Wausau council approves River Life apartment plan after neighbors raise traffic and design concerns

The Wausau Common Council voted unanimously on April 8 to approve an amendment to the River Life general development plan allowing multifamily apartment buildings and a clubhouse at 920 North First Street and 15 Fulton Street.

The change, filed as ordinance amendment file 25-0416, was approved 10-0 after the item was pulled for discussion. The council recorded a 10-0 vote after a motion to adopt the amendment; the plan commission had previously recommended approval 5-0.

The amendment matters to nearby businesses and property owners because it adds new residential units and a clubhouse with a proposed driveway onto First Street immediately across from existing commercial driveways. Kathy Volkman, chief compliance officer for Clover Belt Credit Union, told the council she did not oppose the building itself but warned it could worsen traffic flow at First and Fulton and would reduce the credit union’s river view. Alder Killian delivered Volkman’s concerns and asked the city to pursue fixes before or during construction.

City staff member Mr. Lindman said the site-specific plan that follows a GDP approval will include closer review of the clubhouse driveway location and that the city will gather traffic counts and turning-movement data before considering changes to stop signs or intersection controls. Lindman said crews planned to place pneumatic counting tubes as soon as road conditions allow and to compare before- and after-construction counts to evaluate whether changes such as a four-way stop are warranted.

Developer Mark Lake of Wongard Partners described landscaping and three-dimensional grading intended to screen parked cars from pedestrians along the river. Lake said the proposal orients the building to preserve river views and lifts the parking area so “you’re not looking at cars; you’re looking at the landscaping” from the riverwalk.

Alders raised details they wanted addressed in the next steps. Alder Rasmussen emphasized that neighbors — particularly businesses that watch activity on the street through the day — provide valuable operational perspective and said detailed implementation plans should follow the GDP. Alder Lukens asked the developer to prioritize native plantings along the river to support pollinators; Lake said the firm uses native species where possible and will coordinate landscaping with neighbors.

The ordinance amendment will advance to the site-specific review and permitting stage. Council members and staff said they expect additional design and traffic mitigation measures to be addressed in that later review rather than in the GDP amendment itself.

Votes and procedural notes: the council approved the GDP amendment by a roll-call vote of 10-0. The motion on the floor (as recorded) followed the plan commission recommendation. The item had been removed from the consent agenda at the request of an alder to allow public questions and clarifications.

Provenance: Council discussion and the developer presentation appear in the meeting record beginning with the ordinance announcement and continuing through public and alder questions; the plan commission recommendation and the final vote are recorded later in the same segment.