Council approves PUD rezone for Mansell replat; developers to build two fourplexes
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Summary
The council adopted a planned unit development (PUD) rezoning for roughly 3.85 acres along South Lake Drive, approving a plan that reserves wetlands as open space and allows up to eight residential units (two fourplexes). Planning Commission recommended approval unanimously.
The Watertown City Council on July 7 approved a second-reading ordinance to rezone a 3.85-acre tract near South Lake Drive from R1 single-family residential to PUD (planned unit development) for a proposed development by Campsco LLC.
Community Development staff (presented as a city staff member) told the council the PUD meets the city's minimum 3-acre PUD requirement and that the developer's plan would permit a maximum of eight units (two fourplexes). The staff presentation noted the proposed density is lower than what could be built under the current R1 zoning — which could allow roughly 10 to 11 single-family homes on the site — because the plan reserves jurisdictional wetlands and other open spaces. The wetlands were delineated through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers process and the PUD locks the open-space and density commitments unless the developer later seeks an amendment, staff said.
The Planning Commission recommended approval unanimously at its prior meeting.
Council members repeatedly thanked staff and the developer for persistence through an extended review process. Councilman Tupper said he was "glad after… about seven times" the project came back with a plan the council could approve and praised staff work; Councilman Shutti and Councilman Bealer similarly praised the developer and staff, emphasizing neighborhood fit and long-term land-use control. "If we zone this R3, there's so many different things that they could put in there that we have no control over," Bealer said, arguing the PUD provides better protections than a broader zoning category.
A motion by Councilman Tupper, seconded by Councilman Bueller, passed by roll call. Peters, Shutti, Tupper, Bueller, Pauline and Durrance recorded aye votes and the measure carried.
What the PUD does: it formalizes maximum density (eight units), identifies developable area while reserving wetlands and other areas as permanent open space, and requires the developer to return for amendments if they later propose to disturb the wetlands. Staff noted any future work affecting jurisdictional wetlands would require Army Corps permitting. The council's approval finalizes the zoning-map amendment and the PUD plan as presented.