[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6637443,"mediaKeyId","2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b","parentId",2586550,"title","City staff outline major zoning overhaul intended to boost housing variety; builders warn about cost impacts","audioSeconds",2986,"startMs",3872685,"endMs",6858965,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b&start=3872&end=6858","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b/thumbnail_3872685.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637443/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/City-staff-outline-major-zoning-overhaul-intended-to-boost-housing-variety-builders-warn-about-cost-impacts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637443-be89b3447a18cc8adad7e4a2c746ffde/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183332&Signature=X7u243UkQ9Hb7Lona96XHFzggJGzltdk66OpvHe9yEvU8um3qr~hNu5YVna38g9ADVkb8I1VthL-SbxwSPXfsRwIkW7aHBLpjbRW1Y34wa8~o34jKl3XoD3eJmTA3EiJ6EMwDFAoxXjkwTkeM6ECajYuAQf9FQvfhSnOLL90HPk56fT6YhpzZUZK2swR3P3fIFHVaxGHjHUE~PZvDIzwo8Uhi7nECUM5cC0bbZR9py0qslvs7~fR89PiVkcbP~yOk-3YbnDv9hfLItvggGG44f9mpSeeJDOwYJIpD2LLGzDiANpdzuY2--P9xo6Cf62XYmh3RBWJHe6BERXmzpsMow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Euclaire ","date","2025-03-12T17:13:00Z","article","City planning staff presented a comprehensive draft zoning code update during the Housing Opportunities Commission meeting on March 12, 2025, proposing broad changes intended to increase housing variety and streamline administrative approvals. Commissioners and developers pushed back on sections they said could raise construction costs or reduce feasibility for specific housing types.

The draft replaces existing residential districts (R1, R2, R3, R4) with new categories — General Residential (GR), Neighborhood Residential (NR), Mixed Residential (MR) and Urban Residential (UR) — and generally reduces minimum lot sizes, lot widths and other dimensional standards. Staff said the changes permit small‑lot single‑family homes, duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes in more areas and remove many arbitrary density caps in favor of per‑unit lot area increments.

\"We're changing all of them. There's all the names are going to be changing, all the standards are going to be changing in some way or another,\" the staff presenter said while summarizing the district consolidation and dimensional reductions.

What the draft would do

- Smaller minimum lot and width standards: single‑family minimums in some districts fall as low as 2,500–3,000 sq ft with lot widths down to 25–30 feet in targeted zones; two‑unit and small multi‑unit lot area requirements were reduced as well.

- Missing‑middle and form options: MR and UR districts would explicitly allow tiny homes, cottage courts, bungalow/row homes and low‑rise apartment forms. The draft also introduces a housing‑type diversity requirement for larger new developments (targets for single‑family, missing‑middle and multifamily mixes in master plans).

- Planned Unit Development (PUD) reuse: PUDs would be recharacterized to focus on holistic community benefits. As presented, a PUD project must meet one of a set of public‑benefit standards, such as guaranteed affordability, accessible design or sustainable features; affordability would be enforced for 30 years by deed restriction or similar instrument if used as the public benefit.

- New design standards: additions include residential infill standards for older neighborhoods (roof pitch, porches, front‑facing entries and three selectable quality enhancements), glazing/window requirements, and, for larger residential buildings (five or more units), a minimum masonry percentage on front facades in the current draft.

- Parking and administrative adjustments: parking ratios are mostly steady or reduced for many types; an increase was proposed for 3‑ and 4‑unit buildings to two spaces per unit unless developers use adjustments (for transit proximity, affordable units or universal design) to lower that number.

Concerns raised by developers and commissioners

Builders and commissioners said several choices could increase the cost of constructing affordable housing or make some projects difficult to deliver:

- Masonry requirement and cladding: the draft’s 30% masonry minimum for multi‑unit fronts was flagged as costly; staff said they are reviewing alternatives (mixed materials with two differing cladding types) to achieve an improved look without requiring masonry.

- Tree preservation thresholds: staff and stakeholders said proposed tree‑survey thresholds and preservation replacement ratios (reducing diameter minimums from 20\" to 12\") could add significant site‑development cost and complexity.

- Garage and lot‑width interactions: changes to garage placement and minimum garage widths could conflict with smaller‑lot designs commonly used for twin homes and duplexes; builders warned the combined effect of anti‑monotony requirements, garage rules and other standards could make twin home construction uneconomical and push activity out of Eau Claire.

