Commission approves Stanley Street rezoning but delays planned-development decision amid parking, accessibility and density concerns

The Stevens Point Plan Commission on May 4 recommended rezoning a Stanley Street parcel to the R-4 multifamily district to permit a proposed three-building development totaling 56 units, but commissioners postponed consideration of the project's planned-development (PD) overlay request to give staff and the applicant time to address parking, stormwater, landscaping and accessibility concerns.

Adam (community development staff) briefed the commission on the proposal: two 12-unit buildings and a 32-unit building (the larger building primarily one-bedroom units), for a total of 56 units and roughly 80 bedrooms. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning; the commission recorded a voice vote in favor with Commissioner Beacom recorded as opposed.

At the PD-overlay hearing — the agenda item that would authorize a density deviation from the municipal code's usual minimum-lot-size calculations — commissioners and members of the public raised a range of concerns. Commissioners and Alderpersons asked for more robust stormwater calculations, clearer landscaping that would provide acoustic buffering, and better evidence that parking and circulation would meet realistic demand, not just the zoning minimums.

One commissioner noted the project site (about 130,000 square feet) compares unfavorably with the zoning minimum cited for the proposed R-4 density (about 215,200 square feet), meaning the applicant is seeking an exception to lot-size/density rules. The applicant, Tyler Ignatowski, said he had been working with engineering consultants on stormwater and that preliminary parking counts show up to 104 parking spaces if garage and surface stalls are tallied; staff's written packet counted 81 stalls toward the zoning calculation.

Several speakers urged stronger accessibility commitments. Alder Andrea Olsen and others asked whether the development could provide more ground-floor accessible units than the state building code minimum. Staff advised caution: the commission may recommend design improvements but cannot require developers to exceed state building-code minimums as a condition of rezoning; an applicant may choose to provide additional accessible units voluntarily.

Commissioners also asked for side-by-side comparisons to other local multifamily projects (for example, recent projects on Division and Maria) to better understand density and parking outcomes in comparable contexts. After extensive discussion, Commissioner Arntzen moved to postpone final action on the PD overlay and associated items pending staff review and applicant revisions; the motion carried, and the related agenda items were removed from tonight's calendar for re-submittal.

Next steps: staff will work with the applicant to supply additional stormwater calculations, a clearer parking explanation, landscaping and accessibility options and comparables showing how this proposal relates to other recent multifamily projects; the PD overlay will return to the commission for reconsideration once those materials are provided.