Commission requires conditions on Brookstone plan after debate over balconies, buffers and affordability

At an initial hearing Nov. 6, the City of Kenosha Plan Commission pressed the developer of Brookstone multifamily (94 units) for design commitments and clarity about long-term affordability.

Developer Nick Orthman said the project would remain income- or rent-restricted and that the site plan had been revised to split the development into three buildings: 48 units for seniors and 46 non-age-restricted units. Orthman requested flexibility on condition 2(e), which calls for porches or balconies on units, suggesting 30–35 units could reasonably receive those amenities. He also asked for latitude on the southern landscape buffer (condition 2(h)) because a 16-foot We Energies easement limits planting options.

Staff said it was seeking balconies on all units and noted ordinance language allowing review authority to waive or alter buffer requirements where appropriate. Commissioners raised concerns about trash collection location and unit design; one commissioner urged that balconies are a quality-of-life feature and said, "I personally would support a 100% balconies" (speaker 1). The commission ultimately established conditions of approval directing the applicant to work with staff on final landscaping and to return final elevations and developer agreement details for commission review.

The developer said the project had already received competitive tax-credit funding from the state, a point staff and commissioners cited as a reason to move the project forward while ensuring design and buffering meet neighborhood and code expectations. The commission’s conditions do not finalize every detail; final approvals will hinge on submitted elevations and a developer agreement.