Zoning board approves 1‑foot variance for Wood Trust Bank parking lot despite staff recommendation to deny
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Summary
The Wisconsin Rapids Zoning Board of Appeals granted a one‑foot variance allowing Wood Trust Bank to repave an existing downtown parking lot with a 23‑foot drive aisle instead of the 24 feet required by Chapter 11; community development staff had recommended denial after finding no unique hardship. The vote was 4–1.
The Wisconsin Rapids Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4–1 to grant Wood Trust Bank a one‑foot variance to repave an existing parking lot at 181 2nd Street South, allowing a 23‑foot drive aisle where Chapter 11 zoning requires 24 feet.
Elizabeth, a community development staff member, told the board the lot is already in place and measures about 24,000 square feet with 57 stalls, and that repaving and reconstruction must meet the zoning dimensional standards. "Staff are recommending denial," she said, explaining staff did not identify unique property characteristics or a hardship that would make meeting the standards unnecessarily burdensome.
Board members and the applicant discussed possible alternatives to the variance. Elizabeth said staff suggested removing a curb that projects from the building or changing stall angles; she also said bollards could be added against the building to mitigate exposure if the curb were removed. Elizabeth added that routine maintenance such as seal coating or repainting would not trigger the repaving standard, but full reconstruction would require meeting landscaping, accessible‑stall and stormwater requirements.
Kevin, who identified himself as the first alternate, argued the dimensional standards can be hard to meet for modern vehicles, noting "the number one selling vehicle in the country is the Ford F‑150 crew cab, which is 19 feet 4 inches long," and warned that pickup trucks can reduce effective aisle width and complicate turning radii.
Jerry, a board member who moved to approve the variance, said the lot had functioned for decades and that obstructing a property owner's downtown improvement would be unwise. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," he said. He argued that the board should not block a private investment and that staff support for alternatives was appropriate but did not justify denying the variance.
Members asked whether bollards would meaningfully recover the needed foot; Elizabeth said on‑site measurements with applicant representatives (including Kyle Kearns and Trent Ross of Wood Trust Bank) suggested there may be more than a foot between curb and building, which is why bollards were proposed as a mitigation option.
After debate, Jerry moved to approve the variance and Chuck seconded. The board conducted a roll call and approved the variance by a 4–1 vote; Mike Derry voted no. The board did not adopt conditions such as signage or required bollards as part of the motion.
The decision allows Wood Trust Bank to proceed with repaving the existing lot without reconfiguring stall angles or removing the curb, subject to any required building or site permits. The board's formal minutes will record the approved variance and the 4–1 tally.
