GREEN BAY (NBC26) — In a decision that has sparked considerable debate within the Red Smith neighborhood, the Green Bay City Council approved a proposal for a new subdivision consisting of nearly 370 housing units.
- The Green Bay City Council approved a controversial proposal for a 369-unit subdivision on the east side, with a 9-to-3 vote amid concerns from residents in the Red Smith neighborhood about its impact on the community.
- Kent Bond, a local resident, urged officials to reject the ordinance due to zoning incompatibility, while developers from Moski Corporation defended the plan as compliant with city regulations.
- Despite proposed amendments to reduce the multi-family component of the project, they were defeated, and Alderperson Jennifer Grant assured residents she would continue to engage with them throughout the eight to ten-year construction process.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
The vote took place during the city's common council meeting on Tuesday night, with many residents expressing their concerns about the project's impact on the community.
Kent Bond, a Red Smith resident, voiced opposition during the meeting, urging officials to reject the ordinance.
"We ask you to listen to your own guidance," Bond said. "This zoning is incompatible and thus our community requests you reject this ordinance.”
His plea was supported by a petition that garnered over a hundred signatures from concerned community members.
The developers, Moski Corporation, presented their development plan as complying with city regulations regarding density and mixed-use housing.
"We have a good plan, there are mixed-use housing in this plan and we are under the density requirements that you want us to follow," they said.
Despite the concerns raised, District 1 Alderperson Jennifer Grant acknowledged the need for housing but expressed the need to consider neighbors' concerns about the project — especially regarding the multi-family units.
She proposed two amendments aimed at scaling back the multi-family component of the project, however, both amendments were defeated in a tie vote.
District 7 Alderperson Alyssa Proffitt, who supported the original plan, highlighted that there are also residents in Red Smith who are in favor of the development, reflecting a divide within the neighborhood.
“It makes me sad that there are neighbors out there who want this, who want to welcome and expand their neighborhood," Alder Proffitt said. "This is a really powerful decision before us that's going to change the framework of that neighborhood and continue to diversify our housing stock which is so needed."
Despite the objections, the council ultimately voted 9-to-3 in favor of moving the development plan forward.
Following the vote, Alder Grant expressed gratitude to the developers and assured residents that she would continue to engage with them as the construction process unfolds, which is expected to take between eight to ten years.
