Residents still don’t like plan for Port subdivision

For the second time in as many months, neighbors from the Greystone subdivision on Port Washington’s west side came to the Plan Commission to express concerns about the proposed Freier Fields development.

Their concerns again included questions about stormwater retention and the potential for flooding, the potential for construction traffic to travel to the development via their streets, the speed of traffic and a lack of parkland where children can safely play.

The proposed subdivision would be built north of Sunset Road and west of Amber Lane, adding 56 houses to the city.

The developer made some changes to the subdivision plan after a crowd of people expressed concerns about the proposal in September, including creating a permanent street connection to Sunset Road to avoid sending traffic into the Greystone subdivision and reducing the length of dead-end streets in the neighborhood.

“I think the design has made a ton of improvements,” Tim Blakeslee, 791 Amber La., said.

But others continued to have concerns about the plan.

Pauline O’Keefe, 598 Greystone Dr., said her concern is overflow traffic that will speed through her subdivision.

“Greystone cannot handle the increased traffic this development will cause,” she said, adding the additional houses in the area “is more than the subdivision can handle.”

Sandy Bates, 837 Greystone Dr., said she appreciates that the developer is connecting roads through Freier Fields with Sunset Road.

“That road off Sunset cannot be a promise,” she said. “It must be a guarantee.”

Patrick Phillips, 574 Greystone Dr., said that is the most important addition to the subdivision, but he noted that long roads like those in his neighborhood will encourage speeding.

“Vehicles fly down the roads. There should be a cop there 24/7,” he said. “This has to be taken care of. Someone is going to get hurt.”

They also asked for a guarantee that the developer will route construction traffic away from their neighborhood.

“That (road) connection to Greystone (subdivision) should not be made until the work is done,” said Terri Reissman, 1792 Shalestone Dr.

Developer Scott Batzler said he planned to tell workers not to go through the Greystone subdivision and to install concrete barriers and signs at Willow Road and Amber Lane so construction traffic can’t get through.

“It may take a few days of training,” he said. “We don’t want our traffic going through Greystone. We don’t want 100 calls to us or the city with complaints.”

He also said he favors adding stop signs along the longest roads in Freier Fields to help reduce any potential for speeding.

Jered McGivern, 1776 Shalestone Dr., also asked that the city make sure to include green space in the plan, saying there is a lack of it in the area.

“I don’t feel like the city has done a great job planning for green space,” he said, adding he wants the city to include some parkland “rather than having the developer throw some cash at the city.”

Bob Harris, the city’s director of planning and development, acknowledged that the area is underserved by parks and noted that parkland dedication is something that’s typically addressed when the developer’s agreement is negotiated.

Several people questioned the stormwater system planned for the new subdivision, saying they fear it will flow into their neighborhood and send water into their houses.

Michelle Klug, 910 Greystone Dr., asked that until questions about the stormwater system are answered, the city not take any action on the subdivision plan. 

Batzler told the commission and the neighbors that the stormwater questions won’t be addressed until engineering for the subdivision is done. That, he said, is the next step in the process.

Commission members approved the concept plan for Freier Fields with the condition that concerns about green space be addressed and the Sunset Road connection are guaranteed.