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City planner seeks $75,000 for comprehensive-plan update; separate request targets paved parking behind Wausau Chemical
Summary
City planning staff presented a budgeted comprehensive-plan update and a capital request to construct paved parking on the Wausau Chemical site to meet a development agreement for Athletic Park; EPA has signed off on parking construction but long-term remediation remains in the site plan timeline.
City planning staff told the Capital Improvement Committee on July 17 that the city needs to update its comprehensive plan — required every 10 years under state planning statutes — and budgeted a low-cost approach that would begin major work in 2026 with adoption aimed for 2027.
"Our current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2017... we're required to update it every 10 years," city planner Brad Lens said. Staff proposed budgeting $75,000 in 2026 (and planning work into 2027) using regional planning partners and, if needed, private consultants.
Separately, staff presented a capital request tied to the city’s development agreement with the Woodchucks organization that requires the city to provide up to 150 paved parking spaces near Athletic Park. The recommended location is a gravel lot on the Wausau Chemical property between the building and the railroad; the EPA has signed off on constructing a parking lot in that area.
An initial cost estimate for the parking work was presented as $623,956 for about 120 spaces; staff said they will review the design to see whether expanding the count yields better economy of scale. The estimate includes stormwater work and a contingency for potential excavation of contaminated soils; staff said contamination related to the site is primarily beneath the existing building slab but they asked planners to budget conservatively.
Committee members asked about the long-term implications for the riverfront master plan and whether a less permanent pavement approach by Public Works might provide a lower-cost interim solution. Planning staff said they would investigate whether DPW could provide a shorter-term asphalt or chip-seal approach that met the development agreement’s requirement for paved spaces.
Other funding and timing notes: staff said $250,000 in room-tax funds is set aside for a northern River Edge Trail section discussed later in the meeting, and that TID 3’s expenditure period ends in July; if TID cash were to be used, contracts must be signed before that deadline.
Ending: Staff said corrected CIP materials will be available at the committee's next meeting and asked the committee to consider the comprehensive-plan and parking requests when ranking 2026 items.
