelopes could be modified in the future. Parks said restrictions recorded "for public benefit" are governed by Wisconsin subdivision law (section 236.293) and the city subdivision ordinance; any future change to those envelopes would require a common council resolution following plan commission review. "Those restrictions for public benefit are on the property in the form that they were created until there's a subsequent instrument recorded that modifies or releases those," Parks said.

Fire safety was a central condition. Because the parcels are a distance from Cottage Grove Road, the fire department required either the extension of public water and installation of a hydrant or the installation of sprinklers in any new residence. Parks summarized those options as part of the recommended conditions in the staff report.

The chair opened the public hearing; Director Megan Tuttle reported one registrant in support, property owner Michael Schuster, who was available to answer questions. No public commenters requested to speak and the commission closed the hearing.

Commissioner Solheim moved that the commission find the approval criteria met and recommend approval of the two‑lot CSM subject to the conditions in the staff report; Commissioner Sanders seconded. The motion passed by unanimous consent.

Next steps: the commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the common council and the applicant must record the required easements, file the certified survey map showing wetlands and floodplain, and satisfy the fire department and other conditions before new building permits would be allowed.