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Portion of Sho-Deen development might proceed

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DELAVAN TOWNSHIP — The numbers tell the story: 74 lots on 39 acres after seven years of wrangling and a two-year freeze on zoning changes.

On Tuesday, the Town of Delavan Plan Commission will review the newest plan from Chicago-based developer Sho-Deen Homes: a preliminary plat with 74 lots on 39 acres.

The proposal is one segment of a 623-home development approved by the town plan commission in January.

After years of discussion, the commission and Sho-Deen in January came to agreement on a variety of issues include run-off control, open space, building density and lot size.

The plans for 623 homes called for drainage facilities that would reduce flooding around the inlet and reduce the number of pollutants going to the lake—something the town has been working on for more than a decade.

The plan was poised to go to the full town board later in January.

Everything came to a grinding halt Jan 12, when the Delavan City Council passed a resolution and ordinance exerting its extra-territorial zoning rights, effectively putting a two-year freeze on the project. The city resolution noted there were "1,000 buildable lots" within the city and that it was in the best interest of the "public's health, safety and welfare" to review the Sho-Deen plan.

"It was definitely a disappointment," said Town of Delavan Administrator John Olson. "We had negotiated for a very long time."

To move forward, an extra-territorial zoning committee, consisting of three town representatives and three city representatives, would have to meet and negotiate and new plan.

That meeting had not been set up before Sho-Deen proposed a new idea.

"The developer hasn't been sitting on their hands," Olson said.

Sho-Deen proposed a smaller development.

On Tuesday, the town planning commission will consider the 39-acre plan that would be exempt from the city's extra-territorial zoning regulations.

"The area is already zoned R-2," Olson explained. "It wouldn't need a rezone. It wouldn't need a conditional use permit."

Therefore, it wouldn't need permission from the city or from of an extra-territorial zoning committee.

Even if the town plan commission and the town board approve the plan, Olson doesn't expect homes would be built immediately.

"It's my gut feeling that with the timing, with the housing market, it's going to be slow growth," Olson said.