- Anti‑monotony and model diversity: the draft sets anti‑monotony limits (for larger subdivisions, no more than a percentage of identical models) that some builders said would raise costs when developers rely on repeated models to reduce prices.

Staff responses and next steps

Planning staff said many of the currently proposed standards have been relaxed from earlier drafts, that higher‑cost elements (for example masonry percentages) are being reconsidered and that PUDs still provide negotiation paths for projects providing public benefits such as deep affordability. Staff and several commissioners encouraged review at additional Zoning Policy Advisory Commission (ZPAC) meetings; the next ZPAC meeting was noted as May 5, 2025.

Ending: The commission received the presentation and scheduled further review and outreach; several commissioners asked staff to return with cost‑impact analyses for elements such as masonry, tree preservation and balcony requirements so that the city can weigh design goals against affordability.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Euclaire - Housing Opportunities Commission - Mar 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City planning staff presented a comprehensive draft zoning code update that lowers dimensional standards, encourages missing‑middle housing and adds design and affordability criteria; developers warned some provisions could increase building costs.","taxTitle","Eau Claire City, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin","taxId",4140,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637448,"Home for Good outlines plan for community land trust to preserve long‑term affordable homeownership",3196,654460,3851115,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b&start=654&end=3851","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b/thumbnail_654460.jpg","/articles/6637448/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/Home-for-Good-outlines-plan-for-community-land-trust-to-preserve-longterm-affordable-homeownership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637448-84a60531c22fb5a8a9517338fb704fdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183332&Signature=HtAHTvx05ZkC6ljkXtz5GudmCkZPJsRcuy0Qeuricq6m7Ie0UZyFuQa88I0pQvmJgY0~vgKZBE5FBYgyWU0fCOz7S2UIj~MEi92-aWbiJrxjK0T~Eamubx1VRxggs4m1O75Ewdlai1tBTmaU3BnURAUDrTNkVIdliNjcRUGZMT-OrUlK4rX~SqgVHiGxuAwUmk~ygejirqKJv3YTtvaHrDABPidFcxKPY1Z~9GcaBTXZ8TEUciV1nvrnytOnNyTmHKZkseD2U7zJROIKDEesVhjW2U6~vxO8vQTiizv4djJqpqV-4YkLPrbx9e4OJY5MA9qax9-TzxqMR~zhWwTzvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A presentation to the Housing Opportunities Commission on March 12, 2025 introduced Home for Good’s initiative to start a community land trust aimed at preserving permanently affordable homeownership in Eau Claire County.

Home for Good Executive Director Austria Gracehart told commissioners the nonprofit is convening a community advisory committee and working with consultant Jeff Washburn of Burlington Associates in Community Development to design the CLT. \"We're excited to present to you this evening the beginning of our journey towards the community land trust in Eau Claire County,\" Gracehart said.

A CLT separates ownership of land from ownership of the home and uses a ground lease to keep resale prices affordable for income‑qualified buyers. Consultant Jeff Washburn described typical CLT mechanics: the CLT holds title to land and an assisted buyer owns the home improvements and a lease governs resale terms so subsequent buyers also qualify by income. Washburn used a fixed‑rate resale example to show how proceeds to a seller can be limited so the home stays affordable for future buyers.

Why it matters: presenters said CLTs can protect long‑term community ownership of housing and prevent investor conversions of small single‑family stock. Washburn cited national experience — ‘‘over 350 active community land trusts nationally’’ — and said CLTs can operate at scale if local, state and federal funding are layered with private philanthropy.

Key details from the presentation and discussion

- Intended beneficiaries and mission: Home for Good emphasized serving lower‑income households including families it currently supports in its programs and noted options to prioritize deeper affordability (e.g., households at 50% AMI). Washburn said CLTs can be structured to serve low‑ and moderate‑income households and retain community control of assets.

- Funding sources: Washburn said most capital for CLT purchases and rehabs in his Minneapolis experience came from public funding programs layered with other sources, naming CDBG, HOME, NSP and ARPA as examples. He described past local investments by cities, counties and state programs and noted that federal programs (including opportunities that appeared under NSP and ARPA) can create unexpected funding windows.

- Financing mortgages: Washburn said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now buy loans on CLT properties, and that several banks offer portfolio mortgage products for CLT borrowers, improving mortgage availability compared with earlier decades.

