Wauwatosa officials last week approved a new height limit for some developments located on sites near homes on busy streets, while removing a cap on housing density for projects on other properties.
The Wauwatosa Common Council voted to cap developments at 60 feet in height in areas within 65 feet of residentially zoned properties. The change applies to buildings in the commercial C2 zone in Wauwatosa, which is a common zoning distinction along Mayfair and Bluemound roads.
These properties previously didn’t have a height limit, and the attempt to add a height limit was motivated by opponents of the 28-story Drew Tower proposed at the southwest corner of Bluemound Road and Highway 100 (Mayfair Road), which the city approved. The developer for that tower eventually dropped the plans after multiple appeals by project opponents.
Ald. Joseph Makhlouf proposed height limits in September to “place a layer of protection for residents against inappropriately tall developments,” but critics of his proposal worried a height limit would discourage developers from coming to the city.
As a compromise, city staff recommended provisions to allow developers to eclipse the 60-foot limit and build to 85 feet if they include affordable housing.
Further, city staff recommended removing density requirements on all C2-zoned properties — including those not within 65 feet of residentially-zoned properties — in order to offset the potential housing stock that could be lost due to the height limit.
“That loss of units could potentially be made up in the other areas where there are no residential properties adjacent, where typically we don’t have neighbor opposition,” development director Paulette Enders said at the meeting Tuesday.
Previously, the zoning code allowed one housing unit for every 1,000 square feet of land on those properties and any projects seeking to build more required review by elected officials. That limit is no longer in place.
City officials said they expect to fine-tune these zoning changes as they develop the city’s next comprehensive plan, which serves as a long-rage blueprint for city planning.
