By Lea Kopke
Staff Writer
BELLEVUE – The village board approved resolutions for construction and development projects at its July 14 meeting.
The board held a public hearing on the Steffens Court/Way project, which Cedar Corporation project manager Thad Majkowski said includes road pavement, driveway aprons, intersection improvements and curb and gutter construction.
Majkowski said the non-residential cost per foot would be $170, with the project’s assessable cost $481,814.
Following a report by Community Development Director Andrew Vissers, the board debated the placement of a full access cut – an entrance/exit to the parcel, which will eventually contain businesses and restaurants – on the future Town Hall Road east of the planned Landmark Boulevard full access entrance/exit near Costco.
Based on results from a traffic analysis completed by SRF Consulting last May, Vissers said he and Majkowski recommended placing the cut 78 feet east of the Costco property line, to avoid further congestion.
He said Cedar Corporation’s proposal of placing the cut 178 feet east of the Costco property line is not ideal but would be preferred over lining the two entrance/exits directly across from each other by placing the cut at 257 feet east of the Costco property line.
Board rules were suspended to allow public comment, during which Bellevue resident Barb Lautenslager encouraged the board to place the connection at the 257-foot mark because she said no business would want to develop property on a 178-foot lot.
Lautenslager said she believed the traffic study did not take into consideration the construction of a new bridge south of De Pere.
The board voted 3-2, with trustees Tom Katers and Adam Gauthier opposed, to approve placing a full access cut on the future Townhill Road at 257 feet east of the Costco property line.
Katers said the placement neglected to follow the professional advice the board paid to receive.
“On a majority of projects, you don’t have driveways at the edges of your property…” he said. “I think we’re being a little stubborn in our fact of not listening to the professionals and maybe seeing a little bit into the future.”
Steve Kubacki, the interim director of public works, gave an update on the Manitowoc Road project and asked the board to consider a resolution allowing the construction site to operate until 9 p.m.
Kubacki said the extended hours would allow the team to get work done in a more timely manner because extreme heat causes issues to the curb and gutter drying and curing process.
The resolution passed 3-2, with trustees Katers and John Sinkler casting the dissenting votes.
Katers said he voted against the request because he felt it was unfair to the families in that area.
“I can’t imagine going home to that,” Katers said.
In other action:
• Following a public hearing, the board unanimously approved adjusting the space and area requirements of an R1 single-family residential district in a preliminary Planned Development District for Mau & Associates.
• The board unanimously approved a preliminary plat of the Willow Grove Second Addition, which includes 25-single-family lots and a possible park facility located west of Huron Road.
• Karen Simons, director of finance and village clerk-treasurer, asked the council to approve putting approximately $349,000 in excess funds into reserve accounts.
Simons requested $70,000 for revaluation, $209,250 for the building and grounds reserve fund and $69,750 for the information technology capital projects reserve fund.
Gauthier and Kaster voted against the motion, but it passed 3-2.
Gauthier said he wanted the revaluation funds to be put away over five years, rather than all at once.
Kaster said he was against parts of the minimum fund balance policy from the start.