Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recreation Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee reviews recreation, tourism and forestry chapter updates; climate/winter recreation and land-acquisition targets highlighted
Summary
ERC heard updates to the recreation, tourism and natural-resources chapter of the county plan, including new plans and items such as trail development, Ice Age Trail status and concerns about low-snow winters affecting winter recreation and revenue streams.
County staff presented an updated draft of the Marathon County recreation, tourism and natural-resources chapter and sought committee input on issues and goals for the 2026 general-code update.
What changed
Staff said the draft incorporates recent master plans (Westside master plan; River's Edge Trail master plan), updates to Red Mound State Park planning, and newly designated national- and regional-level resources such as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The draft also adds references to current projects and attractions and brings dates and plan citations up to date since the 2016 iteration.
Issues and priorities
Staff recommended highlighting several issues in the chapter: intergovernmental cooperation (the county and city intergovernmental agreement executed in November), trail and waterway development, and land-acquisition objectives tied to a national guideline for park acreage per capita. Staff emphasized that the county is not proactively acquiring land unless landowners approach the county, but the chapter keeps an estimated acreage target (previously 320 acres) based on population projections and national guidance; staff will revisit the target when updating the outdoor-recreation plan.
Climate resilience and winter recreation
Committee and staff discussed impacts of warmer winters on cross‑country skiing and other winter programs. Staff recommended adding an issue and objective to address adaptation for diminishing snow—options discussed included snowmaking (with limits tied to temperature), diversifying programming and exploring other facility or service adjustments to maintain recreation access and revenue during low‑snow years.
Process and next steps
Parks and forestry commissions reviewed the chapter and did not request major edits. Staff said the outdoor recreation plan itself needs a separate update and is on the work plan; the recreation chapter will be refined further and returned to ERC with additional updates for incorporation into the broader county planning work ahead of the 2026 code update.
