Johnston's Bakery to build addition, planning larger expansion

The company pays a portion of their property taxes to the Kohler School District

Johnston's Bakery Frozen Dough Division is located on Weeden Creek Road at Gateway Drive in Sheboygan. Photo by Asher Heimermann.

SHEBOYGAN — A local bakery wants out of the Kohler School District in order to expand in the south side Sheboygan Business Center.

Johnston's Bakery received approval from the City Plan Commission last week to construct a 1,400-square-foot addition to their Frozen Dough Division, located at Gateway Drive and Weeden Creek Road. Construction could start later this year. The estimated cost of the proposed addition is approximately $300,000. The company is planning a larger expansion according to John Johnston.

Johnston's Bakery is planning an expansion of their Frozen Dough Division on Weeden Creek Road in Sheboygan. Photo by Asher Heimermann.

Johnston says he wants to expand further east but wants the second property his company owns to be in the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD). While the building itself is located within the City of Sheboygan, it is located within the Kohler School District boundaries. That means the Kohler School District collects a portion of the property taxes instead of SASD.

In 2014, the company purchased 2.65-acres of land to the east of their building in the Sheboygan Business Center along Weeden Creek Road. That land falls within the SASD boundaries. Johnston told the City Plan Commission that he wants the properties to have the same school district for property tax purposes. During eight minutes of back and forth, city officials did not understand Johnston’s request.

The Sheboygan Business Center was first developed in 1989 when the City of Sheboygan purchased 310-acres of land. Photo by Asher Heimermann.

After being visibly confused about the request, Mayor Ryan Sorenson attempted to crack a joke. "What school district are you sending the kids to that live here?" Sorenson asked Johnston. “I get the lunacy of it,” Sorenson added before deferring the matter to another city official who was just as baffled.

“I don’t know if we have officially met yet,” said Taylor Zeinert, the city’s Director of Planning & Development, during an awkward exchange with Johnston which he quickly affirmed they had not. She believed the matter was regarding Certified Survey Maps and suggested involving the City Assessor. The 26-year-old only offered to meet with the business owner at a later date.