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Council approves rezoning of Sterling Ponds parcel despite resident objections
Summary
The River Falls Common Council approved ordinance 20-26-11 to rezone a small, landlocked parcel in the Sterling Ponds Corporate Park from conservancy to industrial after a public hearing that included an emailed objection from a nearby resident.
The River Falls Common Council on May 12 voted to approve ordinance 20-26-11, rezoning a conservancy-classified parcel in the Sterling Ponds Corporate Park to industrial to enable development with adjacent Lot J. Mayor Allison Page presided.
The move followed a public hearing at which a council member read an emailed comment from resident Amanda Krause, 3245 Glasgow Street, saying she and her neighbors were not notified about the rezoning and do not support changing the parcel to industrial. "We moved here because Sterling Ponds gives our neighborhood a country vibe ... Sadly, if this gets voted to change to industrial, we will be considering moving out of River Falls," the email said.
Staff explained the parcel was designated conservancy in 2014 after highway construction left it without direct legal access, so it had to be assembled with an adjacent lot for development. City staff noted the land has been part of the adopted concept for the Sterling Ponds Corporate Park and described it as a remnant parcel that the city and purchasers have expected to assemble for industrial use.
During council discussion, Council member Abduche pressed for detail on whether denying the rezoning would prevent development of Lot J and asked whether a data center could be a tenant, raising concerns about resource impacts. Staff said the plan is for a multi-tenant light industrial building similar to existing buildings in the park and that the city did not see evidence of incentives or proposals that would indicate a large data center tenant. Staff added the city likely lacks authority to prohibit specific commercial tenants by use alone.
A motion to approve the ordinance was made, seconded and carried on a voice vote; no roll-call vote tally by individual member was recorded in the meeting transcript.
The ordinance rezones the parcel to allow it to be developed as part of a larger industrial project with Lot J, which city staff said aligns with the city's long-standing economic development plan for the corporate park.
