Residents Look at City's Newest Redevelopment District

A public hearing at the Community Development Authority meeting Tuesday night drew a small gathering of residents who live in the Mill Valley area of the city to see what creating a redevelopment district will mean to them.

Development Director Jeff Muenkel explained that the newest redevelopment district, which includes parcels along Racine Avenue from Tans Drive to College Avenue, has been targeted because it is the city's northern gateway and also because New Berlin has the quarry across the street in its plans for future commercial development.

Creating districts like these allow for revitalization and to spur reinvestment in the community, Muenkel explained.

Howard Schneider, a member of the Muskego Lakes Conservancy, expressed some concerns over a portion of the land containing a creek that leads to Little Muskego Lake and how it would be protected from development.

Muenkel acknowledged the plans don't specifically address the creek, but assured residents that the citiy would designate the feature to make sure it maintains its water quality.

The vast majority of land contained in the district is zoned business or institutional, with the exception of property at the northwest corner of Tans and Racine, which is residential.

Overall, development in the area is still down the road, Muenkel said. New Berlin still has an issue with extending sewer and water to the quarry site. In addition, any plans for widening of Racine Avenue in that area don't exist in the county's five-year plan.

"Eventually, it's going to develop into something, and we want to make sure we're ready with our own plan of redevelopment and how it can impact our residents, especially with regard to potential traffic impact," he said.

A recommendation will be forwarded on to the Common Council to create the new district later this month.