Front-yard setbacks reduced in residential districts

By Kevin Boneske

Staff Writer

ASHWAUBENON – Changes have been made in Ashwaubenon’s residential zoning districts to implement a standard front-yard setback.

Following a meeting June 26 of the village’s Plan Commission, the Ashwaubenon village board also agreed to reduce the front-yard setback within the R-1 and R-2 zoning districts for single-family detached dwellings, duplexes and zero-lot line duplexes from 25 feet on minor streets and 35 feet on collector/arterial streets to a standard 20 feet regardless of street type.

Village Community Development Director Aaron Schuette said changes in the road designations for South Oneida Street, Cormier Road, Ridge Road, Center Street, Crary Street and Magnolia Lane had increased the setbacks to the point where a number of homes became legal, nonconforming structures due to their front-yard setbacks being less than what was previously required.

“We have had requests from citizens to improve the fronts of their homes, whether it’s for ramps or porch improvements,” said Schuette, who noted they were unable to do that because their homes were legal, non conforming structures. “This will reduce the setbacks in both the R-1 and R-2 districts from a varying 35 and 25 feet to a standard 20 feet.”

Though the change involves only the front-yard setbacks, Schuette said in response to a question about side-yard setbacks by Trustee Mark Williams that the overall setbacks are being discussed by him and village Building Inspector Todd Gerbers.

“It’s something on our agenda to look at more holistically,” Schuette said. “This (front-yard setback issue) was something where we had a couple of requests that came up, so we need to do something now so we had to address this one. The requests came from the residents.”

Schuette said he wants to take “a bigger look at the village as a whole to make sure we don’t kind of rush to anything” while considering other possible revisions to the required residential setbacks.