Oconomowoc — a hotspot for development of multifamily housing in recent years — is pumping the brakes on new multifamily projects with a new housing ratio that caps multifamily housing at 35% of the city’s housing stock. The city has already hit that cap, delaying proposed projects and slowing the pace of future multifamily development.
Oconomowoc — a hotspot for development of multifamily housing in recent years — is pumping the brakes on new multifamily projects with a new housing ratio that caps multifamily housing at 35% of the city's housing stock.
The city has already hit that cap, delaying proposed projects and slowing the pace of future multifamily development.
The city had an existing housing ratio as part of its comprehensive plan that called for 60% of housing in the city to be owner occupied and 40% renter occupied. Currently, the city is at about 70% owner occupied 30% renter occupied.
However, aldermen voted earlier this month to change the owner vs. renter occupied housing ratio to a single family vs. multifamily housing ratio.
The new ratio caps multifamily housing — including owner-occupied condominiums — at 35% of the city's housing stock, with 60% reserved for single family homes and 5% for duplexes.
"It's a massing issue," said Alderman Chalres Schelpeper. "If you drive by a condominium building, it's owner occupied, but you might not be able to tell. ...I want to see less multifamily. All we do is build apartments and condos in this place."
When accounting for built projects, the city's housing is at about 62% single family, 34% multifamily and 5% duplexes.
"That makes me feel like we're in West Allis or something, it doesn't feel like the further west suburb of Milwaukee," alderman Matt Mulder said of the current ratio.
As more single family housing is built, such as Neumann Development's Olde Highlander project or the Prairie Creek Ridge subdivision by Kaerek Homes and Stonewood Companies that each have hundreds of single family homes planned, more multifamily housing will be permitted to be built in Oconomowoc under the ratio.
Four multifamily projects already proposed
There are currently four apartment projects that have been proposed in Oconomowoc, representing 691 rental units and pushing the city to nearly 38% multifamily housing. Therefore, only about 220 of those units can move ahead.
Those four projects include a mixed-use building from Wangard Partners with 116 units, an apartment development from Wingspan Development Group with 171 units, a senior living development from Capri Communities with 204 units, and an apartment development from Three Leaf Partners with 200 units.
City Planner Jason Gallo and council members discussed that Wangard's project, which is in the Olympia Fields area, is covered by a planned development overlay that already allows for the firm's proposed project. Similarly, Wingspan's project is in the Pabst Farms planned development area that allows for residential uses.
Therefore, balancing property owner's rights with the council's interest in capping multifamily development, those two projects are the most likely to move forward.
[caption id="attachment_579369" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The front view of Wangard Partners' latest project at Olympia Fields in Oconomowoc. Rendering from RDL Architects[/caption]
Capri and Three Leaf's proposals are both planned for parcels that are currently zoned for commercial uses.
Under the new ratios, property owners can still bring projects forward for city approval, but — in addition to zoning approval and plan reviews — will need to request an amendment to the city's comprehensive plan, which can be time intensive, according to Gallo.
"When a project comes forth and we say, 'Okay, now you need to go get a comp. plan amendment,' we're just kind of pushing them off 45 or 60 days," Gallo said.
Residents speak out against projects
The Common Council was supposed to vote on rezoning for both Capri and Three Leaf's proposals last week, but delayed action because of the conflict with the new ratios and held public hearings for the projects instead.
At those hearings, several residents spoke against the two projects, including at another hearing on Wingspan's proposal. Concerns raised included traffic, crime, effects on city services and schools and general changes to neighborhood character. Residents often asked for single family homes to be built instead of the multifamily proposed.
Further council action on Capri and Three Leaf's projects has not yet been scheduled, city officials said.
[caption id="attachment_584255" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Three Leaf's proposed 200-unit apartment building. Rendering from AG Architects[/caption]
