Zoning OK’d for village housing development

The Belgium Village Board last Thursday approved rezoning a parcel to allow for a single-family housing development despite the concerns from multiple neighbors.

Ansay Development is planning to put homes and a public road surrounding Stepping Stones Children’s Center off Park Street. The property, aside from Stepping Stones, was rezoned from institutional to single-family, moving Ansay one step closer to putting in around 15 homes.

The development, some neighbors fear, might exacerbate their regular struggles with groundwater.

Jenny Kissinger, who lives on Park Street adjacent to the planned subdivision, said she has two sump pumps that have been running nearly 24/7 for years. She said water has been a problem since she bought the house in 2004.

“In the years that I’ve been there, I have not seen the water issue get better or less stressful,” she said.

“Where is this water coming from?”

Now, Kissinger is worried that the new homes might be built higher and more water might come onto her property.

“I’m just worried with them putting this in that they’re not going to do the stuff properly,” she said.

Kissinger isn’t the only one concerned. Carmen Kirsch, who lives on Dean Road next to Kissinger, also has water issues and expressed her concerns at a March 9 public hearing on the rezoning.

“We have a ditch in our backyard. We were supposed to keep that ditch,” she said. “Mike Ansay should have never built there. I’ve had three floods already in my basement. We have two sump pumps in there, one ready to go when there’s a lot of rain. What’s going to happen to the ditch? I have a lot of questions.”

Ansay is buying the land and leasing the Stepping Stones building back to the business’ owner Laura Klingelhoets.

Ansay real estate project manager Brian Lustmann on March 9 said plans are not final.

“We’re not voting on these individual lots or the proposed road right now,” he said. “We want to figure out what’s best for the community.”

Kissinger said they’re saying the right things but she is still leery.

“You want to believe in people and believe it’s going to be a great opportunity for everybody,” she said.

Public Works Director Dan Birenbaum said a plan is being developed to address the water.

“Our engineering firm is working with Ansay’s engineering firm to come up with a drainage plan,” he said, adding he expects the groundwater to be high given it’s spring.

Kissinger is also worried about increased traffic on an already busy Park Street. She said she sees vehicles often go through the stop sign at Park and Dean and worries for her grandchild’s safety.

“They don’t stop at that stop sign. People are driving crazy,” she said.

The next step is for the Village Board to approve a preliminary plat and a developers’ agreement.