Plan Commission unanimously recommends approval of OneNorth memory-care unit amid resident concerns

Village of Bayside Plan Commission members on Feb. 4, 2025, voted unanimously to recommend that the Village Board approve a conditional use permit for the memory-care portion (a Community-Based Residential Facility, or CBRF) of Matter Development27s OneNorth senior living project, along with the related site and building plans and a public improvement agreement.

The recommendation follows a staff report from Village Planner Jackie Mich endorsing approval subject to minor modifications, and a developer presentation describing design changes intended to improve the memory-care wing and resident amenities. Planner Mich told commissioners staff27s conditions include additional landscaping, installation of a bicycle rack, and improved exterior lighting.

Developer Aaron Matter said the proposed memory-care wing has been rearranged to create a more engaging environment and that the craft room will be located on the south side of the building facing Brown Deer Road. He also said the developer is in discussions with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation over a roughly six-foot land swap on the south property line that would allow the building to move south about six feet to ease excavation during construction; Mr. Matter said the move would shift the building footprint rather than enlarge it.

During the public hearing, more than a dozen residents spoke, many urging the commission to delay approval. Speakers raised recurring concerns about the scale of the building relative to the lot, potential increases in traffic and noise, and what they described as inadequate communication about larger projects. Kari Schmidt asked what due diligence had been performed and whether the developer had abandoned previously described multi-function uses for OneNorth. Several residents urged preserving green space instead of siting a senior living facility there.

Commissioners sought and received clarifications before voting. Commissioner Roger Arteaga-Derenne confirmed with the developer that the plan would shift, not enlarge, the building by approximately six feet. Mr. Matter said Matter Development operates three nearby memory-care units and that each is at capacity, which he offered as local demand context. Chair Pro-Tem Mike Barth repeated that the conditional use permit under review applied only to the memory-care portion of the development and noted that commissioners reported no conflicts of interest. Commissioners also noted that public notices had been posted in the Bayside Buzz and on the village website.

Votes at a glance: - Conditional Use Permit for CBRF (OneNorth at Tax Key 022-9002-000): motion to recommend Village Board approval with staff-recommended modifications; carried unanimously (Barth, Arteaga-Derenne, Houck, Krampf). Conditions included a parking reduction to 154 spaces (from 187 required), at least 10 bicycle parking spaces, enhanced landscaping and additional pedestrian/architectural lighting. - Site and building plan (Matter Development, OneNorth): recommendation to approve; carried unanimously. - Senior Living Development Public Improvement Agreement: recommendation to approve; carried unanimously.

Next steps: The Plan Commission27s actions were recommendations to the Village Board; the Village Board must consider and vote on the conditional use permit, site and building plans, and the public improvement agreement at a later date (meeting date not specified in the transcript). The commission adjourned at 7:08 p.m.