Milton Common Council Approves Duplex Development

Milton residents Leanne Glorvigen and Jason Poje expressed worry at an August Plan Commission meeting that the duplexes might become rental properties rather than owner-occupied condos or single-family homes.

“I noticed that they were listed as being targeted for single-family homeowners. I don’t see that happening,” Poje said. “I think what you’re going to find is that they make promises, but the only people who are going to be able to afford them are landlords, and they’re going to be rental properties. It’s going to decrease property values, and those renters will not be part of the tax base that I think the city wants to see paying full property taxes. So because of the reality of the situation, I cannot support this conditional use permit unless there is some guarantee that they would actually be homeowners.”

Poje also commented on the potential loss of trees in the area.

“When we moved here last year, we skipped over a dozen neighborhoods throughout south central Wisconsin because they were all built in the last five or 10 years and they wiped out every sense of a tree,” Poje said last month. “We finally found Milton. We found this neighborhood and we’re so happy we did, and to see some of those go away now is just heartbreaking.”

Ald. Theresa Rusch asked about other accessibility amenities such as lower counters, or handles. She said it would be difficult for someone who purchases the duplex to expect an accessible home and have to make significant upgrades later.

City Administrator Paul Hensch said he believes doorways would be wider but said he wasn’t sure about any other accessible amenities. He said he would follow up with the developer on such questions.

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