Bellevue looks to future with master facilities plan

By Heather Graves

Correspondent

BELLEVUE – Village leadership and staff are working together to develop solutions to needs throughout the village to better serve the growing community.

Earlier this year, the village hired Barrientos Design and Consulting to tour village buildings, meet with staff and put together a facilities study.

The scope of the study was to provide a master plan for each of the village departments located at the 1811 Allouez Avenue site – which currently houses Fire Station No. 2, the community center and public works storage – as well as the village administrative offices located at 2828 Allouez Ave.

The goal, Board President Steve Soukup said, is to create a comprehensive road map to figure out what the village wants to accomplish and how to accomplish that.

A representative from Barrientos Design and Consulting was on hand at the Wednesday, May 22, meeting to give the board a look at the master plan, which will be used to guide the village with future projects.

Barrientos separated the presentation, which lasted a little more than an hour, into four categories: Fire Station No. 2, the public works department, the administrative offices and the community center.

“If we are committed to any of these projects over the next five years, we need to consider purchasing property now,” Soukup said.

Next, Barrientos will provide the board with a finalized master plan report in the coming weeks.

This will then help the village plan and prepare for future projects – when considering debt, borrowing and tax levies.

Currently, there is $4.5 million set aside in the village’s capital improvement plan in 2021-22 for Fire Station No. 2 and $2.85 million in 2022-23 for administrative offices.

Assessments for Huron Road approved

The village board also held two public hearings at its May 22 meeting.

The first focused on rezoning the property at 2500 Bel Meadow Drive, a community-based residential facility, from single-family residential (R-1) to general business district (B-2).

According to staff, the main reason for the request is for the allowance of signage, which isn’t allowed on residential-zoned property.

The property is home to the Veteran Housing Recovery Program, which provides temporary housing, training and supportive services to military veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to help them obtain permanent housing.

Following the hearing, the board voted unanimously to grant the rezoning request.

The second public hearing was held to finalize special assessments to property owners’ for the County Road EA/South Huron Road reconstruction project.

Despite the resistance from a handful of unhappy residents, the board approved the charges.

The assessment recovery is estimated to be $154,697 for residential lots and $173,661 for non-residential lots.

The village’s estimated share is $205,249 for corner lot credits, expanded road width and environmentally sensitive area frontage.

The approved per-foot assessment for residential lots is $43.08.

The proposed per-foot assessment for non-residential lots is $48.36.

The resolution authorizing the special assessments includes a 10-year payment plan with an interest rate of 3.25 percent.

Full payments made within 30 days of billing will accrue no interest.

Construction is expected to be completed in September.