Greenfield puts clustering plan on hold

By Christina Beam

Greenfield is giving thought to putting its new home clustering policy to use for the first time after taking up a request from a resident whose farmhouse burned down last summer.

Al Koberstein's property on Luebke Road may be an ideal candidate for clustering, which under the town's comprehensive plan lets landowners with 80 acres build two homes on a maximum of 3 acres each, in agreement for not developing the remaining acres for at least 20 years.

Concerns over how the policy would be implemented for Koberstein, who wants to replace a burned-out farmhouse but situate homes and farm buildings on 80 of his 172 acres so they're viable for future sale, caused the Plan Commission to table the measure Wednesday.

The town is in the middle of annexation negotiations with the city of Baraboo, which could impact Koberstein's property via extra-territorial rights as well, Chair Terry Turnquist said.

"You're trying to do what we want you to do as far as saving farmland and clustering houses," Turnquist said. "You're the first one that's come here to go through the process and we'll see how it goes."