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Consultants outline zoning and subdivision code update, present built‑form study and community engagement for 'Forward La Crosse' project
Summary
Consultants presented progress on the city’s zoning and subdivision code update, described a built‑form study of neighborhoods, districts and corridors, and launched community engagement events tied to 'housing week' including workshops and an online survey.
At the April 28, 2025 meeting, planning consultants working on the Forward La Crosse zoning and subdivision code update presented a progress report that included a built‑form analysis of the city’s neighborhoods, districts and corridors and a plan for community engagement.
Consultant Claire Stickler described outreach efforts tied to Housing Week, including two zoning workshops, pop‑up engagement events and an online survey on the Forward La Crosse website. Consultant Mike Lam summarized a built‑form study that sampled development patterns across the city: traditional neighborhood block patterns, traditional shopping streets, campus districts (medical and institutional), corridors with large‑format commercial parcels and downtown sub‑areas. The team said they used the comprehensive plan’s neighborhoods/districts/corridors framework to map character areas and to inform code recommendations.
Key points presented included: an inventory of typical lot sizes and building forms in traditional neighborhood areas (for example typical lots around 50x150 feet), identification of commercial frontages and parking patterns downtown, and a three‑part view of downtown (Main Street storefront core, a downtown core with higher parking demand, and the wider riverfront/downtown area). Consultants said they will produce an annotated outline of code recommendations after further analysis and a second round of community engagement this summer.
Commissioners and staff discussed how the code update could support downtown housing, preserve beneficial storefront patterns on Main Street, and further the city’s housing supply objectives. Director Gallagher and council members encouraged continued focus on converting under‑utilized commercial parcels and parking lots into housing where appropriate. The consultants said they will return with draft recommendations and a study guide for commission review in the summer months.
Next steps: continued Housing Week engagement, stakeholder interviews, publication of an annotated outline with recommended code changes and later drafting for codification and adoption.
