Staff reports progress on La Crosse zoning and subdivision code rewrite; joint council session planned

City planning staff told the La Crosse City Planning Commission on Dec. 1 that consultants are continuing work on the zoning and subdivision code rewrite and that staff have been presenting draft changes at neighborhood association meetings.

Staff said consultants are focusing on the subdivision ordinance (chapter 113) with engineering input and working on the table of contents and formatting for how the new code will be presented. Staff reported they will compile final neighborhood feedback after one more public meeting next week and then prepare materials for a joint council–planning commission session aimed at gathering feedback rather than taking legislative action.

Staff acknowledged comments from an advocacy group, Friends of the Marsh, which wants parcels mapped and protected as marsh to remain zoned and potentially receive additional setback protections; staff said those comments have been received and will be considered as parts of the draft code and that one option under consideration is a larger setback for properties next to conserved marsh parcels.

Because of holiday scheduling, staff proposed moving the next planning commission meeting from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5, and commissioners agreed. Staff said design-review and code drafting will continue and that additional joint sessions may be scheduled to separate residential and commercial/industrial topic discussions.

Next steps include compiling neighborhood feedback, posting consultant materials to the project website, holding the joint council session for feedback, and continuing consultant drafting work.