Cedarburg officials are weighing two proposals for large swaths of land at the north end of the city that could bring more than 700 homes if approved.
The first is a new proposal from Pewaukee-based Neumann Cos. for 580 for-sale homes on 253 acres.
Neumann's proposal would develop more than 250 acres of farmland on the north side of Highway 60, roughly between Covered Bridge Road and Highway I, over the course of about 10 years.
The proposed project will consist of a range of housing styles and densities within the project, according to
Bryan Lindgren, president of Neumann Developments.
Those would include about 140 two-family homes and 280 "villa-style" lots starting at $500,000, which Lindgren said is "your best shot at getting an entry level home in today's market."
There would also be 135 lots starting at around $600,000 and 25 lots, known as "the estates," starting at $750,000. The estates would be located in the Town of Cedarburg.
That proposal is kitty-corner from a 17-acre property where Milwaukee-based Mandel Group since 2022 has been planning to build apartments.
Pushback from elected officials and residents led Mandel Group to downsize its plan from 310 units in 2022 to 207 last fall.
Mandel Group's most recent proposal was for a 17-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Highway 60 and Highway I. Plans called for several apartment buildings and around 9,500 square feet of retail space.
However, Mandel withdrew its plans for the project in November after a contentious meeting when residents and elected officials didn't support the project.
Discussions around Mandel Group’s project raised concerns from neighbors about traffic and the community’s overall mix of rental versus owner-occupied housing.
The two projects have opened a number of land-use questions for Cedarburg elected officials. Combined, they represent the largest block of undeveloped land slated for housing in the community.
At a meeting Monday evening, the Common Council and Plan Commission discussed the future of the two properties, with officials largely in support of Neumann's single family home project, though asking at times if lot sizes could be made larger and if the new residents would overburden city services.
Discussion often included how to balance neighborhood character with rising barriers to home ownership and the need for more housing mobility in Cedarburg, which only issued permits for 70 new single family homes last year, according to city documents.
"I think we would all appreciate as much greenspace in between homes as possible," one council member said of the lot sizes.
"There's a very limited market that can afford (homes on larger lots), so we do want to have something that younger families can move into and older retired folks, from that standpoint I'd support some of the smaller lot sizes," another council member said.
Though Mandel Group doesn't currently have a proposal in front of the city for the property south of Highway 60, officials discussed what type of development they would want to see in the area, with many saying they would support a lower-density housing project.
Others said they would support a development with a larger commercial component to serve the residents that could come from Neumann's proposal.
Ultimately, the city took no action on either property. Neumann's proposal is slated to undergo further city discussion and approval. There are no plans for the other property as of now, but city clerk Tracie Sette told BizTimes discussion on that site will continue as new proposals come forward, which is likely, she said.
