Meijer's clears initial hurdles in Sussex

 Village of Sussex - A proposal to build a nearly 200,000 square foot retail grocery-household goods super center on the southeast corner of Hwys. K and 164 cleared some initial hurdles with the village Plan Commission tonight.

Plan Commissioners uanimously recommended the Village Board amend building codes to permit structures of 250,000 square feet so the Grand Rapids, Michigan Meijer Company to build the super center. Building codes presently restricted buildings in the village to 125,000 square feet.

Village Administrator Jeremy Smith said failing to increase the limit on building size would have been "a deal breaker" for the proposal.

The commissioners also indicated they believed  the super center with adjoining gas station and convenience store would be an appropriate use for some of the land being purchased by Meijer Company from the Schellin family that own the approximately 40 acre tract of farm land.

In addition, the commission instructed the staff to begin a review process of the development plans with various village committee's and sub committee's and scheduled a series of public hearings on the proposal.

Village Attorney John Macy later emphasized that none of the informal indications made by the commission tonight are binding and could be changed subject to the outcome of the public hearings and deliberations by the Village Board.

The project won unanimous raves from members of the commission. Without the commission's intial expression of support, approval of the project might have been difficult..

Representatives of the company told the commission they hoped to begin construction in the late spring or early summer of 2014.

However, they later acknowledged they may have to acquire permits from the Wiscnsin Department of Natural Resources because of the amount of earth moving and excavating that may have to done adjacent to a wetlands.

The company representatives emphasized the wetlands will not be disturbed by the project.