Colfax Plan Commission recommends combining lots for High Street duplexes
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RENDERING OF proposed High Street Duplexes. —drawing submitted
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax Plan Commission is recommending that the village board approve combining two lots into one for three proposed duplexes on High Street.
Luke Ciszewski of Precision Builders appeared before the plan commission July 19 to talk about the duplexes he is proposing to build directly west of the old nursing home building on High Street.
Combining what is currently two separate parcels into one lot would allow three duplexes to be built on the lot, Ciszewski said.
Ciszewski owns both parcels.
If the parcels remained separate, then only two duplexes could be built, he said.
Ciszewski said he planned to break ground this fall on the first duplex and to have it ready for occupancy by this time next year.
Depending on what interest there is in renting out the first duplex, building all three could take between four and five years, he said.
Each duplex would be 1,600 square feet on each side, and each side would have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage, Ciszewski said.
The intention would be for families to live in the duplexes since the units would be close to school, he said.
The R-5 zoning ordinance for multi-family residential allows duplexes, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
The two lots, combined, are about an acre and a half.
The lots were rezoned from Business-2 to R-5 in April of 2021.
There is enough room on the lots to accommodate the three duplexes and to have room for the setbacks required by the zoning ordinance, Niggemann said.
There is already sewer and water service to the lot, and a single driveway would serve all three units, she said.
There would be no cost to the village for sewer and water extensions, Niggemann said.
Dave Hovre, plan commission member, asked about the depth of the garages.
The garages will be 22 feet wide and 24 feet deep, Ciszewski said.
The size of the garages will allow two cars to be parked inside, although if someone had two full-sized pickup trucks, the trucks might not both fit in the garage, he said.
Village employee Don Logslett also attended the meeting.
Are there any problems with sewer and water service for those lots? asked Jason Johnson, plan commission member.
“None,” Logslett replied, noting that the water lines are located on the north side of High Street and that the sanitary sewer is on the south side of the street.
Hovre asked about the rent bracket for the duplexes.
Ciszewski said he was tentatively thinking the units would rent for around $1,400 per month.
Smaller duplexes with a one-stall garage are renting for $1,100 per month, he said.
Five duplexes built in the Town of Elk Mound filled up immediately and are renting for $1,600 per month, Ciszewski said.
The first duplex built would be the one closest to the new apartment buildings, he noted.
The assessment for the completed duplexes would be in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, Ciszewski said.
A certified survey map (CSM) will have to be created to combine the two lots, and then the CSM will have to be sent to Dunn County to be recorded, Niggemann said.
The Colfax Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Colfax Village Board approve combining the two lots into one.
Voting in favor of the motion were Jody Albricht, Mike Buchner, Nancy Hainstock, Dave Hovre and Jason Johnson.
Plan commission members Logan Michels and Tiffany Prince were absent from the meeting.
