Plan commission approves second phase of Settlers Village project

It took an extra two weeks but the City of Rhinelander plan commission has approved the second phase of the Settlers Village development on Timber Drive near Central School. The commissioners unanimously approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for the second phase on Nov. 7, two weeks after tabling the matter following a public hearing where adjacent property owners expressed concerns about the first phase of the project.

The second phase of the project involves the addition of five two-bedroom duplexes.

 The first phase, which was to consist of a multi-family building with at least six separate duplex units, was approved in November 2020 despite opposition from some of the neighbors. Specifically, some expressed concerns what they described as a lack of transparency as the developers purchased land from the City of Rhinelander and initial discussions took place in closed session.

The transaction took place during the administration of former mayor Chris Frederickson and was approved by the council members who were in place in 2020.

The public hearing on the CUP for Phase 2, held on Oct. 24, included comments from adjacent property owners who alleged that garbage and recycling bins were out in the open and items strewn about the property (some of which they said blew into their yards) during the first phase of construction. 

Concerns were also raised about the population density in the area, the close proximity to a school, decreased visibility for traffic and pedestrians, and the integrity of adjacent wetlands.

When the discussion shifted to city administration and the commission, it was stressed that a second phase of this project was planned and expected. 

Mayor Kris Hanus made a motion to approve the CUP, with a set of conditions he later said were intended to alleviate the neighbors’ concerns, but no one seconded the motion and it died.

Hanus then asked a pointed question of his colleagues as to whether they wanted to improve the housing options in the city.

Two of the commissioners, Laurie Lenten and alderperson Carrie Mikalauski, responded by stressing they are absolutely interested in improving housing in the city but were concerned about the questions raised by the adjacent property owners. With Phase 1 having this many concerns, Mikalauski stated she was having a hard time with the prospect of approving the second phase without hearing from the developers. 

The city needs housing, however any housing must be built “responsibly and carefully,” Lenten noted. 

The developer should show up and answer questions if they want their development built, she added.  

A representative of the developer was present on Oct. 24 but that individual is responsible for property management and thus was unable to respond to all of the concerns raised. She stated that the developer, Bob Ohde, was out of state due to an emergency.

Ultimately, the panel chose to table the matter for two weeks “to get a better understanding of the issues and come up with a plan for what conditions would be best suited for this property.”

When the panel convened again on Nov. 7, Ohde was present in person.

“Basically we’re looking at building a similar product right next to (Phase 1), they’re actually townhouses, they’re duplexes, two bedrooms. There are 10 units total which is five duplexes .... very similar to the project next door to it, designed to help again with the housing need in the local community for two-bedrooms which seems to be the biggest demand we have,” he explained. “We’re trying to keep the cost, price down as much as we can.”

The only other speaker during the Nov. 7 hearing was an adjacent property owner who appeared resigned to the inevitability of the second phase.

“The previous administration I don’t think did due diligence. Some things happened but that’s under the bridge,” she said. “I do have concerns about 10 units being built so close to a school zone. Traffic on Timber when I try to cross is, I’m put at risk, so I have concerns about safety. I have concerns about the trash, the construction trash that I would pick up along Timber and the school zone, the school playground area....”

“I’m not happy,” she continued. “I know we need affordable housing in Rhinelander. I know that’s an issue. I know the city can sell anything that they want whenever they want without public input and that’s what happened here, I think. I hope the mistakes that were made with this current first phase will not continue with Phase 2 and the workers are keeping the area cleaner and they think about the neighbors and how the lighting is put up....”

After the public hearing was closed, city zoning director Veronica Tonnancour answered additional questions posed by the commissioners. She also offered a recommendation for approval of the permit for Phase 2. Other city officials, including administrator Patrick Reagan and Fire Chief Brian Tonnancour, also indicated that steps will be taken to address the neighbors’ concerns.

In a Nov. 2 memo to the panel, Reagan suggested the following conditions:

• All standards as set in the Developer’s Agreement during phase one of this project shall be followed.

• All exterior lighting shall be cast downward and special care shall be taken to make certain that the lighting from this development causes no additional hardships for neighboring properties.

• A stormwater management plan is developed and implemented to insure that neighboring properties do not suffer undo hardships from water runoff.

• Centralized dumpsters are included for use by residents of this property.

• A landscaping plan is developed and followed.

“It is critically important that the developer proactively works with neighboring property owners during the course of this project,” Reagan wrote in the memo.

This time a motion by Hanus, and seconded by  Terry Williams, to approve the permit was approved unanimously.

The second phase of Settlers Village was not the only housing project on the commission’s Nov. 7 agenda.

The panel also approved the site plan for a project to consist of six 12-unit multifamily buildings to be located near the Nativity Catholic Cemetery and Walmart. In addition to the six buildings, the proposed project is to include “associated parking areas, drives, stormwater BMP (best management practice), underground storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and water, as well as a new proposed public road which will connect the development to Driscoll Road,” according to a memo submitted to the commission by the engineering firm Robert E. Lee & Associates, Inc. on behalf of PRE/3, a property management company based in Brookfield.

In other business, the commission also approved the installation of a 50kW diesel generator to serve as a backup generator for the existing telecommunication facility at 143 S. Courtney “to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication service in times of emergency.”

Finally, the panel also approved a CUP for the operation of a short-term rental on Wisconsin Avenue. 

Prior to the vote, a neighboring property owner expressed concerns about potential negative changes to the character of the neighborhood, where she has resided for many decades.

Appearing via Zoom, the property owner stressed that his intent is not to have a “party house”. He noted that he proactively reached out to neighbors to advise them of his plans and received support. He explained that he was required to move to southern Wisconsin earlier this year for employment reasons but does not want his Rhinelander residence to sit empty as he hopes to use it as a vacation home and potentially return to this area at some point in the future. 

“Rather than the Rhinelander house sitting vacant when we aren’t up here, we would like to rent it as a short-term vacation rental through Airbnb and similar sites, or as a longer-term month-to-month lease for traveling nurses, federal employees and other professionals temporarily relocating to the area,” the owner wrote in a written submission to the commission. “This would provide us with a much-needed subsidy on our mortgage and utilities bils, while also providing the community with valuable short-term housing and tourism dollars.”

While the commission has approved relatively few short-term rental CUPs over the last year, Hanus opined that, thus far, the rentals have resulted in improvements to properties that might otherwise languish.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].