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Committee approves sale application for three Wyatt Street lots; debate centers on floodplain costs and price
Summary
The Economic Development Committee voted 3–2 to advance a sale application for 208–214 Wyatt Street to the city council after extended discussion about floodplain remediation costs, assessor values and permitting; the buyer is block‑grant eligible and would receive remediation assistance structured as a forgivable mortgage.
The Wausau Economic Development Committee voted 3–2 to approve a property sale disposition application for 208–214 Wyatt Street and forward the matter to the full City Council, after hearing detailed staff history of the parcels and extensive committee debate about cost and process.
Economic Development staff described long city ownership of the parcels, acquisition and demolition activity going back to the early 2000s and intermittent attempts to sell the lots. Staff said a private applicant, identified in the record as Gunther Nowak, qualifies for federal block grant assistance and proposes to live in one unit while building and renting the others to help afford his mortgage. The applicant initially envisioned duplexes but revised plans because of floodplain constraints.
Alder Killian questioned whether the application conforms to the city’s March 2024 disposition resolution and raised assessor estimates for the parcels. Staff said two lots facing Wyatt Street were assessed at about $17,000 each and the third at roughly $16,000, for a combined assessor value near $51,800. Killian said selling for the applicant’s requested $1,000 would “tremendous[ly]” underprice the property and that the city attorney had concerns about whether this transaction fit the disposition guidelines.
Staff told the committee the applicant is asking the city to assist by placing fill to lift the lots out of the floodplain. Staff estimated remediation would be eligible for block grant funds and said a rough estimate provided in discussions with consultants was about $2,025,000 (staff characterized that number as a rough ballpark). Staff described the assistance as a mortgage placed on the property and said the city envisions it as a forgivable loan that would be forgiven incrementally if the buyer lives in the home for specified years.
Committee members explored alternatives: marketing the lots to test private market interest, posting the parcels on the city property page and using a realtor, or negotiating different sales terms. Neighbors spoke in favor of filling the lots and said they were unaware the parcel was actively marketed; one neighbor suggested lake access or easements could increase marketability.
After extended discussion, Alder Henke moved to approve the disposition application; Alder Gesselman seconded. The motion passed 3–2 and the item will go to the full City Council for final action.
The committee record shows the city previously used brownfield and block grant funds for demolition and partial reimbursements from the DNR and that further remediation costs and floodplain technical work will be site specific and tied to final building footprints and permits.
