School subdivision plan has new twist

The builder of a proposed subdivision north of the Northern Ozaukee School District campus told district officials last week that extending a planned road to the project would require the district to trade the developer about three acres of school-owned land, enough for eight additional lots.

“Without the extra land, the road doesn’t happen,” Oyvind Solvang, owner of Hillcrest Builders, told the district Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Solvang has proposed building about 100 homes on 40 acres at the north end of Milwaukee Street and the east end of Deer Meadow Drive.

Extending Deer Meadow Drive, Solvang said, would require that a swale be created on the south side of the street, some of it on school property, that would take runoff east toward a storm retention pond near Highway 57.

The current topography has the drainage path bisecting the proposed street, he said.

If the district transferred the three acres to Hillcrest, the district would not have to create a retention pond on its property since water from the campus would drain toward the  Hillcrest pond, Solvang said.

This was the first time district officials heard of the proposal.

“We’re very excited about the project,” committee Chairman Dan Large said, “but obviously we’ll have to discuss it.”

Solvang said he is hopeful things can be worked out.

“There’s motivation do something. Everyone is seeing the same picture. The leadership is here to make it happen,” he said.

The project would be the first sizable development in Fredonia in more than a decade. Solvang said he foresees homes priced in the  mid- to high-$200,000 range that can be marketed to young families who want their children to be able to walk to school and still be able to commute to Milwaukee.

Solvang said he hopes to present plans to the village in January and start construction this spring.

There are six to 10 lots that already have access to village sewer and water and could be developed more quickly, village officials said.