A plan to open a public charter school in the City of Pewaukee has been put on hold, as reported by The Waukesha County Freeman.
The proposal was tabled during the October 17 Plan Commission meeting, with officials expressing concerns about traffic and parking. The discussion will resume at the November 21 meeting.
The proposed school, Autumn Hill Academy, seeks to operate within an existing building at N25-W23050 Paul Road. The effort to launch the school is being led by Maria Luther, owner of The Smiley Barn in Delafield, along with a group of parents, educators, and health care professionals. The academy would initially offer grades six through 10, with plans to add 11th and 12th grades. Hours would be Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., with some events taking place outside these times.
One key issue raised by the commission is the location’s impact on traffic. City officials are concerned about school buses navigating the property and the potential for traffic backups on Paul Road and Highway F. “Luther was instructed by the commission to select an engineer to do a radius study” to ensure buses can turn efficiently on the site, The Freeman reported.
Parking and traffic flow also sparked debate, with city staff concerned about how queued cars could interfere with the use of parking spaces. Originally, 50 car passes were to be issued for student drop-off and pick-up, but the commission recommended reducing that number to 22 to keep lanes clear for emergency access. Luther responded positively, saying, “I am hearing that limiting the number of student drivers coming onto the property would be very helpful.”
As the commission works toward a resolution, all eyes are on the next meeting to see whether the project will move forward.