- Program models and partners: Home for Good intends a mix of approaches: stewarding an existing portfolio of homes, partnering with Habitat for Humanity to preserve new affordable homes as CLT properties, and pursuing buyer‑driven acquisitions. Washburn described CLT roles in foreclosure response, rehab, and long‑term stewardship.

- Implementation questions and concerns raised by commissioners: Commissioners asked about resale formulas, how lenders treat ground‑leased properties, accessibility and whether CLTs can include rental properties. Washburn said resale formulas vary (appraisal‑based or fixed‑rate examples were given), mortgage products now exist for CLT homes, and CLTs sometimes hold or support rental projects (though many CLTs focus on homeownership stewardship).

Outstanding items and next steps

Home for Good is convening local advisory sessions, drafting a business plan and will return with more specifics on targeted income bands, a resale formula, proposed governance and a funding plan. Commissioners asked Home for Good to follow up on specific local financing questions and capacity estimates for how many homes the CLT could support annually.

Ending: Commissioners generally expressed support and asked staff and Home for Good to continue the planning process and return with a refined business plan and funding scenarios.","Home for Good presented a plan to establish a community land trust (CLT) for Eau Claire County, describing how CLTs preserve long‑term affordability, potential funding sources and implementation questions raised by commissioners.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637430,"Commission approves minutes and adjourns; routine votes recorded",0,275400,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b&start=275&end=275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b/thumbnail_275400.jpg","/articles/6637430/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/Commission-approves-minutes-and-adjourns-routine-votes-recorded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637430-0606519f183322ad33495bf37ce04b8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183332&Signature=VJm7I9b7DAndSImycrgj3lcRB0Kn~utntTjfIxyLvIffNkbtDXvngrgKPL3dVMm019-p1MNllreaelzB0Sbfubu1BIwL8ue3NSaOi3h1AJInMz4Sh5npRuBKGPVebStSn8lvllPi1Glb1uEzrL4PrL3NtpiXBsYQaeJsa2R7DjCs42tSqGRWTu8X5388qUswqjtkIOqdjCHcf6Yw5gm798rRRqmm2L~lhdSKsxDMfP7W~j7H6lK19pd-49KJ1ti5CtAJV672Ra5wsEHruKfdKKIAhEJhzwuhWUkcPMRy9wGfO4dQsJdwNE8S~V5N7rXd6J2aQcxEqtoA7TxhSmxFRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Housing Opportunities Commission conducted two recorded procedural votes during the March 12, 2025 meeting.

Approval of minutes: The commission called for a motion to approve minutes for the Feb. 12, 2025 meeting; a motion and second were made, and the chair stated \"Those in favor of approving the minutes, say aye,\" followed by \"Aye.\" The chair then said the minutes passed.

Adjournment: At the end of the evening the commission moved and seconded to conclude the meeting; the chair called for those in favor and members responded \"Aye,\" after which the meeting was closed.

Recorded actions

- Motion to approve minutes for 02/12/2025: moved and seconded; outcome recorded as approved by voice vote.
- Motion to adjourn the March 12, 2025 meeting: moved and seconded; outcome recorded as approved by voice vote.

No roll‑call vote record with individual member names was provided in the transcript; roll call earlier in the meeting indicated eight members present.","The Housing Opportunities Commission approved its Feb. 12, 2025 minutes and later voted to adjourn the March 12 meeting; both motions passed by voice vote.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637434,"Sojourner House announces potential move to seasonal operations citing $400,000 annual shortfall",156,7436000,7592000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b&start=7436&end=7592","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b/thumbnail_7436000.jpg","/articles/6637434/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/Sojourner-House-announces-potential-move-to-seasonal-operations-citing-400000-annual-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637434-116bc4ce826c62c5c1da23ced654d385/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183332&Signature=nIt647Z-402jDcgFp~IHWIoC07ZEuhKoaTUULIv-w~PGa9U9VnZ2YlxfBX~plllnPznmaSNHS8PMXPYr6dxxL-HRs9SSuWbz0J8qIEyF8~94Qk8Jz6dUtCjZP8ODuPZr0iOLIHxX9gdMez6tMdDLXcatuJ-AyU5ZGsxHGM5f9-YY-wZEzyVUl3-loGPxC8FoQCv~deofx6908IoRr-IEOP6V3si1P5takvCPK961Gkz7u3GLPSLjYRO2jC3dlCg6ahJncL3PkxKBLZTr-u-pdxMI6Yy0ADamG-TZNAOUKEODPfJ6VrAPL6AoKl0i2uQVv~D4X-EN90bx1PN29AYrUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Housing Opportunities Commission on March 12 that Sojourner House, the local shelter operated by Catholic Charities, plans to move to seasonal operations because of funding shortfalls that staff said total approximately $400,000 annually.

