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Residents challenge ALM Enterprises rezoning request as council weighs preliminary resolution
Summary
Oconto residents urged the council to hold ALM Enterprises to earlier promises of single‑family development and opposed rezoning several parcels to multifamily R‑3, while a developer and council members argued higher-density housing can meet local employer needs.
The Oconto City Council on Aug. 24 heard robust public comment on a petition from ALM Enterprises LLC to rezone multiple parcels — including parcel numbers 265-32200072019 and 265-32200012013 — from recreational or single‑family zoning to multifamily residential (R‑3).
Scott, a longtime neighborhood resident, told the council he has lived in the area for 52 years and accused ALM Enterprises of reneging on prior commitments to build single‑family homes on the Adams Street lots. "ALM Enterprises is reneging on their promises and are trying to change their original business plans," Scott said, urging the council to hold the developer to the earlier plan and expressing concern about traffic and long‑term maintenance of apartment buildings.
A developer who spoke for the project said the planned multifamily units are intended to address a local shortage of housing for employees and estimated market rents in the $1,200–$1,500 range. The developer said some units are aimed at older residents and displayed examples of similar work in nearby towns, arguing that multifamily options can meet demand from local employers who lack nearby housing for workers.
Council members asked for clarification about which lots had been rezoned previously and whether Adams Street parcels were promised for single‑family homes. A council member noted the market difficulty of selling single‑family houses in the current local market and said the council must balance neighborhood expectations with the citywide housing need.
The council also introduced a preliminary resolution indicating intent to exercise a special assessment related to the rezoning and associated infrastructure; the council discussed grouping multiple parcels together for action. No final vote on rezoning adoption was reported on the record during the meeting.
The meeting record showed residents raised additional concerns: an allegation that ALM requested a multi‑year tax break and requests for the city to prefer incentives for young couples building single‑family homes rather than for large apartment developers. The council requested more detailed plans and example imagery of the proposed buildings before advancing formal approvals.
The council moved the matter forward as a preliminary action; next steps identified on the record included providing council members with developer plans and additional financial/traffic information before any final zoning decision.
