By Ryan Whisner
To address connections to the proposed Banker Road development, the Fort Atkinson City Council advanced annexation of two properties along Campus Drive Tuesday through its first reading.
The properties – W6490 and W6492 Campus Drive – are located adjacent to the Fort Atkinson High School property and just south of what the city refers to as the Banker Road land.
In 2019, the city purchased a 75-acre parcel located in the town of Koshkonong east of Fort Atkinson High School near the intersection of Banker and Hoard roads. Cost of the acquisition was $750,000, with the anticipation of future sale of the property for development of a planned neighborhood.
The entire parcel was annexed in 2021. As a byproduct of the way the land purchased by the city is bounded, after annexation, it created “town islands,” leaving seven parcels of undeveloped land, ranging in size from just over a half-acre to nearly 8 acres along or near Banker Road, surrounded by land annexed into the city. The parcels themselves were not part of the annexation of the Banker Road project.
An intergovernmental agreement between the city and the town of Koshkonong was approved as part of the Banker Road property annexation, which permits owners of the remaining properties in the vicinity of the Banker Road land to pursue annexation without any contestation from the town.
City Engineer Andy Selle said once annexed the Campus Drive properties would be able to be redeveloped on water and city sewer as part of the planned neighborhood sought for the Banker Road property.
“This land will be included in the forthcoming TID (tax incremental finance) district in this area that will help spur the development in that northwest area of the city,” he said.
Selle noted that the annexation request was in line with the comprehensive plan which is usually the city’s highest consideration in these annexation requests.
The Fort Atkinson Comprehensive Plan shows the future land use of these parcels as “Planned Neighborhood,” which is described as a carefully planned mix of primarily single-family residential development, including some two-family, multi-family residential, and neighborhood businesses uses consistent with the residential character of the area and retaining the city’s existing balance of residential types.
Per the requested annexation, the property has been asked to be zoned RS-2, Single-family Residential – 2. Selle noted that in the short term, this district allows the continued use of the single-family dwelling on each parcel. However, in the future, depending on the planned uses, the zoning may be changed to a denser residential or mixed-use zoning district.
The Fort Atkinson Plan Commission is scheduled to review the request at its July 26 meeting.
Fort HealthCare properties advance
Also Tuesday, the council advanced through a second reading, the rezoning of four properties owned by Fort HealthCare north of Fort Memorial Hospital.
Fort HealthCare is seeking to rezone properties at 603, 609 and 615 North Fourth St. and 403 McMillen Ave from single-family residential to institutional for expansion of employee parking at Fort Memorial Hospital.
The proposed parking lot development would be what hospital officials describe as the third wave of Fort HealthCare removing homes to expand the hospital campus. The last wave occurred in 2004 for construction of the tower addition on the north side of the building that now serves as the main entrance and emergency room site.
Five neighbors of the four properties spoke during a public hearing on the zoning change at the Plan Commission meeting on June 28. Issues raised related to light pollution, noise pollution, drainage in the area, privacy concerns and just general questions of what this potential hospital expansion would look like. As a result of the feedback during the public hearing, Fort HealthCare sent a letter to residents within the area on June 30 to help address some of the questions and ensure the intention of including their input on the plan.
A site plan is anticipated to be presented to the Fort Atkinson Plan Commission at a meeting in late August. To be permitted, the new parking lot would have to follow the city’s zoning ordinance, which does require things like drainage, lighting, landscape offerings to be addressed.
The above graphic, as provided within a city council packet last summer when the 75-acre territory was officially annexed into the city of Fort Atkinson, shows the project often referenced by city officials as “Banker Road.”
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Looking at joining the Chamber in the future.
Born and raised in Fort Atkinson and past co- owner of Rand R Construction with my husband James Otis who crossed over in 2005 after just moving into our new remodeled farm house on Hoard Road.
I look forward to keeping up our city’s progress and how to be more a part of our beautiful community
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Thank you for your service