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Plan Commission backs Southeast Area Plan with map note protecting quarry cultural resources
Summary
After public comment from neighborhood leaders and property representatives, the Plan Commission recommended adoption of the Southeast Area Plan and added a map note designating portions of the Wingra and QRS parcels as parks/open space for cultural resources and potential stormwater management while allowing future detailed planning to revisit street connections.
The Plan Commission on June 15 recommended the Common Council adopt the Southeast Area Plan and approved its own resolution to amend the comprehensive plan, adding a staff-drafted map note to protect portions of a quarry site that contain cultural resources.
The decision followed a staff presentation by co-leads Jeff Gregor and Rebecca Kinnear, who outlined proposed land-use changes, new medium-residential categories, sidewalk and pedestrian safety priorities, and redevelopment opportunities at several targeted sites. Gregor described key redevelopment sites including the former American Family office site and the Cottage Grove/Atwood corridor, and highlighted coordination with WisDOT on alternatives for Highway 51.
Public comment: Sarah Wilkin Gebhardt, president of the Lake Edge Neighborhood Association, spoke in opposition to parts of the draft plan that would designate a block near Monona Drive as community mixed use (allowing up to six stories). "I'm just concerned that with community mixed use, that that could really, put a damper on the walkability of...this entry point to our neighborhood," she said, asking staff to consider neighborhood-scale alternatives and to clarify design standards, stormwater and heat impacts.
Staff response and compromise: Staff answered questions about design standards, the removal of an asterisk permitting certain small multifamily forms in low-residential categories, and the plan’s approach to stormwater and tree canopy. On the contested quarry parcels (Wingra and the QRS property), staff described site constraints — steep quarry walls, hydric soils, and a burial mound — and proposed a compromise map note. The agreed text designates the area as "parks and open space due to the presence of cultural resources and a potential stormwater management area serving future development," while adding that "future detailed planning ... may demonstrate portions of this area are suitable for additional streets to support additional residential development." The commission accepted that map note language as part of its motion.
Why it matters: The Southeast Area Plan changes generalized future land use in places to allow more mixed-use and medium-density housing along major corridors, and it adds specific transportation and green-infrastructure priorities. The map-note compromise preserves protections for cultural resources while leaving room for technical, site-level planning to determine whether parts of the quarry area can later support development and street connections.
Motion and vote: Commissioner Solheim moved the commission recommend adoption of the plan and associated comp-plan amendment, including the staff edits and the new map note for the Wingra and QRS parcels; Commissioner Heck seconded. The chair called for unanimous approval and the motion passed. The commission then adopted its resolution approving the comp-plan amendment and will forward the recommendation to the Common Council for final action.
Next steps: The commission’s recommendations and the final map-note language will be included in the Common Council packet for consideration at the next council meeting.
