Minutes
Town of West Bend Plan Commission
Thursday June 22nd, 2017, 7:00 PM
Town of West BendTown Hall
1. Order of Business.
A. Call Meeting to Order
Vice Chairman Dave Moore called the meeting to order.
B. Roll Call.
Present were commission members Dave Moore, John Behrens, Tod Maclay andZoning Administrator Gordon Hoffmann. Bob Werner and Mike Holz were absent.
C. Approval of Minutes of May 25th, 2017.
Moore made a motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Behrens and passed unanimously.
2. New Business.
A. Discussion and/or Action re: Review of long range plan for Cedar Community, Town of West Bend, Washington County, WI.
A powerpoint presentation outlining the proposed village home expansion was presented. A schematic of the campus detailing proposed dwelling sites was distributed to commission members prior to the meeting, as well as a record of past conditional use permits issued since 1967. The presentation included facts and figures citing a 245 acre campus, 10 acres wetlands, 4 acres retention ponds, and 8.23 acres of building footprint. The need for expansion was measured by forecasted increasing demand for senior housing in WashingtonCounty, as well as the need for increased revenue to offset losses due to Medicaid underfunding, and subsidies for independent living residents who run out of money. It was also noted that expansion would allow the ministry to reach more people. With WashingtonCounty as the 7th fastest growing Wisconsin county, forecasted trends in long-term care and senior living were then described. It was maintained that the Cedar Campus offers existing roadways, utilities, a unique natural setting, highest consumer demand, and the broadest continuum of care including independent, assisted, skilled, home and hospice care. A summary of the Cedar Community’s economic benefit to the overall community was described. This was followed by a description of the 15 year master plan in three phases.
Phase 1; 7 homes in KettleHeights, 8 homes in new LodgeLaneVillage, 6 homes in NorthVillage, 3 homes in new LakesideVillage.
Phase 2; 20 homes in Moraine Village East, 4 homes in LakesideVillage.
Phase 3; 8 homes on extended Lodge Lane, 16 homes in Moraine Village West, 4 homes in Lakeside Village, 8 single or 24 hybrid homes in new Heritage Village.
Proposed are 84-100 new units.
Some discussion followed regarding sewer capacity both with the existing force main and the City of West Bend’s potential accommodation.Moore indicated that within a 15 year window 170 homes would be sited on the property and expressed concern about precedent. Moore also discussed the prospect of fire suppression in newly constructed dwellings. Some questions as to future plans to sell or subdivide were expressed. Concern about runoff to the south across German Village Road was also expressed. And, past experience with fire calls were discussed. It was noted by Town Chairman Jim Heipp that the town annual budget approximates $950,000 with $550,000 dedicated to fire contracts and fire related costs with neighboring municipalities, and that about half of the annual fire calls are generated from the Cedar Lake Home campus. This, put forth in the context of the general property tax exemption. Noted also was that vehicular access to both German Village Road and Paradise Drive are not planned. Maclay asked about lake pier placement on the eight proposed lakefront dwellings, and indicated that the parcel’s primary environmental corridors need to be mapped. Maclay then read an excerpt from a letter dated 6/8/1988 written by Rev. L.C. Riesch to the West Bend Town Board indicating that the Cedar Lake Home had no intention to construct additional single family residential retirement dwellings upon the Home’s property in the Town of West Bend. Maclay further noted that the area between the existing villages and German Village Road had intended to be a buffer, and that the campus riparian lands are some of the last remaining substantial vestiges of open space/natural areas on Big Cedar other than those surrounding Gilbert Lake.
Some discussion followed regarding the intent of these proposals, and that what is being presented is substantially different than that of a month ago. Further discussion ensued as to how the proposal might be modified in future meetings.
3. Report from the Zoning Administrator.
None.
4. Report from the Town Engineer.
None.
5. Adjournment.
Maclay made a motion to adjourn at 8:30. The motion was seconded by Behrens and passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Tod Maclay, Plan Commission Secretary, 6/26/17.