By Jason Arndt
Editor
A residential development set to take hold near the Burlington bypass moved a step forward following Jan. 14 Plan Commission approval.
The approvals include a preliminary plat application, which had previously gone before the Plan Commission, and a condominium plat application from Bear Development.
The residential development, known as Schaefer Farms Planned Unit Development approved three years ago, consists of nearly 300 units for families by the Burlington Manufacturing and Office Park of various housing styles.
City Planner Andy Cross, of the Lakota Group, said the preliminary plat presented by Bear showed substantial conformance to the PUD endorsed in 2022 and recommended approval.
“Our role, as a commission, is to look at this preliminary plat and decide if this is a substantial conformance to the PUD that was approved in 2022,” Cross said. “We, at the staff level, reviewed it and found that it is indeed in very substantial conformance.”
Last November, the developer presented a preliminary plat to the Plan Commission but did not include the finer details, including a Homeowners Association agreement, a park plan, and clarification of some legal descriptions related to an access easement and legal access roadway into the development.
Since then, Cross noted, the developer has come forward with the necessary documents, including a park plan.
According to officials, the residential development will offer 282 residential units in multiple sizes, such as duplex condos (52 units), small-lot single family (87 units), medium-lot single family (133 units) and estate lot single family (10).
To move forward with the concept, the city incorporated separate zoning districts in different parts of the 196-acre site, including Rs-1 Single Family Residential, Rs-2 Single Family Residential, Rs-3 Single Family Residential, and Rd-2 Two-Family Residential.
“The Schaefer Farms development is planned to be constructed in several phases. Final plats will be drawn for each phase,” Cross wrote in a memorandum.
Condo plat approved
In new business, the Plan Commission endorsed the condominium plat for the project, which had not been included in the preliminary plat presented last November.
“At the time that the Bear Development team created the preliminary plat, plans for this small area were not yet finalized,” Cross said. “Now they are.”
City officials noted this component contains 52 duplex condominium units in 26 two-unit building, with 24 units front-loaded, and 28 units rear-loaded.
Cross noted officials did not find any inconsistencies related to the condominium plat compared to the Planned Unit Development endorsed three years ago and recommended approval.
Burlington Mayor Jon E. Schultz II questioned Bear officials on when they will likely break ground on the development.
“In a perfect world, when would you start the construction?” Schultz asked.
Daniel Szczap, of Bear, said the developer looks to begin by spring.
Bear Development, along with new housing options, also plans to include more than 7 acres of improved public open space and trail linkages as well as dozens of acres of natural areas.
Additionally, the developer plans call for installation of 637 trees, which meets the city’s requirements, as well as 24 more throughout the project.
Bear Development, in a Dec. 4 letter to city officials, outlined details related to the park and recreational features planned for the Schaefer Farms neighborhood, including a commercial playground, park benches and public trails.
“The playground is intended to serve children between the ages of 5 and 12 and will be designed and specified based on comments received from the Park Board,” Szczap wrote. “The Public Park will be dedicated to the City of Burlington upon completion of Phase 1 improvements of the Schaefer Farm development. Upon dedication, the park and the improvements within Outlot 2 will be publicly owned and maintained by the City of Burlington.”
The Homeowners Association, Szczap added, will take ownership and be responsible for the open spaces and trails as part of the plan.
The Common Council previously endorsed a developer’s agreement with Bear late last year.
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