Business barn development proposed for town land

The Town of Saukville Plan Commission will hold a July 12 public hearing on a proposal by Nick Suddendorf, co-owner of Fine Line Carpentry in Port Washington, to build “business barns” on land off Northwoods Road.

At issue is whether the town should change the zoning of the property on the west side of Northwoods Road south of the Feith Family YMCA to accommodate a planned unit development that would allow commercial operations on the land, which is currently zoned for agriculture.

Suddendorf told the Plan Commission last week that he wants to build several business barns, or sheds, on the property that would be purchased for uses that could range from headquarters for small businesses to personal workshops.

Suddendorf said the business barn developement would use about 10 acres of the 40-acre parcel. Of this, he believes there will be approximately 30-43 individually owned plots created.

A similar project in Port Washington — the Park Street Business Barns — which was developed by Suddendorf, has proven successful, he said, with all the units sold. The Port business barns have been used as everything from woodworking and auto shops to a recording studio, Suddendorf said.

Plan Commission Chairman Kevin Kimmes said the proposal presents unique challenges for the town because instead of changing the zoning for a single type of business it is being asked to clear the way for a development that could bring multiple types of commercial operations to the town.

Because of that, the town wants more control over the project, and that’s where a planned unit development comes in. That designation would give officials the ability to specify what type of businesses could operate in the barns, which is important because Suddendorf’s proposal “isn’t a standard business park as it allows for more creativity,” Kimmes said.

Suddendorf had requested the land be zoned B-1, which would have allowed for a wide range of business.

Of concern to officials is the impact the development would have on the town’s rural character and the peace and quite its residents expect.

“This would be a big change,” Kimmes said. “This development would be very dense for what the town has historically been.”

Although the land is in the town, it abuts the Village of Saukville and is included in the village’s comprehensive plan, which envisions it as a commercial parcel.

If the town does not change the zoning of the land for the business barns, the property could be annexed into the village, where presumably they would be allowed.

If that happens, town officials said, business barns would be a better use of the property than other operations, like fast food restaurants, allowed under commercial zoning.

The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 12.