[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6507289,"mediaKeyId","5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3","parentId",5573910,"title","Council hears Visit Eau Claire contract proposal, then votes to enter closed session for negotiations","audioSeconds",3684,"startMs",3694000,"endMs",9030,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3&start=3694&end=9","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3/thumbnail_3694000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6507289/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/Council-hears-Visit-Eau-Claire-contract-proposal-then-votes-to-enter-closed-session-for-negotiations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507289-afce6cd33319cbf8f03563266a02c26d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200815&Signature=H3Tg81TXBW4g21VMHgo04Kv5fesduS7hmZ8Nos9w3R2iUOpFDrzVEJxgTfF8d6Eiq3Y8Db~FmJEHUFjfnE2ISLCQ~nCjmH8TR7DfV46IsnyNzUaulRDPyVvzQ7Dgxl3CJU7~Y0vTiI0BX48J7vrWofsU0h5cxkuCQCFGdSH8Hc8OEFBjb8hyrirpmAU9KWAFAjN2x89L5UVqJLm0rE6mDo2UJXr4LIBkAFz~TZe15IGLfXFLJV1MS-asuquM6yOpbjJ2kyxXKuZMAV9b0fmnzkapaOPdB4QawfEGJ90AsVB9ovrVhZAZi28fIMxF3KP~3OJdPH0vW0NeexBtU5D3lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Eau Claire, WI","date","2025-08-11T18:00:00Z","article","Visit Eau Claire's executive director presented a proposed contract for 2026 and beyond and outlined a plan to fund a two‑year destination master plan and a city destination development fund. After public comment in support of Visit Eau Claire, the council voted to enter closed session to provide negotiation direction on the contract.

Executive director Kenzie Haplicek told the council Visit Eau Claire is a 45‑year regional tourism organization serving Eau Claire and neighboring municipalities. Haplicek summarized the organization's results and the proposal: tourism had a reported $461 million total economic impact in Eau Claire County in 2024, visitors spent about $286 million, the industry supported roughly 3,900 jobs and produced an estimated $31 million in state and local taxes. Haplicek said the city collected about $2.9 million in room tax in 2024; under state statute the municipality may retain up to 30% while a minimum of 70% is forwarded to a tourism entity for tourism promotion and development.

Haplicek outlined a proposed financial model for 2026 (based on a 2.5% projected increase in room tax receipts): an allocation to fund a two‑year destination master plan at about 3% in 2026, a proposed city destination development fund at roughly 2% (about $50,000) in 2026, with the remaining allocation keeping a 49% share for Visit Eau Claire operations and 21% for community partners (Pablo Center, Chippewa Valley Museum, Sonantec Center) and grant programs. \"Our role is to be a catalyst that keeps the cycle of community vitality spinning,\" Haplicek said.

Legal counsel Zach Bemis of Godfrey & Kahn responded to council interest in additional public oversight and recommended preserving a membership‑derived nonprofit board structure to remain compliant with federal tax rules that govern 501(c)(6) organizations. Bemis recommended ex‑officio, non‑voting participation for municipal representatives on Visit Eau Claire committees and board meetings rather than giving city officials voting seats on the nonprofit board. He said that structure maintains the legal distinction between the taxing unit and the tourism entity while allowing robust information flow and city input.

Public comment and stakeholder support
The council heard a lengthy public comment period focused largely on Visit Eau Claire's value to the local economy. Nineteen speakers (and additional people through an extended comment period) included event organizers, hoteliers, cultural institutions and regional partners.
- Joe Lustick and Leighton Hahn, organizers of the Clearwater Jazz and Art Festival, credited Visit Eau Claire for early grant support and promotion that helped the festival grow to multi‑thousand attendance and increased hotel stays.
- Dan Kron, vice president of asset management for Movement Hospitality, said Visit Eau Claire ranks among the best destination marketing organizations he has worked with in 16 states and provided a back‑of‑the‑envelope return‑on‑investment estimate for hotel taxable revenues.
- Representatives from Pablo Center, Chippewa Valley Museum, the Children's Museum, Visit Eau Claire board members and regional DMOs urged council to maintain the contract and described benefits including event attraction, grant wins, national press placements and region‑wide collaboration.

Council action: closed session for negotiation direction
Toward the end of the meeting councilmember Brewster moved that the council go into closed session \"to provide negotiation direction for competitive bargaining or bargaining reasons and consider the investment of public funds regarding the Visit Eau Claire contract, pursuant to s.19.85(1)(e) of the Wisconsin Statutes.\" The motion was seconded by Councilmember Mboga (recorded as Mvoga at the microphone). A roll‑call vote was held and the motion passed; the clerk recorded all council responses as aye and the body recessed to clear the chamber before entering closed session.

