On Monday, December 6, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board reviewed the Village Green Center (VGC) Master Conceptual Plan, which received favorable recommendations from the Pleasant Prairie Plan Commission on November 8. RINKA (architects, planners, and designers) presented an updated plan that incorporated Plan Commission recommendations to reduce the number of housing units at the perimeter of the VGC, adjacent to existing single-family and two-family developments. The updated plan includes larger lot sizes and reduces the number of housing units. The overall plan received Village Board support; however, board members requested further Plan Commission review of the proposed density, consideration for public and private financing, and market demand for retail.
RINKA developed the overall Master Conceptual Plan from ideas generated in 2019 by the Community Collaboration group and the 2020 Draft Master Conceptual Plan feedback. Over the past year, Village staff has worked with RINKA to ensure key design drivers were maintained and determine the viability of project components, public infrastructure, and stormwater management facilities. The Vision for the VGC is to establish an inclusive, vibrant community core that connects people, celebrates nature, and provides compelling opportunities for sustainable development in an authentically Pleasant Prairie environment.
RINKA's Master Conceptual Plan update includes a combination of high, medium, and low-density residential housing and mixed-use, civic, commercial, and hospitality developments. The downtown development consists of approximately 180 acres of land, generally located at Springbrook Road, 39th Avenue, and State Highway 165. The plan includes a central green space with pedestrian-friendly connections that provide walkable access to housing, commercial, and event spaces. The blocks in the plan provide flexibility in architecture and help attract various business types. Higher-density commercial developments are in the central area of VGC. Density will step down utilizing multiple housing types, offering different price points, to fit into the surrounding community.
Public discussion for a Village Center began more than twenty-five years ago when population counts in the surrounding areas did not support the center's development. Today, the Village has grown to 21,250 residents, and a strategic commercial marketing analysis shows the community can support mixed-use development.