Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sendex Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board endorses public‑improvement recommendations for Sendex redevelopment with adjustments to medians, parking and landscaping
Summary
At a lengthy review of the Sendex redevelopment public‑improvements, the board accepted public‑works committee recommendations — keeping a pedestrian median at Lake Drive & Bulmont (teardrop shape), adding a rectangular rapid‑flashing beacon, saving select trees by removing a few parking stalls, pursuing permeable pavers (if MMSD funding is secured), and asking staff to refine bumpout and crosswalk details on Silver Spring Drive.
The Whitefish Bay Village Board and public‑works staff spent a lengthy portion of the Sept. 15 meeting reviewing design and traffic recommendations tied to the Sendex redevelopment project.
Matt (staff) and Christopher James (CJ), who led the design presentation, told the board the public‑works committee had carefully reviewed exhibits and recommended a set of changes and refinements. Key committee recommendations included keeping a pedestrian refuge/median at Lake Drive and Bulmont (but changing the median shape), adding a rectangular rapid‑flashing beacon on the north crossing to boost pedestrian visibility, and saving a prominent northeast tree near Bowmont by removing two nearby parking stalls.
The board also discussed permeable pavers for select parking areas as a stormwater‑management strategy and agreed to pursue MMSD funding; if MMSD funding is not secured the design would revert to conventional asphalt. Staff presented a redlined chart that shows a net reduction of three parking stalls across the project footprint to preserve sight lines and trees where residents requested them.
A long debate focused on a proposed bumpout and crosswalk configuration at Silver Spring and Console: proponents said bumpouts shorten crossing distances and improve pedestrian safety, while opponents raised concerns about squeezed traffic lanes, loss of retailer parking and winter maintenance complications. Trustees asked staff to develop alternative, lower‑cost treatments (painted enhancements, planters, removable bike‑parking stations or raised crosswalks) and to finalize curb locations before construction because adding bumpouts later would be more expensive.
Transit and amenity items: MCTS boarding data showed very low daily boardings at the westbound Silver Spring stop near Sendex; staff recommended adding a bench and improved lighting rather than a covered shelter based on the ridership data. Because some private‑side renderings showed different landscaping than the public‑improvement exhibits, staff asked the board to require that Sendex maintain public landscaping in the developer agreement.
Next steps: staff will incorporate the board’s direction into final plan sets, pursue MMSD funding for permeable pavers, confirm curb locations, and include a landscaping/maintenance requirement in the developer agreement.