What this means
The vote sends the Visit Eau Claire contract negotiations into a closed session forum where council members will provide negotiation direction to staff. The council did not take a public vote to approve or reject the contract terms at this meeting. City staff and Visit Eau Claire representatives said they plan to continue negotiations consistent with state law and the city's interests.

Ending
Visit Eau Claire asked the council to approve a shorter initial contract (three years) with automatic one‑year renewals unless 12‑month notice is given and to fund a two‑year destination master plan and a continuing destination development fund. The council moved the discussion into closed session for negotiation direction under state statute; any final contract action is expected to return to public session for a vote in a subsequent meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Eau Claire, WI - City Council Meeting - Monday","oneSentenceSummary","Visit Eau Claire presented a proposed 2026 contract that includes funding for a two‑year destination master plan and a city destination development fund. After an extended public comment period largely in support, the council voted to enter closed session to provide negotiation direction under s.19.85(1)(e) Wisconsin Statutes.","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},6507293,"City staff recommends new stop, yield and accessible‑parking controls after neighborhood studies",684,2990000,3674000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3&start=2990&end=3674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3/thumbnail_2990000.jpg","/articles/6507293/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/City-staff-recommends-new-stop-yield-and-accessibleparking-controls-after-neighborhood-studies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507293-07dbae21f20700988910f865d659f188/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200815&Signature=WQQeFKCzlC8PaXHQnNESLpjviurqdH9wYpwfAygU8gVTCK-ogiOETEWkMZYmjriM~sXQl02j54fNAshhG89Pq6FUoGY~uyFK1sP8S64sc88tsxTY~s41mypsuXtVTVVpYQR9Mjak4juwd76QGaN~bO7EQGsmJ24UvBMVtGnHZ7Iw3ODIzXx5JAhwwrmNCawNaiDZSC8Huri3C-B~9y1AVCHxUsS7Rt7T~fl7tHD8pUXewIBhNxbX4LSJCh89T2y99M0Pw20PTQUZSyKznMRvtP-2xWxEh97fRgjSXxAKNAKRFPjmRVgU0DyHkjdkvzspLE8Xi-9crciIEoV-ZQpshA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Engineering staff presented three separate public discussion items proposing small, location‑specific traffic and parking ordinance changes following data collection and resident requests.

Director Kelsey Ness told the council West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission conducted traffic counts and that staff evaluated vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian volumes, crash history and school routes when recommending control changes. \"At this specific location at Fillmore Avenue and Nimitz Street, the volumes did meet the thresholds that we were looking for,\" Ness said, recommending an all‑way stop for that intersection. The location is near Manns Elementary School and the change would convert a two‑way‑stop intersection to all‑way stop control.

Ness said a separate study identified 24 intersections that staff recommend for yield control. The proposed yield locations are spread across residential neighborhoods and include additional sites near Manns Elementary where community calls and neighborhood association input prompted further study.

On a third item, staff recommended adding one accessible parking stall on Vine Street near Third Street to serve Chickadee's restaurant. Ness said the proposed accessible stall location preserves sight lines at the intersection and was cleared with transit staff because a bus stop is nearby.

No votes were recorded during the presentation; staff said maps and counts were included in the council packet and that additional locations remain on the department's watch list for future study.","Engineering staff presented traffic counts and recommended an all‑way stop at Fillmore Avenue and Nimitz Street, yield control at 24 intersections (many near Manns Elementary) and an accessible stall near Vine and Third Street for a local restaurant. No council votes were taken during the discussion.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6507298,"Council hears Century Code update; debate centers on tree rules, zoning map and housing tradeoffs",2829,151000,2980000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3&start=151&end=2980","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5573910-af0db6ea237c7ba33e8c6f925dd199f3/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6507298/Eau-Claire-City/Eau-Claire-County/Wisconsin/Council-hears-Century-Code-update-debate-centers-on-tree-rules-zoning-map-and-housing-tradeoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507298-370d39df45d3f9c1cc9e3e0aa21529d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200815&Signature=ahGujPH4EBfCiqInKBqh0ND-LuzQyorbz5oTCWcCANeM7q4NGSbTO2cYICKkzgjF7Cevml1hQ6hy3hjJYpw9dq8Nj5ilekbEsdk5-KBSHoH-YeeEF5ACQuRuT-e~paUOpcf4KUZ~-PR2nB~oaDI3uxl-mioLDhqnPbxUiFLMCgIwzphT4b-yuG7V8i4291d8KyX4TQqpsqT9TCzJk3~IAm~UwD~2M9FPEKgiwivPksweXXZtrt1oQzssTjP6QXi2urnNHSaeqxcC5xJvkZ7buB38LfGjSm2YMO4JofYHykko8KtyLcbJEWo3XMqQ0JBx8KsnhoY6UhjbvdYsd7ka1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a final public hearing on a broad ordinance to repeal and replace land‑use chapters of the municipal code and to amend the comprehensive plan and stormwater rules, drawing public comment and detailed council questions.

