Alderman Aaron Perry was direct in addressing his opposition in the proposed Clearwater Apartments on the city's far southwest side.
"To me, this is the worst time to be having apartments at this location," said Perry, who represents constituents in this area.
Perry is voicing his displeasure in advance of Plan Commission consideration to approve preliminary site and architectural plans for the apartments, which will be along Clearwater Lane, north of Stillwater Circle.
The complex is 76 residential units on 8.53 acres of land. The Plan Commission was scheduled to take up this item at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at City Hall inside the Council Chambers, 201 Delafield St.
But it was announced on Thursday afternoon that this meeting has been canceled due to a lack of quorum. So it appears the issue will have to wait until Feb. 26, the next scheduled meeting.
A-Squared Development LLC is proposing the project.
The proposal is returning to the Plan Commission after it was removed from the agenda last month to update plans.
Flooding and excess traffic are prime concerns for Perry and the neighbors. There are about 400 homes in the neighborhood.
The site has been zoned multi-family development since 1998. But last year, Richard Hastings, the former District 12 alderman, wanted to change the land to single-family development.
The Plan Commission recommended to the Common Council in a 5-2 vote to rezone the site so a multi-family complex could not be at this location, which is southwest of Waukesha West High School.
"That land is better suited for single-family or one-level condos," Perry said.
However, Perry said the Common Council went against the Plan Commission's rezoning vote, 14-1.
"The Plan Commission was in favor of a rezone but it didn't happen," Perry said. "I was baffled on why it was debated so heavily and then it was heavily voted down by the council."
Perry said putting single-family or one-level condos there would make more money and would be "most beneficial to the city."
"The city doesn't make as much (with apartments) as they would if ownership was there," Perry said.
The alderman said there have been other unsuccessful attempts at developments at this site in the last number of years. But this latest attempt will surely bring out neighbors who are against it.
"This group of people are very active and pay attention to what is going on," Perry said. "That subdivision has continued to grow and has been battling against these (multi-family developments).
"Five already voted that multi-family is a bad idea so I hope that doesn't change."