By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer

HOWARD – A planned development district (PDD) to create a 26.73-acre, multi-use housing development along Woodland Road with 201 units received final approval Jan. 25 by the village board.

The project known as Toonen Woodland Hills calls for 17 10-unit apartment buildings, three seven-unit townhome buildings and two five-unit townhome buildings.

John Van Dyck, chief financial officer of Toonen Companies, said the building plans include two-story, 10-unit buildings having individual entries to each apartment residence with the unit sizes varying from one bedroom, one bedroom with a den and two-bedroom dwellings with one to two bathrooms per unit.

Van Dyck said the townhomes vary between five- and seven-unit buildings with each unit having two stories, an outdoor patio and two stalls in unit garages.

This drawing shows the layout for a 201-unit housing development planned near the intersection of Woodland Road and Sherwood Street in Howard. Submitted Illustration

“We believe this project will work well as an infill development within central Howard,” he said. “This property has had a variety of uses throughout past generations. The 2000s have seen the land become generally unused, with wild plantings sprouting throughout the property.”

After discussing the project with neighbors of the development, Van Dyck agreed to the final PDD the board approved with following conditions:

• Curb and gutter is installed throughout the entire development.

• The conservancy area along the north property boundary is dedicated to the village for a trail, or a public easement for a trail is provided.

• A right-in/right-out is provided along Sherwood Street.

• Future utility, roadway and sidewalk improvements are planned on Woodland Road. With this approval, the developer agrees to pay for all improvement costs without assessment credits.

• A barrier will be installed between the development and two parcels to the north.

• A stormwater plan shall be approved by the village’s engineering department.

New ladder truck

In other action, the board approved a purchase agreement between the village and Fire Apparatus & Equipment of Appleton for a new built-to-order Pierce ladder truck for $1,304,581.

The agreement, subject to review by the village attorney, calls for the village to make a down payment of $600,000 at the time of the order with the balance of $704,581 due at final inspection.

By ordering the truck by the end of January, Village Administrator Paul Evert said the village avoids the annual price increases for 2021 and 2022 with the vehicle delivered in January of 2023.

Evert said the purchase, which the village budgeted $1.4 million, will replace the 2002 Pierce ladder truck currently in service with the Howard Fire Department.