New London considers mult-use project

A conditional use grant request for the development of apartments and retail space at 310 W. Wolf River Ave. was approved by the New London Plan Commission when it met Dec. 12.

The next step for the development will be for the developer to submit a final site plan and construction documents for a building permit.

According to the petition submitted by the developer, once it has all the approvals required, it plans to start construction in early 2025. Construction will take about 12 months.

At the meeting, New London City Administrator Chad Hoerth said the city received a petition to build a multi-use development at 310 W. Wolf River Ave. The proposal includes a commercial-retail component, and multi-family residential housing.

To help with the development, Hoerth said the city is in the process of combining two parcels of property into one parcel.

“The county hasn’t got that far yet, so it’s still two parcels on the county’s website, but it’s in process for combining the parcels into one,” Hoerth said.
He added that the parcels are zoned
B1-Central Business District.
“In the B1 district, commercial retail uses are allowed per right, however, the multi-family residential component is permitted by conditional grants,” Hoerth said.

Hoerth said this requires the Plan Commission to go through the process to allow multi-family residential housing by conditional grant.

As part of the process, Hoerth said the developer has submitted a petition for the conditional use request.

When following through with a conditional grant request, Hoerth said the Plan Commission needs to consider four things.

“State statutes have basically put the onus on the municipality, we have to make a strong case not to allow it,” Hoerth said. “Not that the petitioner needs to make a strong case. We have to make the strong case. These four criteria that we have in here, we really have to show that it’s a detriment to one of these, why you would not allow it.”

Four criteria

• The establishment, maintenance, or operation of the conditional use would not be detrimental or endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort, or general welfares.

• The conditional use will not be injurious to the use or enjoyment of the properties in the immediate vicinity for the purposes already permitted, nor noticeably diminish and impair property values or aesthetics within the neighborhood.

• The establishment of the conditional use will not impede the normal and orderly development or improvements of the surrounding properties for uses permitted in the district.

• That adequate utilities, access roads, street access, does not impede public traffic flow, drainage, or other necessary facilities that have been, or are being provided.

Hoerth told the Plan Commission that the development would include retail businesses on the first floor, and a six-plex apartment complex above the first floor. On the backside of the development would be two proposed six-plex apartment complexes with no retail component to them.

When the development was originally proposed to the city, Hoerth said the Plan Commission expressed concerns about adequate parking in the area.

“They did look at the parking, try to maximize the parking within the site itself,” Hoerth said. “The engineer indicated some of the street parking that would be available during normal business hours.”

Hoerth said city ordinance for off-street parking requires two parking spaces per dwelling unit, plus one guest space for every four units. According to that ordinance, Hoerth said this development would need 27 off-street parking spaces.

The plan submitted by the developer included 30 off-street parking spaces.

So far, the proposed development has been approved for zoning and the city’s comprehensive plan. And the two parcels of property are in the process of being combined into one parcel.