The Plan Commission of the City of West Bend on Tuesday approved a change to the 2020 comprehensive plan and a zoning map amendment that will allow developer Fiduciary Real Estate Development to pursue multifamily housing on about 64.13 acres at the southwest corner of East Paradise Drive and South River Road.

The action clears the way for a proposed concept that Fiduciary presented to the commission — a phased, low-density multifamily community the developer estimated at about 391 units overall, with a first phase of roughly 240 units. The property would be rezoned to RM-3 multifamily residential and would retain mapped environmental overlays including various wetland and floodplain designations.

The zoning and plan amendments were introduced by city staff and discussed at a public hearing attended by the developer team and nearby residents. Craig Raditz, representing Fiduciary Real Estate Development, described the company’s product as two‑story, townhome‑style stacked flats with private front doors and a mix of attached and detached garages. “This is more of a middle ground between that and a single‑family type of development,” Raditz said, explaining the design intent and the firm’s market data.

Residents who spoke at the public hearing urged caution and sought more information. Paige Presley, who lives on Paradise Drive, asked why the city would permit more apartments when existing rental properties in West Bend show vacancies. “I just don’t see the need for more apartments right now when you have overabundance vacant already,” Presley said. Neighbors also expressed worries about traffic access on River Road and two proposed entrances, noting heavy peak‑period traffic near the business park; Chris Schrage said he had waited four minutes in his driveway to leave onto River Road and asked, “What’s it going to be like?”

Fiduciary and city staff told the commission that the concept is preliminary and that a full traffic impact analysis will be required as part of future site‑plan reviews. Paul Schmitter, identified in the presentation as Fiduciary’s director of development, said outside traffic studies and the developer’s own occupancy data inform predicted travel patterns and that an increasing share of residents work flex or hybrid schedules. “The traffic analysis will take all of that into account,” he said.

City staff and several commissioners also pointed to physical constraints on the site — substantial mapped wetlands and a high water table — as reasons multifamily is a practical alternative to conventional single‑family lots in this location. A staff briefing noted roughly 40 acres of upland that the developer said would be the principal building area and emphasized preservation of existing tree stands and wetlands on much of the parcel.

Commissioner Jed (Plan Commission member) acknowledged reservations about rezoning from single‑family to multifamily but noted that the parcel’s wetland and groundwater conditions limit conventional single‑family development. “If they were to put houses in there there’d be no basements. You can’t sell single‑family homes in Wisconsin without basements,” Jed said, arguing the site’s environmental conditions shaped the staff recommendation.

After discussion and questions about phasing, buffers, green space and the forthcoming traffic study, the commission voted to approve the 2020 comprehensive plan amendment and the zoning map amendment to RM‑3 with the environmental overlays noted in the packet. Commissioners who spoke in favor praised the project’s proposed landscaping and the developer’s experience; commissioners who expressed concern said they expected rigorous review of future site plans, traffic mitigation and buffers.

What happens next: the approvals allow the developer to proceed to detailed site‑plan and permitting steps, including the required traffic study, wetland and flood‑plain permitting steps, and subsequent site‑plan reviews by city staff and the commission. Fiduciary told the commission the development would be phased so the market can absorb new units and described planned on‑site amenities including a clubhouse, pool and connections to the regional trail system.

The commission’s votes were approvals of policy and zoning only; no final site plan or construction permits were granted at Tuesday’s meeting.