Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Parking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee selects former Wausau Chemical site for Athletic Park parking expansion
Summary
The committee chose the city-owned former Wausau Chemical gravel lot as the preferred location to fulfill a remaining obligation of roughly 113 paved parking spaces for Athletic Park, citing city ownership and shorter pedestrian routes to the ballpark.
The Infrastructure & Facilities Committee selected the former Wausau Chemical site — currently used as a temporary gravel parking lot — as the preferred location for a large parking facility to meet the city’s remaining obligation under the Athletic Park development agreement.
Staff noted the development agreement requires the city to construct 150 newly paved off-street parking spaces; two smaller lots proposed immediately near Athletic Park would provide roughly 37 spaces, leaving about 113 additional spaces to be sited. Two candidate sites were discussed: Option A (former Wausau Chemical site; city-owned gravel lot) and Option B (a privately owned parcel previously used for event parking). Staff said Option A is owned by the city, avoids acquisition costs, and is a six-to-eight minute walk from the farthest point of the lot to the main gate.
Staff also said environmental cleanup timelines on the former chemical site may extend several years, and that the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated the city may use areas outside the building footprint for interim parking so long as work does not invade the building area. Staff said placing the lot there preserves other riverfront parcels for future development and avoids complex negotiations with the private owner of the Option B site, which staff said had not returned calls from a real estate investment trust owner.
Committee members said the site’s proximity and city ownership were strong advantages. Alder Larson moved to select Option A; Alder Neal seconded the motion. The chair called the vote and announced the motion passed; no members opposed.
Staff said next steps include preparing detailed design, identifying pedestrian crossing points to discourage unsafe railroad-track crossings, and coordinating any necessary environmental review and site preparation work.
