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River Falls council approves West Cedar brewery and event center plan after parking and river-protection questions
Summary
The River Falls Common Council unanimously approved a general development plan for a brewery, tap room and event center at West Cedar and River Street after asking staff and the applicants about stormwater protections, thermal impacts and a nontraditional parking plan that relies on public lots and private agreements.
The River Falls Common Council on April 28 voted unanimously to approve a general development plan for a brewery, tap room and event center at West Cedar Street and River Street proposed by Bearcat Investments LLC.
Council Member Downing, who moved the resolution, framed several questions about the project’s environmental and parking impacts during the council’s review. “I kind of want . . . an overview as we move forward with projects like this,” Downing said, seeking assurance about how the development would affect the nearby trout stream and how parking would be managed.
City staff told the council the project must comply with the city’s stormwater ordinances and will be served by the municipal sanitary sewer; staff said treatment at the wastewater plant is expected to handle discharges and that typical domestic water uses apply. Staff also told the council that the city does not perform a technical review of thermal impacts at the general development plan stage and that such details are not typically reviewed until later permitting or engineering submittals.
The council and staff emphasized that the GDP approval establishes the right to use the site conceptually; a future specific implementation plan is required and must include a detailed parking plan and recordable private parking agreements if private lots are being used to meet requirements. Staff said they will review the specific implementation plan and can require adjustments to the parking plan as conditions dictate.
Applicants Matt and Stephanie Johnson, identified in the packet as representatives of Bearcat Investments LLC, told the council they developed a parking strategy that draws on a five-block radius and negotiated agreements with nearby property owners including the Moose Lodge. “That total of what’s in that map is well above . . . over 50 spots more than we are legally obligated to provide,” one of the applicants said, adding that event contracts and communications will direct guests to public lots rather than rely on street parking. The applicants also said they plan an entrance redesign intended to reduce conflicts with adjacent apartment access.
Public commenter Amy Hartman, a River Falls resident who described Garage Bikes and Brews as a community space, had urged approval and asked that the river and trout stream be protected. “It’s literally the most community space I’ve ever participated in,” Hartman said in support of the project.
The council adopted the conceptual plan without specifying a numeric roll-call tally in the record; the city will review a specific implementation plan before site-level approvals and building permits are granted.
Next steps: the applicant must submit a specific implementation plan consistent with the approved GDP, including a detailed, recordable parking plan and the engineering-level stormwater controls required by city ordinance.