At a staff update, the presenter said Sojourner House informed staff of the plan and a press release was issued the same day. The facility would operate part of the year and be closed to guest services for the May–November period under the plan staff described; staff emphasized the move was driven by operating shortfalls and that other communities (Wausau, La Crosse) also operate shelters seasonally.

\"Their gap is $400,000 in operational expense to be covered annually,\" staff said. They added Catholic Charities notified shelter staff the night before and issued the public notice the following morning.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the change would likely affect citations and enforcement for people camping and raise service needs in summer months. Commissioners said local parishes and communities were discussing options and that efforts were ongoing to explore ways to prevent a full seasonal closure.

Next steps: Staff said they will continue to meet with Catholic Charities and community partners to evaluate options and assess impacts; commissioners flagged the topic for follow‑up at the next meeting.","Staff reported Catholic Charities’ Sojourner House is planning to move to a seasonal model for shelter operations because of financial constraints, creating a potential service gap during summer months.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637439,"City staff report spike in evictions; building permits remain below 2022 levels",224,390535,614600,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b&start=390&end=614","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2586550-2c8f9544963ca1d0297993be08df985b/thumbnail_390535.jpg","/articles/6637439/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/City-staff-report-spike-in-evictions-building-permits-remain-below-2022-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637439-2937e3efd2623c2ddea26522aa24b4ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183332&Signature=DjHoNn1jCFQ03xogwtDONYAYBsqsBB-SG2OPhfFD-O5GJbjNGmz8PO1qb3E8ghJLc-RqUTasEL9xczKa7ugNg9hGDZ8aJPaBWmfZumP7gBVKK8-2cr6B6YHdaQFPR13VMj2jXTyZzRo7MWWJLXjPdlAjyjlHCMo-mNUqyztw5iBvOhq0z2OcSNqEeNPJZapsu9FzwInm7cLTXDB6R40xj9D~5tStVm6mmJo8coy94k~Xkg6vhH5n~G1bqLeHger4aGxZACji4hXsDFOQ1bIyUUFlQFeEiLKy5q6Iw8RnKmjw9bC6mMhEUnZV9JjLb2IiqMFJTHT5uGE8~W7QId08mA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Housing staff presented year‑to‑date permit counts and eviction tracking to the Housing Opportunities Commission on March 12, 2025, and highlighted a concerning spike in eviction filings in February 2025.

Project management intern Bridal Stout (staff) compared 2025 data with previous years and said single‑family and two‑family permit counts are broadly in line with 2023 and 2024 but remain lower than 2022. Stout said multifamily permit issuance was zero in January and two permits in February 2025 totaling 12 housing units — putting the city four units ahead of the same point in the prior year.

On evictions, Stout reported: \"February 2025 was the highest amount of eviction cases since we started counting in January of 2023. So we had 24, which is 1 higher than the peak of '23.\" She added that 87% of county evictions originate in the city of Eau Claire while the city accounts for roughly 63% of the county population. Stout said many cases remain open; among resolved cases the most common outcomes have been judgments for eviction.

Commissioner follow‑up and context

Commissioner Kim asked whether staff had insight into causes for the February spike; Stout said she had no definitive cause and offered to follow up with supervisor Billy Hofford. Commissioners noted a possible seasonal pattern (landlords delaying filings during winter months) and suggested staff examine whether seasonal filing patterns, policy changes or other factors contributed to the February rise.

Ending: Staff said they will follow up with additional analysis and provide more context on eviction drivers and permitting trends in a future meeting.","City housing staff presented early‑year permit data and eviction trends showing a February 2025 spike in eviction filings, and commissioners asked staff to investigate causes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City staff outline major zoning overhaul intended to boost housing variety; builders warn about cost impacts

Home for Good outlines plan for community land trust to preserve long‑term affordable homeownership

Commission approves minutes and adjourns; routine votes recorded

Sojourner House announces potential move to seasonal operations citing $400,000 annual shortfall

City staff report spike in evictions; building permits remain below 2022 levels