Waukesha - In a third appearance before the Waukesha Plan Commission on Wednesday, Waukesha County officials finally got the approvals they sought for construction of a new health and human services office building. Commissioners unanimously recommended rezoning five acres of Moor Downs Golf Course land, directly across from the county's Juvenile Center along Riverview Ave., from parkland to institutional use. That's about the size of the footprint for the planned three-story, 137,000-square-foot office building.
It's also a compromise, a reduction from the original request to rezone 14.5 acres that would have incorporated the existing human services building and parking lots.
Preservationists have expressed concerns that the bigger change would not protect against future changes to the area, which is a local, state and national landmark.
The Common Council is expected to schedule a public hearing and action on the rezoning for its July 19 meeting.
The county has already obtained construction bids on the building and a related maintenance building dedicated to grounds upkeep at the golf course and the county courthouse, administration and human services complex. The estimated cost of both is about $37 million.
Both the State Historical Society and the local Landmarks Commission have signed off on the county's project.