On Tuesday, May 6th concerned residents patiently waited for a decision by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council regarding the rezoning of 27 acres on the city’s northeast side. The area includes R1, single-family residential, and R2, higher-density housing. The council discussed the possible implications of the new housing development and while many members were in immediate agreement, some residents were not so optimistic.
“Let me be clear: we are not opposed to growth or development,” said resident Tom Benzshawel, “but we believe growth must be balanced, responsible, and transparent.”
Benzshawel, who lives on North 11th Place, has been a Sturgeon Bay resident since 1982. He previously served on the City Council himself for several years and was the chair of several committees including the original Waterfront Redevelopment Committee. He said he was addressing the council for not only himself, but also on behalf of dozens of neighbors who have signed petitions, attended meetings, and voiced strong concerns about the change.
Despite resident concerns, several members of the Sturgeon Bay Common Council said they supported the project but that they were recommending it to go back to the planning committee. They closed by voting to move forward with the proposal.
The proposed plan would permit up to 93 new housing units which would include duplexes and compact-lot single-family homes in a well-established neighborhood that is known for having spacious lots and a quiet, single-family charm. In addition to the loss of neighborhood character, Benzshawel highlighted potential issues with stormwater drainage, increased traffic, and infrastructure strain.
“Our neighborhood is pretty unique in Sturgeon Bay,” said Benzshawel, “there isn’t many like this and if we do develop this into R2, there isn’t a whole lot of area that we’ll be able to continue with our own type of developments with green space and spacious yards.”
Alongside Benzshawel, local resident Ronald Krause argues that when he purchased his land, there was an existing agreement that each home would be at least 15,000 square feet and said new developments would make a negative impact.
“This property was sold, it was never listed and some people in the subdivision split the lots between 8th Avenue and North 11th place so the city couldn’t get those properties,” said Krause, “I’m against it, but if they want to develop it, develop it but keep it R1.”
Other residents like Martin Kelsey said development would cause immense traffic congestion and that he hopes to keep the spacious yard integrity surrounding his 100-year-old home that his family has lived in for nearly 40 years.
“I grew up in that house and I can tell you that I enjoyed my childhood being able to ride my bike to a friend’s house and being able to do it safely,” said Martin, “it’s going to be really tough to be able to enjoy some of that country space with the city benefits in that area and if we lose that, we’re not going to get it back and we don’t want to see that happen.”
