Council removes clause allowing quarter-block private rentals on Wausau’s 400 Block

The Wausau Common Council voted unanimously on June 10 to amend the city’s special events policy to remove a rarely used provision that allowed the 400 Block to be rented in quarters to private groups, and to remove specific rental fees from the policy text, instead referring renters to the city’s comprehensive fee schedule.

Alder Killian asked for clarity about the change and whether private rentals would still be allowed. Parks and staff representatives and other alderpersons explained that renting the 400 Block in quarter sections had not been a common practice and that the parks department typically rents the whole block for larger, usually public, events. Under the amendment, private events such as small weddings may still be allowed but not by partitioning the block into quarter sections; staff will handle individual requests through standard permitting and the fee schedule.

The change also removes specific fee numbers from the policy so fee updates can be made centrally in the comprehensive fee schedule without amending the policy each time fees change. Alder Tierney and others confirmed that full-block rentals would still be subject to the standard fee schedule. The council approved the item 11–0.

Ending: The special events policy will no longer reference quarter-block private rentals for the 400 Block; staff will continue to process rental requests and apply fees listed in the comprehensive fee schedule.