GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay Common Council votes to delay decision on development plan for nearly 370 new buildings until next month.
WGBA's Pari Apostolakos learned why residents near the proposed development are unhappy about it.
As previously reported, Green Bay's Plan Commission unanimously approved the proposal for single- and two-family homes, apartment buildings, and retail space last week.
However, residents in the Red Smith neighborhood are concerned about preserving the habitat of the escarpment along the bay.
Watch Pari Apostolakos' full broadcast story below:
"We have a moral and ethical obligation to be good stewards of the land," resident Monica Bernardi said at Tuesday night's meeting.
Increased traffic to the area is also a concern, with some residents saying roads in the neighborhood are already congested during certain times of the day.
"I can't even back out of my driveway for about an hour in the morning," neighbor Steve McDonnell said.
Issues with stormwater drainage gave other neighbors pause.
"Maybe traffic calming measures, maybe working with the city and the school district, would put people's minds at ease," a representative for the developer, Moski Corp., said. The land has been owned by Moski Corp. since the 1990s.
Many neighbors said they were fine with the single-family homes but opposed the apartments. Someone from the Realtors Association of Northeast Wisconsin said studies show the community needs more variety in types of housing available.
"This process also has significant influence on whether any of the very few remaining developers in the area want to pursue future projects in the city of Green Bay," Jennifer Sunstrom said.
If the project is eventually approved, construction will last about 8 to 10 years.
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