Planning Commission recommends rezoning, variance and minor subdivision for 5570/5580 Shorewood Lane

The City of Shorewood Planning Commission on Sept. 2 recommended that the City Council approve a rezoning, variance and minor subdivision application filed by Shorewood Properties, LLC for 5570 and 5580 Shorewood Lane. The commission voted 4–0 to forward the recommendation, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report.

Planning Director Griffiths presented the staff analysis and told commissioners that staff recommended approval. He told the commission that "the previous Comprehensive Plan had designated the site as being between two to three units/acre," and that the current Comprehensive Plan had shifted the guidance to three to six units per acre while retaining the "three" as a key reference point. Griffiths also noted a discrepancy between the Comprehensive Plan and the City Code lot-size provisions that the city plans to address in a future code update.

Chair Huskins opened the public hearing at 7:18 p.m.; with no members of the public present to speak, he closed it at 7:18 p.m. Commissioners asked staff questions about code provisions and utility connections during the discussion. Commissioner Magistad asked whether the City could incentivize future hookups to municipal water lines; Griffiths replied that "there were no incentives for hooking up to the municipal water system," but said the City Council has adopted policy changes that will require some projects to connect in the future and that staff are developing an organized hookup program. Because the application was submitted before those Council policy changes took effect, Griffiths said the applicant may propose a private well under current City Code.

Pat Steinhoff, attorney for the applicant, was present and available to answer commissioners' questions. After discussion, Commissioner Magistad moved and Commissioner Ruoff seconded a recommendation to approve the rezoning, variance and minor subdivision for Shorewood Properties, LLC at 5570/5580 Shorewood Lane, subject to the conditions in the staff report; the motion passed 4–0.

The Planning Commission's recommendation is advisory and will be considered by the City Council, which has final authority on zoning and subdivision approvals.