Village of DeForest

The meeting commenced with the approval of the previous month's minutes, with a minor typo correction noted. The primary discussion involved the site plan approval for The Dickman Company's 182,000 square foot industrial building, which is zoned M2 and is planned without outdoor storage. Discussion covered stormwater drainage, retaining wall construction, and landscaping placement, particularly noting a request to increase landscaping on the south side of the building near the retaining wall. The commission recommended approval subject to standard conditions, including adherence to plans and addressing minor engineering comments. A resolution thanking Justin Nagel for his service was also passed. Staff updates included onboarding municipal code enforcement, updating the online complaint submission process, and reporting on significant single-family housing development activity, including updates on Homestead Addition of Savannah Brooks, the Balling Addition, Beller Farm development, and renewed developer interest in the Heritage Gardens development. The commission also reviewed the restructuring of project tracking on the Engage Forest page and previewed four new proposals for the next meeting.

The meeting proceedings involved procedural motions, including reordering agenda items 9.1 and 8.8, and the approval of the consent agenda. A public hearing was held regarding an amendment to Chapter 13 of the DeForest municipal code concerning subdivision and development regulations, specifically related to private roads and design guidelines. Subsequent discussions and actions focused on approving Resolution 2026-12, which extends design and construction guidelines to private roads, and Ordinance 2026001, which formalizes compliance with these guidelines in subdivision and zoning codes. Furthermore, Ordinance 2026002 was addressed, which updates regulations for the wellhead protection overlay zoning district based on scientific groundwater recharge areas and implements stricter land use standards, receiving prior unanimous recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Committee and approval from the DNR.

The regular village board meeting commenced after appointing Trustee Simpson as the presiding officer due to the absence of President Jane Khill Wolf Graham, who has submitted her letter of resignation effective March 5th. Announcements addressed the process for filling the vacancy, which may include appointing an interim village president. Key agenda items included the approval of the consent agenda containing the minutes of the February 19th board meetings. Discussions centered on Resolution 2026-019, adopting revised user rates for the water utility, which involves an average revenue increase of approximately 6.29% following a full rate study and PSC approval; residential water rate increases were estimated to be around 70 cents per month for the water portion. Ordinance 2026-00003 was approved to align the fee for dishonored payments across all village departments, setting the NSF fee at $35. Furthermore, the board approved Resolution 2026-020, providing a letter of support for the Cornerstone Community Center's application for AARP grant funding for an outdoor activity area. The Presidential Report noted updates concerning DCCVA representation due to the vacancy and nominations sought for several regional commissions.

This report serves as a long-range planning tool for the Village of DeForest's water supply system, intended to meet future water demands from anticipated 20-year growth. It evaluates the adequacy of the existing water system, projects future water demand, and provides recommendations for system improvements. Key focus areas include delineating service areas, describing public water system components (sources, withdrawals, uses), inventorying regional water supplies, and proposing developments for new wells and storage facilities.

The meeting focused on a presentation by the University Alliance regarding an affordable housing program assessment, which was developed in partnership with the WMadison urban and regional planning program. The program is funded through an extension of tax increment district number three and is split into two categories: large-scale development facilitation, and four subcategories focused on aging in place and accessibility, emergency health and safety hazard mitigation, down payment assistance and home improvement loans, and a local public service down payment assistance program. Key discussion points included expected demand analysis across these subcategories, metrics for success such as elderly retention and social return on investment, and comparisons to case studies like Revitalized Milwaukee. Specific concerns addressed included limiting home repair grant values due to funding restrictions and the anticipated two-year duration of the program.