Can Waukesha Meijer Development Get a Second Chance?

Alderman Andy Reiland is trying to revive a proposal to build a Meijer store at Tenny Avenue and East Sunset Drive after the plans didn’t receive enough votes during the Common Council meeting last week.

The project’s rezoning needed a two-thirds vote from the Waukesha Common Council to move forward. While four aldermen absent from the meeting, the project didn’t receive the required two-thirds vote after several aldermen opposed the zoning change.

Reiland changed his vote to a “no” when voting occurred on the land use amendment. Now, he is asking for that vote to be reconsidered by the Common Council.

“I have researched this project from many viewpoints, which included meetings with Meijer representative, listening to constituents, fellow alderman and a meeting with several of the residence on Larchmont Drive for a sit-down open discussion so that I could completely understand their concerns,” Reiland said in a memo to Mayor Jeff Scrima. “I believe that Meijer is the type of business we want to encourage to come to Waukesha and feel that they will compassionately take into consideration the concerns of the neighbors in the area and address those trepidations. I also recognize the process in that the final plans for the project would be fully vetted by our Community Development Department and come to the Planning Commission / Common Council for final approval, which allows those neighbors to continue to have a voice in the final approval.”

Meijer, a food, clothing and home goods store, is attempting build on a vacant parcel of land on East Sunset Drive. Construction was planned to begin in 2014 with the store opening scheduled in 2015.

However, those plans are on hold unless Meijer receives rezoning and land use approvals.

Scrima told Patch on Wednesday that Reiland’s reconsideration request will be held in open session, despite rumors in the neighborhood alleging the meeting will be closed to the public.

Neighbors have brought forward several concerns about the Meijer development, including the increased traffic on East Sunset Drive and a saturation of similar stores in the area. However, Meijer officials say they have been working with the area neighbors and that the southeastern Wisconsin market is big enough to accommodate everyone.

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