The St. Croix County community development committee approved the request to rezone 160 acres from an R-1 residential district to an R-2 residential district in the Town of Star Prairie for Grandbon Holdings at its Thursday, Feb. 15 meeting.
Grandbon Holdings currently owns around 160 acres in the Town of Star Prairie that is zoned as a R-1 Residential district and wishes to rezone the property to an R-2 district. An R-2 district allows Grandbon to have larger parcels of land to develop 55 single-family homes with their own private well and septic tank.
As the comprehensive plan currently stands, according to the meeting’s agenda packet, an R-1 zoning district allows most agricultural and residential development, one dwelling unit per 10 acres and limited to four or less lots every five years. Whereas an R-2 zoning district allows major subdivisions of five or more lots, with a minimum size of 1.5 acres, with an overall two-acre average and unlimited lots to be created.
The location of the parcel includes areas within the Apple River, slopes, woodlands, shorelands, floodplains and a closed depression within the shoreland area. The property also includes larger zones of sand and gravel deposits, which leads to a reduced productivity. And the property relies on a high-capacity agricultural well to maintain saturation levels.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sent their comments to the county on how this may impact the Apple River and the areas surrounding the environment:
“A rezone from R-1 to R-2 does not change the overlying shoreland, floodplain or shoreland-wetland district and associated requirements. The surface water data viewer indicates that the project abuts the Apple River. Any land division, lot size requirements, etc. associated with the applicant’s request must meet applicable shoreland zoning regulations in the area near the river, including ordinary high water mark setbacks, land disturbance requirements and vegetation standards.”
The Star Prairie town board concluded the rezoning property as suitable for an infill development and recommended the county’s approval of the application at their Dec. 5 meeting.
The public hearing portion on this item included comments regarding concerns for water quality and potential contamination for nearby waterways, due to the parcel’s proximity to the closed New Richmond landfill.
An environmental consultant working in conjunction on this project’s development, noted in his public comment that water feasibility and contamination are top priorities and studies are underway.
The committee approved the rezoning request in favor of Grandbon Holdings. The rezoning approval does not approve a development plan; it identifies a zoning district where specific types of development may take place. The applicant must seek land division approval from its town and county before any development can move forward.
Further information on this rezoning development can be found on the meeting’s agenda packet site on the St. Croix County website, sccwi.gov.
The next St. Croix County community development committee meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 15. The meetings are also available on the River Channel YouTube channel.
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