Pewaukee and builder try to balance greenery with major new condo development

PEWAUKEE - In a setting that hardly stands as unusual in the city of Pewaukee, old-growth trees surround a rural stretch of land that has served as agricultural land, green and lush in the summer.

Unlike the comparably denser living accommodations in places like Waukesha, Oconomowoc or even the village of Pewaukee, the city of Pewaukee has plenty of open spaces for developers to covet. This 32.6-acre piece along Watertown Road and North Avenue is among them.

But for some time, as part of the city's master planning document that envisions the long-term use of properties, the Marincic family property has been viewed as a place for medium-density residential development, while still setting aside land for natural beauty and environmental conservation, including wetlands.

A city-approval process that concluded in early December has opened the door for a major condominium development in this picturesque setting. The challenge, city officials acknowledge, was to maintain the conservation lands in the process.

The Pewaukee Common Council in early December approved rezoning, a conditional use permit and a certified survey map for the aptly named Ancient Oaks Condominiums. There, Marincic Family LLC and Carity Land Corp. plan to construct 25 buildings totaling 96 units.

Pewaukee balances development with nature, as a rule

Is that a lot of units? Not necessarily.

In planning documents and staff summaries, officials noted that despite the number of units, the development would still only have a gross density of 2.94 units per acre, thanks in part to lowland conservancy areas that total 25 acres and would be left untouched. Even excluding that open space, the development would total 3.77 units per acre, well below the 6-unit standard for the multi-family residential zone requested by the developer.

However, the land was previously zoned for agriculture as well as lowland conservancy, making the task of translating the city's long-range plans for its growing urban setting a bit of a balancing act. Its planning director believes it has succeeded.

"The Ancient Oaks development preserves the vast majority of protected natural resources onsite," said Nick Fuchs, the city's planning and community services director. "The most significant disturbance to wetlands is the public roadway that will connect the north and south portions of the property, which are bisected by these natural resources. Situations like this are not uncommon; however, the city does strive to minimize or completely eliminate impacts to natural resources, such as lowland and upland conservancy areas."

Planning officials had noted ahead of a Plan Commission meeting in November that the rural-ish land had been partly earmarked for medium-density residential development at some point, as spelled out in its current comprehensive master plan, a long-range planning document typically used in developing cities and villages. That master plan also envisioned maintaining conservancy area as part of any residential development.

Such land amenities align for the recent aims of the builder, Carity Land Corp., which will rework the land.

Based on other developments listed in Carity's website, it's the kind of housing projects on which the company has focused in recent years. Development proposals in Menomonee Falls and Richfield allude to conservation areas, wooded lots and agricultural land. A new subdivision in Sussex (also called Ancient Oaks) boasts that 28 of the 38 one-third to half-acre lots "back up to a wooded park providing a mature, greenscape backdrop."

What's in store for condo owners? Trees, ponds and greenery

Carity's plan for 25 buildings includes much of the same natural amenities focus, plus the addition of ponds in wetlands areas that serve a dual purpose.

The northern half of the site has 58 units: 14 four-unit buildings and a single two-unit building. The southern portion of the site has 38 units: nine four-unit buildings and a single two-unit building.

Aside from the buildings, the site plan dresses up the development in minor and major ways, starting with a two-rail vinyl fence along the entire length of Watertown Road and along part of North Avenue. Two storm water ponds, one on the south side of the development and one in themiddle, are also included.

The development will disturb at least 13,000 square feet of wetlands, mostly to accommodate the new road that runs throughout Ancient Oaks. (The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will have a say in how the developer will have to mitigate wetland losses.)

Aside from the existing trees in conservation areas, Carity will landscape the development in part with a row of more than 50 juniper trees behind the roadside fences, plus four trees and foundation plantings around each individual building.

Clearly, however, the greenery will still surround a condo development.

While residential developments in conservancy areas may not be unusual, condo developments haven't exactly been commonplace since the Great Recession, particularly in communities such as Pewaukee.

Fuchs said Ancient Oaks is the third such proposal in the past five years, but so far only one has come to fruition. "One project did not go through, but the Parkway Ridge development on Bluemound Road is currently under construction with many buildings already built," he said.

Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at  @jariccioli.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ancient Oaks Condominiums planned for conservation lands in Pewaukee