Proposed land division draws fire

More than two dozen residents showed up at the Town of Saukville Plan Commission meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, to express their displeasure with a proposed land division near the Cedarburg Bog that they say would increase traffic and water runoff and endanger an environmentally sensitive area.

Dan Moffett wants to buy about 52 acres at 2445 Hillcrest Rd., west of Highway I,  and divide it into four lots of 10 to 15 acres each, which would require rezoning the property from A-2 to A-4.

Moffett said he plans to build a house on one of the lots and a family member will build on another. The four lots would be served by a private road.

The rezoning is contingent upon Moffett, who lives in Jackson, buying the property. He said he is scheduled to close on the property next week. 

During a public hearing, most of those in attendance spoke against the plan.

“Our dream is to keep what we had and not feel we’re being encroached on,” neighbor Jeffrey Phelps told commission members. “I don’t want to see a mini-subdivision.”

Many pointed out that wetlands dominate the area, which includes the headwaters of Mole Creek, the only cold-water stream in the county, and that the property borders the Cedarburg Bog, a valuable natural resource.

Supr. Mike Denzien, who served as commission chairman for the meeting, pointed out that Moffett’s proposal fell within the town’s zoning code, did not change the land use since it would remain agricultural and that some of the neighbors’ concerns — such as the delineation of wetlands — were outside the town’s purview and are subject to county and state Department of Natural Resources regulations.

However, commission member Todd Korb said the zoning code does allow officials to reject proposals that pose an “unhealthy” risk to residents.

“I also give a lot of weight to the fact that every person here spoke out against it,” he said.

Commission member Tom Ravn said the proposal looked like “spot zoning” to him, meaning that the parcel would be different from the surrounding area and would only benefit the property owner to the detriment of others.

“I think there are some things we have to research here to make sure we do this correctly,” commission member Marcia Nosko said.

“I don’t think we can make a decision on this tonight.”

Other members agreed and voted to table the matter until their October meeting.

In the meantime, they also agreed to research issues with the property, including the wetlands, the private road and an existing pole barn.