Condominium project draws Baraboo council meeting attendance

Baraboo City Council members were greeted with an uncommon sight Tuesday as they sat down to their meeting — roughly a dozen attendees aside from the usual city employees dispersed among the seats.

Newly proposed plans for a condominium development in a southern portion of the city drew residents who live nearby to question the project. Specifically, to raise concerns over privacy, traffic and storm water runoff.

Approving the beginning of construction was never a consideration, said City Administrator Casey Bradley. Council members were taking the first step in establishing a partnership between KMD Development LLC owner Max Dvorak, of Baraboo, and the city by entering into a development agreement. Construction of the 33 buildings containing 85 units can only move forward after a number of planning steps, including a plan to retain excess water.

“This is just step one of the process,” Bradley said. “So a lot more to come, and a lot more opportunity for the public to see what the actual plans are because at this point, it’s pointless for a developer to put together these plans when they don’t know if they have an agreement for the city to fulfill its obligations.”

Dvorak said the work is a “passion project.”

“Really the vision and the goal of this thing is to create a high quality project the city and residents surrounding it will be proud of,” Dvorak said.

The initial plan submitted to council members outlines a subdivision along slightly more than 19 acres between Waldo Street and Parkside Avenue. Developers aim to construct a road running east from Waldo Street to connect to Parkside Avenue in addition to the streets paved for private residents. A retention pond in the northeast corner of the development will collect stormwater.

Some residents who would be living north and northeast of the development objected to a proposed trail running along the buildings because it would subtract from their right to privacy.

Eric Korthals, who lives in the 600 block of Parkside Avenue, said he doesn’t oppose the development, but wanted to see it constructed wisely.

“The current plans for the development show a public walking path along the boundaries of the development,” Korthals said. “While this may be something that’s great for the community, it isn’t so great if that runs along the back edge of your home.”

Dvorak later stressed the trail is meant to be used solely by residents of the condominium community, not the entire community.

Another concern is the inclined land and large flow of water during certain times of the year, Korthals said.

“We joke in our house that a river runs through the field, and in times of rapid snow melt and heavy rainfall, it actually does look like a river,” Korthals said.

For others, traffic is the major concern. Sue York, who lives on Parkside Avenue, said “people drive like it’s the Indy 500.”

“Our main issue is this road that’s going to spit out right next to my house,” York said. “That’s my biggest problem because you’re putting it out onto an already busy road.”

In total, seven residents who live near the proposed development spoke, echoing concerns about people speeding and driving aggressively in the area as well as the close proximity the current plan places their property to the new development.

Developers told council members they have heard the worries over the lack of separation. There could be more done with landscaping and rethinking the layout, they said during the meeting.

The rough draft will undergo scrutiny more than once due to stormwater planning requirements by both local and state governments. There are a number of steps regarding zoning and other elements of building a subdivision which will have to be completed before construction can begin, Bradley said.

Ald. Tom Kolb expressed satisfaction upon hearing Dvorak say he would work to ensure the issues brought forward by neighboring residents would be addressed. Ald. Bryant Hazard, who appeared remotely, said he anticipates “traffic will be a nightmare” which the city should examine more closely.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the development agreement.

As part of the development agreement, Waldo Street, which Bradley referred to as “more of a township road” will be paved to city standards. According to the agreement, developers plan to have three connections to Waldo Street from the private roads within the development. The city will also install a crosswalk where the new road connects to Parkside Avenue as it runs north and south. The walking trail will be connected to the Pierce Park multiuse path.