Eric Noel, a city staff member presenting the Century Code/Land Development Ordinance project, told the council the package would repeal and replace Titles 17 and 18 (zoning and subdivision) and amend Title 19 (stormwater). Noel said the package collapses multiple documents and design manuals into a single, illustrated code intended to improve clarity for developers and staff and to align zoning language with the comprehensive plan and state law. \"This is a large project that you've been working on for over two years,\" Noel said.

The nut graf: The ordinance bundle contains three linked policy areas that the council has repeatedly signaled as priorities—streamlined development rules intended to boost housing supply, new stormwater/erosion thresholds driven by state DNR guidance, and a revised tree‑preservation regime that council members and speakers said affects infill feasibility. The council heard technical detail from staff, then heard 10 public comments representing arborists, builders, business groups and neighborhood interests.

Key provisions and staff clarifications
- Titles: The package would repeal existing chapters and create a consolidated Land Development Ordinance (Title 17), updated subdivision/zoning rules (Title 18), and amendments to stormwater (Title 19).
- Stormwater/erosion: Noel said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources pushed the city to adopt model‑ordinance provisions. A new land‑disturbance permit threshold would apply to sites that disturb 2,000 square feet or more (a lower threshold than before) to address erosion on smaller residential lots.
- Tree preservation and simplified permits: The council has already approved four related amendments; Noel summarized staff recommendations including a simplified permit pathway for projects that remove up to 10 high‑value trees (raised from the prior threshold) and a mitigation requirement that staff described as 30% in the proposed approach, compared with a 60% mitigation practice noted in Duluth.
- Design and housing goals: The new code is designed to encourage more compact, walkable development, reduce parking minimums in some districts, and introduce zoning districts to allow smaller multi‑unit housing in more locations. Noel said many design requirements were refined after three rounds of public and council feedback.

Zoning map, nonconforming buildings and neighborhood concerns
Noel reviewed draft maps and the contested Randall Park and Third Ward amendments. He said adopting one option would leave 31 nonconforming buildings in the mapped boundary; treating the area as originally proposed would reduce nonconformities to 13 for certain building types. He told council members the GR district limits three‑ and four‑unit buildings to collector streets and reminded the council that state law limits reinvestment in nonconforming structures to 50% of assessed value.

Council process and timing
Noel reiterated that if council adopts any substantive new amendments at the next meeting the entire package would return to the planning commission for a new public hearing (the earliest date staff gave was Sept. 15) and then back to council on Sept. 23; staff expects final cleanup items (including DNR‑driven floodplain changes) and an effective date likely in mid‑November if no new amendments are added. \"If you make another amendment, it has to go back to plan commission,\" Noel said; the city attorney clarified that amendments that are truly new would require another commission review, while changes on matters already considered by commission can sometimes be handled directly by council.

Public comment highlights
- Luke Mahal, owner of Tree Savvy and a longtime local arborist and former city forestry employee, said he supports some of the proposed amendments but urged the council to fund implementation and to strengthen post‑planting care and mitigation. \"If the goal of tree preservation and an urban forest is to be sustainable, you need to be looking at tree planting and aftercare also,\" Mahal said.
- Scott Rogers, vice president of governmental affairs at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, urged adoption to boost housing supply but warned that tree‑preservation rules could add costs and slow development: \"Affordability itself is significantly affected by the real cost of construction and the cost of complying with regulations,\" Rogers said.
- Pat Smith, representing the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association, urged passage of the four amendments that reduce burdens on small infill projects and reiterated concerns about park impact fees and other cost drivers.

What was not decided
No formal council vote was taken during the hearing. Staff asked the council to consider final adoption at the next regular meeting; multiple council members asked procedural clarifying questions about how future amendments would be processed.

Ending
City staff told council members they will prepare a cleanup packet and implementation materials—sample simplified permit forms, fee schedules and templates—if the council completes adoption at its next meeting. Noel said staff expects to return with additional implementation guidance in September and a formal effective date after the DNR‑driven cleanup work is finished.","City staff presented a long-running repeal-and-replace of Eau Claire's land development rules, including new zoning districts, a revised stormwater rule and changes to tree‑preservation and permitting. Staff and some council members said adoption could increase housing choices; tree advocates and builders urged refinements and an ongoing review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears Visit Eau Claire contract proposal, then votes to enter closed session for negotiations

City staff recommends new stop, yield and accessible‑parking controls after neighborhood studies

Council hears Century Code update; debate centers on tree rules, zoning map and housing tradeoffs