The Germantown Village Board on Nov. 3 rejected proposed amendments to the Blackstone Creek plan development district and a certified survey map that would have created a 1.27-acre commercial parcel intended for a drive-through restaurant and allowed up to 205 multifamily residential units on roughly 20.55 acres.

The amendments would have added a restaurant with drive-through service and multifamily uses consistent with the RM-3 district to the PDD, and the CSM would have subdivided the golf-course property into a 1.27-acre retail lot, a roughly 134-acre balance lot and a 5-acre outlot. Community Development Director Jeff Renzlaw told the board the multifamily layout was generally consistent with the village’s 2050 village center vision and that traffic analyses showed existing and projected conditions would operate at acceptable levels with required turn lanes and striping improvements.

Why it mattered: Residents and trustees raised repeated concerns about flood risk, potential loss of riverfront access, parking and traffic details, and a separate but related ‘‘phase 3’’ land-swap concept described in the developer’s materials. Several trustees said approving the zoning changes before settling any land-swap would reduce the village’s leverage in future negotiations over riverfront and park access.

Trustee debate and plan-commission history: The plan commission had recommended approval with 14 staff conditions. In board discussion, trustees asked for more detail on stormwater detention, landscape buffers adjacent to Rivers Cove and whether the 70-unit building shown in concept would include internal/covered parking. Trustee Pieper argued the board was ‘‘putting the cart before the horse’’ by considering zoning changes before any land-swap negotiation. Trustee Jan Miller and others said phase-3 language in the packet had raised public concern and should not have been included in plan-commission materials.

Outcome: A motion to approve the PDD amendments and the CSM was made and seconded; the motion failed on roll call. President Soderbergh announced the motion failed and the existing PDD and parcel configuration remain unchanged. The staff presentation noted that the CSM/approvals under consideration do not, on their face, obligate the village to any land swap; however, trustees said the appearance of a linked phase 3 in the applicant’s materials influenced public sentiment.

What happens next: The developer, Jim Sedgwick (Jaime Capital/Blackstone Creek LLC), may revise plans or return with additional detail. Staff said any future proposals for detailed site plans, a Culver’s building plan, or a land-exchange arrangement would require separate reviews and approvals by the plan commission and the board.

Speakers

Trustee Jen Miller, Trustee Pieper, Trustee Baum, Trustee Borst, Trustee Rick Miller (trustee roles as recorded); Jeff Renzlaw, Community Development Director; Jim Sedgwick, applicant/agent for Blackstone Creek LLC; Village Administrator Matthew Preclo.

Discussion vs. decision

Discussion points: trustee concerns about phase-3 land-swap language in the applicant packet; stormwater/detention and floodplain context; parking counts and garage/covered parking for proposed units; neighborhood buffer along Rivers Cove; whether a small commercial lot for a drive-through restaurant fits the village-center vision.

Formal action: the motion to approve the PDD amendments and the certified survey map failed (roll-call vote). No zoning changes or parcel splits were enacted.

Clarifying details

• Proposed multifamily density: up to 10 dwelling units per gross acre on roughly 20.55 acres; maximum 205 units, per the application (not a site-plan approval).
• Proposed commercial parcel: 1.27 acres (intended for a drive-through restaurant; site plan review for a specific tenant would be a separate proceeding).
• Certified survey map: would create Lot 1 (1.27 acres), Lot 2 (approx. 134 acres) and a 5-acre outlot potentially of interest to Presbyterian Homes (not approved or conveyed as part of tonight’s vote).

Proper names

Germantown (village); Blackstone Creek (Plan Development District); Culver’s (prospective tenant identified by applicant); Presbyterian Homes; Menomonee River.

Ending

Because the motion failed, the village retains the current PDD and parcel configuration; any later application that substantially revises layout, engineering, or parcel transfer would return to the plan commission and village board for separate review and action.