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Plan Commission defers decision on proposed 110‑unit University Avenue apartment after neighborhood objections
Summary
Neighbors told the Middleton Plan Commission the proposed 110‑unit apartment at 6333 University Avenue would erode privacy, increase traffic and remove neighborhood retail; after developer presentations and detailed questioning by commissioners the panel voted to defer action so the applicant can respond to comments, provide a traffic study and other analyses.
The Middleton Plan Commission on June 23 deferred a decision on a proposed 110‑unit, three‑to‑four‑story apartment building at 6333 University Avenue after a night of public testimony and detailed technical questions from commissioners.
Neighbors who live directly behind the site told the commission the building's rear massing would loom over backyards, reduce privacy and could depress property values. "That building would run parallel to the back of my property line, four stories high, and will completely change the atmosphere of my backyard," said Kevin Hurd of 6330 Elmwood Avenue. Several neighbors also said they learned about the project only days earlier and asked why the rezoning and schedule were not better publicized.
Residents raised safety concerns for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially children who use nearby streets. "We're a Girl Scout neighborhood," said a local leader who identified herself and said her troop often walks and bikes in the area; she said additional traffic exiting onto Elmwood Avenue could increase risk. Neighbors also objected to the loss of existing retail along the University corridor and asked whether tax-increment financing (TIF) would be used to support the development.
Developer representatives Kevin Burrow of Knothe & Bruce Architects and Colin Smith of Jamie McCormick Properties said the building is oriented to front University Avenue, steps back along the west side to reduce impacts on adjacent homes, and will include underground parking and stormwater systems. Smith said most commercial tenants at the existing strip mall have leases through June 2031 and the developer may not be able to break leases earlier; he told the commission the earliest potential construction start would be late 2031 or early 2032 if leases are resolved.
Staff and the developer agreed that a new development must meet current stormwater standards and that roof and site runoff would be collected and managed on-site; the applicant said an underground stormwater system would improve existing drainage compared with current conditions. Developers also said they plan native plantings and warranty obligations for landscapers.
Commissioners pressed for additional technical information. They asked the applicant to provide a four‑season shadow study to quantify shading impacts on neighboring yards and requested a traffic impact analysis (TIA); staff said the TIA contract is under way and a study could take up to 60 days. Commissioners also sought a tree‑protection plan for the western and southern property lines, stronger buffering and landscaping in the 20‑foot buffer yard, and clearer primary entrance treatments consistent with the University Avenue Corridor Plan.
After discussion the commission voted to amend the condition list to incorporate the additional items discussed — including a tree protection plan and clarified entry/porch language — and then to defer final consideration so the applicant can respond, provide requested studies and, if appropriate, present an alternate site plan that addresses neighbors' concerns.
Next steps: The project will return to the commission after the developer submits requested analyses and any revised plans. The commission's deferral does not represent a policy decision on the merits but is intended to provide time for additional study and neighborhood engagement.
