DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — On Tuesday night, Sturgeon Bay Common Council voted 6-1 to approve the first reading of ordinance for items that pertain to Division Road. These include:
- A zoning map amendment from Agricultural to Two-Family Residential, paving the way for a 55-lot subdivision with single-family homes and duplexes. This would include workforce housing.
- A Planned Unit Development for DOCO Iron Gate, LLC, which would feature 34 storage units.
The Ahnapee Trail would also be extended through the property.
Sturgeon Bay mayor David Ward says that it aids in the city's 3% vacancy rate, which is two to five percentage points lower than what experts consider healthy.
"It helps because what we concentrated on in my first number of years in my term was multi-family (housing)," Ward said. "Now, we need single family homes."
The land would also build around two current single family homes on Division Road.
"The neighbors have also been here for 50 years," said Larry Viste, who lives in one of the houses. "So, between the two of us, we've been here for 100 years."
Viste moved to the property because he viewed it as "quiet," and does not like the potential changes.
"I don't think there's much we can do about it," Viste said. "I don't think anyone really cares a lot of what we think."
With orange poles lining his yard, marking where his property borders the potential development, Viste is adapting to what could no longer be a quiet street.
A second reading on Division Road's future will be held at Sturgeon Bay Common Council's next meeting on July 21 at 6 p.m. at Sturgeon Bay City Hall.
