WATERFORD — Some Waterford residents are expressing concerns about a proposed apartment development that would require rezoning commercial land to residential use near their neighborhoods.
A developer wants the village to rezone land near Fairview Estates from commercial to residential, sparking opposition from neighbors who say village representatives are dismissing their concerns.
Now, the entrance of Fairview Estates and nearby yards are lined with signs raising awareness about a January 21 meeting at Village Hall.
"Somebody helped make those signs; we put them up," said Karen Abney, who reached out to TMJ4 about the issue.
Watch: Waterford residents express opposition to petition to rezone parcels near their neighborhoods
She said she and her neighbors feel their voices aren't being heard, as this is conversation has come up in the past.
"Residents live here. We pay our taxes. We have a say, so let us state our concerns," she said. "And listen to the residents, listen to the people of Waterford."
Bielinski filed a petition in September 2025 for the village to consider amending the comprehensive zoning plan for two parcels of land near State Highway 83 and Park Drive.
A 6.3-acre plot would be rezoned for single-family use, and a 3.6-acre plot would be rezoned for multi-family use.
"When you pull into the subdivision, the first thing you're going to see is three three-story apartment buildings, which to me is not very appealing," Fairview Estates resident Daniel Strauss said.
Strauss signed a petition started by residents in Fairview Estates, Kettle Glen Subdivision, and nearby neighborhoods expressing their opposition to the proposed changes.
"We have volunteers going door to door getting signatures," Abney said.
Strauss said he views the area as a "more settled down type of area versus what you're going to get when you have an apartment."
Residents opposed to the rezoning petition say they'd prefer the Bielinski plots be used for commercial development.
"What are we doing to bring in more of that prosperity?" Abney said. "Maybe some jobs, some things people would want to see besides just multi-family units again."
Abney and fellow residents expressed concerns about the potential impact on village resources such as local schools and emergency services.
"The schools, fire department, police department, which are already all struggling," Abney said.
The resident petition also argues that the rezone will further limit future economic growth and that it goes against the vision of Waterford's comprehensive master plan.
"The 2018 Comprehensive Master Plan envisioned a community where residents could live and work locally, supporting both economic vitality and quality of life," the resident petition states. "The proposed amendment undermines this vision and departs from the Plan’s original intent, which was thoughtfully developed with resident input and long-term community interests in mind."
However, a portion of the master plan regarding Waterford's west side states the village should consider converting commercial parcels in the area for residential use. It also states the "area between Highway 83, Park Drive, and Hickory Hallow Road has been attempted to be developed commercially for the last two decades," without success.
Village Administrator Zeke Jackson said that's because there isn't enough traffic to attract commercial development when compared to nearby communities such as Mukwonago or Burlington. He also said adding the proposed apartments to the area would double the assessed value of the parcels.
TMJ4 did reach out to Bielinski, who filed the petition and owns the land, and did not immediately hear back.
Public hearings on the issue are scheduled for January 21 and February 19.
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