Three tweaks to Underwood Crossing plans eyed

The developers of Underwood Crossing are proposing three changes to the Bluemound Road shopping center: trading a few light poles in favor of more landscaping; adding a third business name to the streetside monument sign; and increasing the size of a junior anchor building.

The requests were the subject of a public hearing before the Common Council on Tuesday. No action was taken.

Signage exception

The shopping center, which would be anchored by a Target, may include an as-yet-unrevealed junior anchor and a Trader Joe's grocery store.

However, Trader Joe's wants its name on the monument sign. That would mean three business names on the sign - one more than city code allows.

"We're really excited about working with Trader Joe's …," said Tony Barranco of developer Ryan Companies. "Our agreement with them is contingent on their presence on the pylon sign."

That means the exception from the city isn't a deal-breaker for the overall development, but it could be key to attracting the grocer.

The issue may become a moot point soon, community development director Dan Ertl said, because city officials are set to discuss changing the city's code to allow more names on monument signs.

Landscape vs. lighting

Neighbors of Underwood Crossing have long sought to be screened from the light and sight of the center's parking lot. To that end, Ryan Companies intends to leave in place a landscaped berm that shields the Columbia Gardens neighborhood from the center.

That berm has box elders and buckthorn - both invasive species - growing on it, which would threaten the growth of more desireable plants.

Ryan Companies proposed removing the invasives and filling the gaps left behind with 6- to 8-foot evergreens. To make that financially possible, the developer wants permission to reduce the number of light poles in the parking lot and make the remaining poles taller - 25 feet tall instead of the previously agreed-upon 20 feet.

The fixtures would be shielded so light would not leave the property, and the grade difference between the homes and the businesses, in addition to the the berm, would keep neighbors from seeing the lights, Barranco said.

In all, 46 poles would be used with 91 total lights. Previously, 57 poles were proposed with 106 total lights.

"Although residents are never really enamored by lighting when it comes to increases in height, I think, in this case, the tradeoff is the landscaping," Alderwoman Lisa Mellone said. "This isn't just a few plantings; this is a full-screen wall."

She did ask Ryan Companies to make the three poles closest to the homes shorter, at 20 feet, as additional protection for those residents.

Larger building

Ryan Companies is in negotiations with a possible second junior anchor, Barranco said, declining to name names. That tenant wants a building about 6,000 square feet larger than what was originally approved.

If the city agrees to the change, which equates to a 3 percent increase in the center's total square footage, it would speed the process of filling Underwood Crossing, he said.

"It will allow us to complete the whole center in one iteration," he said, adding that the hope is to have the entire center operational in October.

Ertl said a modest increase in the building's size won't affect overall traffic, lighting, noise or other issues on the site.

Traffic still a worry

Only one neighbor spoke at the public hearing.

Donald Adams said he supports the development, but he foresees traffic on Elm Grove Road only getting worse because of it. And he wants the city to do something about it.

"I'm afraid my little 'gem of the bluemounds' will turn into a piece of coal," he said, referring to the Columbia Gardens motto.

The road has gotten busier since Bluemound Road reconstruction this summer pushed traffic onto it and taught many people a new route to use, he said, asking the city to make sure speed enforcement and other measures dissuade people from using the street to get to Target.