Plan Commission approves new Small-Scale Residential zoning district with conditions for larger projects

The Marshfield Plan Commission voted Oct. 21 to create a new Small-Scale Residential (SSR) zoning district intended to permit low-density multiunit housing while retaining neighborhood character.

Planner Bryce Hamburg told commissioners the new SSR district was intended primarily for reactive rezoning—property owners or developers would request rezoning on a site-by-site basis rather than the city proactively rezoning broad areas. “The district would be intended to accommodate a mix of low density multiunit housing types,” Hamburg said, and he noted the district’s standards were tailored using examples from existing neighborhoods and other local districts.

Under the adopted framework, townhouse, apartment and multiplex forms of three to four units are permitted by right in SSR. Buildings of five to eight units are included as conditional uses; the commission expressly left 5–8 unit projects subject to conditional-use review. Commissioners discussed whether staff could approve projects that meet design standards or whether every proposal should be reviewed by the commission. Several commissioners favored a hybrid approach: allow administrative approval for applications that meet clear design standards but include an administrative appeal route to the Planning Commission.

Hamburg said the draft design standards focus on façade articulation, entry orientation, roof design, materials and parking location; a 10-foot frontage setback and parking located to the rear were used as illustrative preferences in his presentation. He told the commission he had intentionally drafted somewhat flexible design guidelines to allow professional designers and the commission to interpret how a building fits a neighborhood.

After an exchange about timing and the practical delay applicants face when waiting for commission meetings, the commission approved the SSR text with language preserving a conditional-use review for five- to eight-unit proposals and with the provision that staff may review and approve applications meeting standards, provided an appeals process is written into the ordinance so applicants or neighbors can request Planning Commission review. The motion passed by roll call. Votes recorded as yes included Mayor Teaschik, Council member O’Reilly, Council member Craig Perlian, Commissioners Bernardi, Frederick, Meyer and Mitchell.

Ending: Planning staff will incorporate an appeals procedure and the role of the zoning administrator into the proposed ordinance language before forwarding the draft to the Common Council.