New Development Planned for Senior Housing in Sturgeon Bay

Marc Isaksen of E&I Property Investments speaks April 19 before the Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission regarding his company’s proposal to build 19 duplexes and one single-family home – for 39 total units – on an 11-acre site along the north side of Colorado Street. Photo by Kevin Boneske.

A planned unit development (PUD) to include 19 duplexes and one single-family home – for 39 total units – on an 11-acre site along the north side of Colorado Street was recommended April 19 by Sturgeon Bay’s Plan Commission.

The project that E&I Property Investments wants to develop as a 55-and-older community would also include a clubhouse, garage building, pickleball courts and other amenities. In addition, the site would have a pond for stormwater retention, one entrance to the residences from Colorado Street, and a separate entrance from the street to a storage garage. 

After holding a public hearing, the commission included eight conditions in its recommendation to the Common Council to approve the project next month. These conditions pertained to zoning, entrances and street connections, trees and lighting. The project requires final approval of the stormwater-management plan by the city engineer and final approval of the utilities by Sturgeon Bay Utilities.

Marc Isaksen, who appeared before the commission on behalf of E&I Property Investments, said two floor plans – one with 1,600 to 1,700 square feet, and another with about 1,900 square feet for three-bedroom units – are now being considered. 

The project plans call for having a two-stall garage and a driveway on each side of the duplex. There would also be a 14-stall parking area for the clubhouse. 

Isaksen said the units would be sold like condominiums, with each side of a duplex being sold, and the site would have an owners’ association and dues.

When asked about the possibility of the duplexes being used for short-term rentals, he said that would not be allowed.

Prior to starting construction, Isaksen said he would like to have two or three of the buildings sold, given the upfront infrastructure costs.

“We’re still working on some of the [financial] numbers right now,” he said.

With that area of the city not serviced by a storm sewer, one concern that both commissioners and members of the public raised during the meeting was stormwater runoff. City engineer Chad Shefchik responded that the project’s site plan is “neighborhood friendly.”

“The [stormwater] discharge from the site, when this [project] is done, will be approximately half to 60% less than what is currently leaving the site at the different storm events,” he said.

With traffic entering and exiting at Colorado Street for 39 total units geared for 55-and-older housing, Shefchik did not call for a traffic-impact analysis of the project, which he said would be surrounded by roads where the traffic count is “extremely small,” and it also doesn’t warrant the installation of sidewalks in the area.

Community development director Marty Olejniczak characterized the project as a “self-contained kind of mini village.”

“It does not use 6th Avenue, for instance, for access facing the buildings and so forth,” he said.