Plan commission recommends heavy‑industrial rezoning for South 60th Avenue property

The Wausau Plan Commission on July 15 voted to recommend that City Council rezone 903 and 907 South 60th Avenue from medium industrial to heavy industrial at the request of owner Wausau Warehousing LLC.

Property owner Wayne Peters said he bought the site in 2015 and believed it had historically been zoned heavy industrial. “I was surprised when I got a letter stating that the zoning was nonconforming,” Peters said, and described the site’s original development as a foundry (Murray Foundry). Peters told commissioners he stores building materials in an enclosed outdoor area for a tenant and that a heavy‑industrial designation better reflects the property’s historic use and suitability.

Staff explained that the city adopted a new zoning code in 2020 that assigned parcels citywide to new zones and that some parcels were placed in different industrial subcategories as part of that update. Staff said the planning analysis focuses on whether the parcel is compatible with heavier industrial uses and noted that outdoor storage and similar uses are regulated differently across medium and heavy categories.

Commission discussion included questions about environmental impacts and whether heavier uses could increase pollution risks; staff said code standards, and, for certain projects, Wisconsin DNR rules apply and could limit impacts. Owner Peters also raised a map boundary question during the hearing; staff confirmed the commission’s packet reflected the property lines and that the parcel to the south was not part of the application.

Watson made the motion to recommend rezoning; Horniman seconded. The commission approved the recommendation by voice with no recorded opposition. The item will be forwarded to City Council for consideration at the Aug. 12 meeting.